Our mission

We protect rights, challenge injustice, and fight poverty through free legal advocacy for people and families.

Our vision

Everyone deserves dignity and justice. We envision a West Michigan where no one lacks suitable housing, personal safety, family stability, or other basic life needs for lack of a lawyer.

Our organization 

We are a nonprofit law office. We deliver free legal help to  1) people who live in or near poverty, and 2) seniors. We help when civil (non-criminal) legal problems threaten our clients’ basic living needs, like food-security and income-security, housing, healthcare access, and safety from domestic violence. Here are the areas of law we cover.

Our 21-member Board of Directors, including local attorneys and members of our client communities, governs our organization. Our Administrative Team manages day-to-day activities. Our funding sources include federal, state, and local government grants, philanthropic foundation grants, and vital private donations from individuals, law firms, and businesses.

 

Our advocacy

Our staff attorneys and advocates, along with dozens of volunteer attorneys:

  • represent people in court and administrative hearings, and in other cases that require the full scope of an attorney’s services
  • provide brief legal advice and consultation to people
  • present community education events, and
  • produce materials explaining the law

Our clients

We serve clients in 17 West Michigan counties. 686,000 people living in or near poverty qualify for our help, along with thousands of seniors. Our clients include people:
 
  • facing evictions and foreclosures 
  • seeking safety from domestic violence
  • trying to access benefits that deliver basic income, healthcare, and food security, and
  • many others facing civil legal problems that threaten basic needs or personal safety

How can we help you?

Board Meetings
The next LAWM board meeting is scheduled for April 17, 2024 at 6:30pm at the LAWM Kalamazoo office.
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