National Legal Aid & Defender Association

[2] In 1888, the Ethical Culture Society of Chicago established by the Bureau of Justice was the first agency to offer legal assistance to individuals regardless of nationality, race or gender.

"Without equal access to the law," he wrote, "the system not only robs the poor of their only protection, but places in the hands of their oppressors the most powerful and ruthless weapon ever invented.

[5] As a result of Smith's book, the American Bar Association created the Special Committee on Legal Aid Work.

After years of research and advocacy, the Legal Services Corporation Act was enacted in 1974 by President Richard Nixon.

NLADA is the only national membership organization devoted exclusively to ensuring legal representation for individuals who cannot afford an attorney.