About Counsel for Justice

1963

The Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) established the Los Angeles County Bar Foundation to promote charitable activities within the legal community and expand access to justice across Los Angeles. The Foundation raised funds to sustain pro bono legal services and other community-based initiatives.

1975

LACBA and its Immigration Section created the Immigration Legal Assistance Project (ILAP) to help immigrants navigate the complex U.S. immigration system. Located in the Federal Building at 300 North Los Angeles Street, ILAP assists clients seeking citizenship, green cards, work permits, travel permits, and family unification. Today, ILAP continues to serve more than 7,000 people each year.

1986

Members of LACBA’s Barristers Section launched the Domestic Violence Legal Services Project (DVP) to help survivors seeking court protection. Located in the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, DVP now assists over 2,000 survivors each year by providing legal information, forms preparation, and referrals to supportive services.

The same year, the Barristers and Trusts & Estates Section founded the AIDS Legal Services Project (ALSP)—one of the first programs in Los Angeles dedicated to serving people living with HIV and AIDS. ALSP provided vital legal assistance for more than 35 years before concluding its work in 2024 as the need for HIV-specific legal services declined and new resources became available.

2011

LACBA’s Armed Forces Committee and Board of Trustees established the Veterans Legal Services Project (VLSP) to provide free legal help to veterans. The project began with monthly clinics at Patriotic Hall in downtown Los Angeles through a partnership with U.S. VETS and the Los Angeles County Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Today, VLSP continues that mission through both in-person and remote legal clinics focused on housing, record-clearing, and other civil legal needs.

2014

LACBA created LACBA Counsel for Justice (CFJ) as a separate 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation to bring together its charitable and pro bono projects—including ILAP, DVP, ALSP, and VLSP—under one organization. CFJ had its own Board of Directors, while LACBA served as its sole member. CFJ became an IOLTA-funded legal services provider in 2016, receiving support from the California State Bar’s Legal Services Trust Fund.

2025

CFJ completed its transition to full independence. The organization began employing its own staff and, in August, formally became a self-governing nonprofit organization separate from LACBA. CFJ continues to collaborate with LACBA as its pro bono partner, maintaining the shared commitment that has guided both organizations for decades.

Today

Counsel for Justice stands as an independent legal services organization serving Los Angeles County. Supported by volunteers, law firms, foundations, individual donors, and government partners, including the U.S. Department of Justice and the City and County of Los Angeles, CFJ continues its mission to promote access to justice for those in underserved communities.

Working together for a more just L.A.