Who We Are

The Legal Rights Center is a community-driven nonprofit law firm, specializing in adult and juvenile criminal defense, and restorative justice practices and advocacy.

By community-driven, we refer not only to our diverse staff and board, but also to our distinctive, bottom up, internal structure in which our Community Advocates, rather than our Attorneys, take the lead in:

• Assessing community needs and recommending the programmatic direction of the Legal Rights Center
• Advocating for clients by setting up criminal defense representation with the Legal Rights Center’s full-time, highly experienced, staff Attorneys, or helping with referrals to other legal and social service nonprofits as appropriate
• Communicating with clients on pending matters (in partnership with our Attorneys or Restorative Justice practitioners)
• Bringing legal knowledge back to the community with “street law” presentations in partnership with the Attorneys
• Participating in community forums and organizations that address the general well-being of the community.

On our letterhead, below Legal Rights Center, is a statement of our identity: A Law Firm Of and For the People.  We take pride in the fact we are not merely For the People.

The Legal Rights Center is financially supported by: the State of Minnesota, the United Way, foundations, local law firms, corporations and individuals.  Clients are never charged for our services.

For more information please see: Our Values & Operating Principles, Our Vision, Our History, and Our Staff & Board.