Legal Services Corporation Funded Legal Aid Organizations

Purpose

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent 501(c)(3) corporation that provides federal funding to legal aid programs across the country, including eleven legal aid organizations in California. LSC regulations require that these legal aid programs have governing bodies that include a majority of attorney members and that the attorney members reasonably reflect the diversity of the legal community and population of the area served by the legal aid organization. Applications are accepted year-round. 

The State Bar Board of Trustees makes appointments to the board of directors for the following five legal aid organizations upon their request and recommendation:

• California Indian Legal Services
• California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.
• Community Legal Aid SoCal
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles
• Legal Services of Northern California

Details about the qualifications for and service on these organizations’ boards will be available here when there are State Bar appointee vacancies. The State Bar will prioritize applicants for appointments on legal aid boards who:

• support the purpose of the Legal Services Corporation Act and demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of the delivery of quality legal services to the poor,
• reflect the diversity of the legal community and population of the area served by the legal aid organization, and
• have affiliations in the community served by the legal aid organization licensed by the State Bar of California.

Note that the State Bar does not reimburse travel-related expenses for appointees to LSC-funded legal aid organizations. For additional information, please visit the specific organization’s website or contact appointments@calbar.ca.gov.