There are many organizations in America today focusing on the Access to Justice crisis. They typically focus on helping people with legal problems get some level of assistance with that problem, whether it’s legal information, full representation, or something in between.

Unfortunately, the number of people with legal problems that get no assistance with those problems remains stubbornly high. The reasons for this vary, but common responses include:

Not feeling like they can afford a lawyer,
Not understanding their problem has a legal solution/component, and
Not trusting lawyers/the legal system.

This means that the problems remain unsolved, and often get worse or compound with other problems.

The Legal Wellness Clinic is a bold new nonprofit initiative committed to reframing how legal services are delivered and understood. Inspired by the preventative model of health care, the Clinic promotes the concept of legal wellness: equipping individuals to proactively assess and address legal issues across their lives before they become crises.

Through community-based clinics and partnerships, we create a welcoming, stigma-free environment where anyone, even those who don’t think they have any legal issues, are encouraged to meet with trained legal professionals to review key areas of legal health: housing, employment, family, finances, personal rights, criminal records, and planning for the future. This holistic, preventative model is designed to foster resilience, stability, and empowerment in underserved communities, while disrupting the cycle that causes legal issues to fester and lead to greater injustice.

Legal Wellness Clinic NFP

Promoting legal wellness in communities across Illinois.

Help launch the Legal Wellness Clinic!