History and Mission
New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc. (NHLAA) is a nonprofit organization that was incorporated on April 7, 1964 to “secure justice for and to protect the rights of those residents of New Haven County unable to engage legal counsel.” NHLAA was one of the first legal services programs established and the federal government used it as a model for similar programs throughout the country. We are an office of attorneys, paralegals, and legal secretaries committed to protecting the rights and improving the lives of our client communities. Many of our staff have been with LAA for more than twenty years.
NHLAA offers free, high-quality legal services to people living in poverty in New Haven County and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. We strive to provide equal access to the justice system, enhance the rights and living conditions of our client community, and help our client community protect their own rights. We accomplish these goals by providing legal advice, brief service, and full representation to individual clients; strategically prioritizing legal work that will make systemic improvements benefitting large numbers of low-income people; and engaging in community education and outreach. We represent seniors, people with mental and physical disabilities, children, domestic violence survivors, immigrants, low-wage workers, families at risk of homelessness, and individuals who face additional challenges to representing themselves, such as those with limited English proficiency.
We rely on private donations and grants to support our work.