Building Legal-Community Partnerships

Building accountability with the clients and communities we serve is critical to ensure the work of civil legal aid organizations is responsive, dynamic, and aligned with the interests of those who are most affected by poverty, racism, and other forms of structural oppression. This guide aims to lay out key principles and strategies to guide organizations, particularly organizations that provide direct legal services, by outlining the relationship-building activities required to develop authentic partnerships with community-based groups and alignment with community lawyering principles.