Mission & Core Values

At The Legal Aid Society, we deliver justice in every borough, working tirelessly to make our city a better place.

Mission

The Legal Aid Society is built on one simple but powerful belief: that no New Yorker should be denied the right to equal justice. We seek to be a beacon of hope for New Yorkers who feel neglected -regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they identify. From our start over 140 years ago, our growth has mirrored that of the city we serve. Today, we are proud to be the largest, most influential social justice law firm in New York City.

Our staff and attorneys deliver justice in every borough, working tirelessly to defend our clients and dismantle the hidden, systemic barriers that can prevent them from thriving. As passionate advocates for individuals and families, The Legal Aid Society is an indispensable component of the legal, social, and economic fabric of our City.

Core Values

The Legal Aid Society’s core values are based on the themes of Accountability, Trust, Empathy, Equality & Equity, Respect, and Transparency.

• We Live Our Mission - We advocate for our colleagues with the same passion as we do for our clients.
• We Allow Space and Grace - We show compassion in conflict and communication.
• We Elevate One Another - We support, help, and encourage one another.
• We Build Community - We create an environment where our culture is “our connection.” We honor each other’s differences and respect each other’s thoughts.
• We Embrace Change - We are open to challenge our assumptions, continuing to learn, free to create, be flexible, and keep going.
• We Answer Transparently - We take ownership of the part we say and do. Our responsibility is met with action.
• We are the Sum of Our Parts - We acknowledge that every role represents a critical piece of the puzzle to serve our client’s needs effectively.

Careers & Opportunities

Make a change in the fight for equal justice. Join us at The Legal Aid Society, the leading social justice law firm.

The leadership of The Legal Aid Society is committed to a work culture of zealous advocacy, respect, diversity and inclusion, client-oriented defense, access to justice and excellent representation. Our objective is to recruit and retain the best law students, attorneys, paralegals, social workers, investigators and administrative staff who share one vision – that no New Yorker will be denied access to justice because of poverty.