[1] TRLA's mission is to promote the dignity, self sufficiency, safety, and stability of low income Texans by providing high quality civil legal assistance and related educational services.

Established in 1970, TRLA was created for the purpose of providing civil legal services to poor people in ten south Texas counties.

Judge James DeAnda, working through the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, sponsored the creation of TRLA for the purpose of receiving funds from the federal Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO).

Hall stepped down at the end of 2017, replaced by Robert Doggett, who has dedicated nearly 20 years to TRLA, litigating and providing guidance on cases involving FEMA aid, mortgage foreclosure, predatory lending, and other issues that disproportionately affect low-income people.

The 1980s and 1990s saw intensified attacks upon federal funding and resulted in major reductions coupled with additional restrictions on clients who could be served, types of cases that could be taken, and means of advocacy.

In 1997 the Texas Legislature provided a new funding stream for TEAJF to administer when it required people who file lawsuits to include a small add-on fee dedicated to free legal services for low-income Texans.

TRLA has more than 499 employees total, of which 93% are legal staff who work directly with clients in a variety of practice areas including: Texas RioGrande Legal Aid has offices located in many cities in its 68 county service area including: Alpine, Austin, Beeville, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, Edinburg, El Paso, Floresville, Harlingen, Laredo, Mercedes, Rio Grande City, San Antonio, Sinton, Uvalde, Victoria, and Weslaco.

In 2008, TRLA began representing 48 mothers of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS)in the massive custody proceedings that resulted from a raid of the YFZ Ranch in Eldorado, Texas.

TRLA filed a writ of mandamus in the Third Court of Appeals in Austin, TX that resulted in ruling that Child Protective Services improperly removed more than 400 children from the ranch in early April.