The fund sometimes is or operates like a law firm, where teams of attorneys provide legal services through litigation.
[1] Contrary to the name, attorneys working for legal defense funds both file and defend lawsuit.
Many American public figures have employed legal defense funds, including Bill Clinton[3] and Sarah Palin.
[4] On November 15, 2010, Congressman Charlie Rangel's credibility was questioned when he claimed that until very recently he was unaware that the establishment of a legal defense fund was an option he could use to pay for his defense against corruption charges[5] These funds are governed by Congressional ethics rules and guidelines from the Office of Governmental Ethics (OGE), which impose various requirements to limit contributions to the fund.
They often provide legal assistance, advocacy, litigation support, and public education to increase gender and racial equality.