The Law Project provides free, expert legal assistance to support community development efforts led by entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations that generally do not have the resources to pay for legal services.
While legal advice is needed for real estate transactions, for securing tax exemption, starting a new business, entering into contracts, and managing personnel issues, most organizations in low-income neighborhoods cannot afford the high cost of these services. The Law Project fills this gap by linking lawyers from Chicago’s major law firms and in-house corporate legal departments to organizations and entrepreneurs working to build stable communities. Our goal is to ensure that TLP clients receive high quality professional representation.
History
Launched in 1985, The Law Project (formerly The Community Economic Development Law Project) is a project of the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Inc., a prominent civil rights organization.
TLP was founded in response to a burgeoning community-based development movement that required access to sophisticated transactional legal representation. The CLCCRUL’s law firm membership provided access to many of Chicago’s attorneys. Additional support from the Chicago Bar Association further broadened outreach to the legal community.
TLP has worked with hundreds of nonprofit organizations, entrepreneurs and first time home buyers. Each year, over four million dollars in free legal services is contributed by Chicago’s legal community to organizations and entrepreneurs working in low-income communities.