Neighborhood Legal Services Program

For almost 60 years, Neighborhood Legal Services Program of the District of Columbia (NLSP) has provided free civil legal services to low-income area residents. Our assistance preserves safe and affordable shelter, stabilizes family relationships, protects victims of domestic violence, secures access to healthcare and public benefits, and reduces barriers to employment. 

As a pioneer of the neighborhood-based legal services model, we strive to be an integral part of the communities we serve. Our three community law offices are in the most underserved areas of the District, including two locations east of the Anacostia River. 

NLSP serves clients with household incomes at or below the federal poverty guidelines. Clients face civil legal issues that threaten their health, livelihood, housing, and family well-being. NLSP’s impact is profound, with over five thousand low-income District residents benefiting from its free legal services in 2022 alone. Approximately 96% of the clients NLSP assisted in 2022 were minority residents, with 86% of those residents identifying as African American. Finally, we recognize that structural racism and discrimination exacerbate and are the root causes of many of the issues facing our clients.