Mission

The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) believes you shouldn’t need a law degree to be able to assert your legal rights and meet your most basic, life-sustaining needs. But in reality, the legal systems meant to protect people facing poverty or crisis are often failing those who can’t afford an attorney. That's why NYLAG exists: Their mission is to use the power of the law to disrupt social, racial, and economic injustice through free legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, and community outreach. NYLAG is one of New York’s largest legal services organizations, providing access to justice for New Yorkers experiencing poverty, crises, and the deleterious effects of social, racial, and economic injustice. Their advocacy spans many social justice areas including but not limited to: standing up for the rights of immigrants, supporting survivors of violence and discrimination, protecting economic rights, demanding safe and affordable housing, securing access to healthcare and other essential benefits, fighting for systemic change, and equipping communities with the knowledge needed to assert their rights.