Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy

Did you know that no one has the right to an attorney in civil legal matters and those who cannot afford representation are forced to navigate a complicated legal system alone even when basic human needs are at stake? We believe everyone deserves legal assistance when basic needs are on the line. No one should be denied legal help just because they can't afford it. Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy is a champion for those in need, providing a wide range of civil legal assistance to low-income people in the Charlotte area and west-central N.C. Our mission is to pursue justice for those in need, with the vision of building a just community, where all people are treated fairly and have access to legal representation to meet their basic human needs of safety, economic security and stability. There is a justice gap in Mecklenburg County: In the last year, 71 percent of low-income residents experienced at least one civil legal problem that impacted their daily lives, but only 14 percent had access to the legal help they needed to address their problem. We serve 7,000 neighbors in need of legal help each year. But the work is not finished. More than 300,000 low-income families in the region are eligible for Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy's civil legal services but are unable to pay for a private lawyer. We are fighting to bridge the justice gap with the belief that when everyone has access to legal assistance and the resources necessary to keep families stable we are building a stronger, more just community for ALL residents.