Pisgah Legal Services

What Pisgah Legal Services does

Pisgah Legal Services is a nonprofit legal aid organization founded in 1978 and headquartered in Asheville, North Carolina, providing free civil legal representation, advice, and advocacy to low-income residents across 18 Western North Carolina counties. The organization serves more than 15,000 individuals annually through a portfolio of specialized programs covering housing and homelessness prevention, domestic and sexual violence, elder law, children's law, consumer protection, immigration (Justice For All), expunction, community economic development, veterans' legal needs, healthcare and income security, Medicaid/ACA navigation (NCMedHelp and HEOP), and disaster recovery (notably Hurricane Helene response). Services are delivered free of charge to qualifying individuals at or below 125% of the federal poverty level through 13 physical offices, phone/online intake via the LegalServer platform, disaster recovery hotlines, and on-site Medical-Legal Partnership clinics embedded in healthcare facilities including Mission Health, MAHEC, RHA Health Services, and the Charles George VA Medical Center.

The organization's core technology infrastructure is utilitarian and non-proprietary: a WordPress-based public website with standard accessibility and security tooling (HTML, WAI-ARIA, CSS, JavaScript, SSL) and the LegalServer case management system powering online intake and case routing. Capacity is materially extended by the Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyers (MAVL) program, which coordinates approximately 300 active private volunteer attorneys handling roughly 20% of all cases, supplemented by the newer EAGLE program recruiting retired or out-of-state licensed attorneys. Certified VITA tax preparation sites and a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic add adjacent income-security services.

Pisgah Legal Services is funded through a diversified nonprofit revenue model: institutional grants from Dogwood Health Trust, Bob Woodruff Foundation, NC IOLTA (currently frozen through June 2026), United Ways, and government sources; corporate sponsorships (Aeroflow Health, Jim Barrett Fund for Justice); event revenue (Justice Forum, Jazz for Justice, Our Global Table); and individual donations. The organization is governed by an independent Board of Directors led since August 2024 by Executive Director Jaclyn Kiger, following the retirement of Jim Barrett after 41 years of service.

Name

Pisgah Legal Services

Legal name

Pisgah Legal Services

Website

https://pisgahlegal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Pisgah Legal Services is a 1978-founded nonprofit providing free civil legal aid, Medicaid/ACA navigation, tax preparation, and disaster recovery services to 15,000+ low-income residents annually across 18 Western North Carolina counties through 13 offices and 300+ volunteer attorneys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Individual and Family Services (6241), All Other Legal Services (541199), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH), Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Pro bono legal services
• Nonprofit legal assistance
• Medicaid enrollment support
• Free tax preparation

Headquarters

HQ city

Asheville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: Primary funding from Dogwood Health Trust, Bob Woodruff Foundation, NC IOLTA, United Ways, and various government grants for civil legal aid programs
2. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations supporting access to justice in Western North Carolina
3. Event Revenue: Fundraising events including Justice Forum, Jazz for Justice, Our Global Table, and other community events
4. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsorships and matching gifts from organizations like Aeroflow Health ($5,000 contribution) and Jim Barrett Fund for Justice

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Pisgah Legal Services provides free civil legal aid to low-income individuals and families across 18 Western North Carolina counties, covering housing, domestic violence, healthcare access, government benefits, immigration, veterans' rights, consumer protection, and disaster recovery. It also delivers free tax preparation through the VITA program and operates the Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyers (MAVL) program that connects qualifying clients with pro bono private attorneys. Services are provided through 13 office locations, phone and online intake, disaster recovery hotlines, and Medical-Legal Partnership sites embedded in healthcare facilities.

Product overview

Pisgah Legal Services operates as a nonprofit legal aid organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of free civil legal services to low-income residents across 18 Western North Carolina counties. The organization provides direct legal representation and advice through multiple specialized programs including free civil legal aid, the WNC Health and Economic Opportunity Program (HEOP), NCMedHelp Medicaid assistance, Veterans Law Program, Medical-Legal Partnership, and free tax preparation through VITA. The Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyers (MAVL) Program coordinates approximately 300 volunteer attorneys for pro bono representation. Additional services cover Children's Law, Consumer Law, Immigration Law (Justice for All), Domestic Violence Prevention, Elder Law, Expunction, Homelessness Prevention, and Community Economic Development. Disaster recovery services have been expanded to assist Hurricane Helene survivors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyers (MAVL): Pro bono referral program composed of approximately 300 active private attorneys who volunteer their services to help meet the need for civil law representation of low-income residents.
• NCMedHelp
• WNC Health and Economic Opportunity Program (HEOP)
• Justice For All
• EAGLE Program

Products and services

• Free Civil Legal Aid Services Free legal representation and advice in non-criminal civil matters for low-income individuals and families in Western North Carolina, including housing, domestic violence, healthcare access, and government benefits.
• WNC Health and Economic Opportunity Program (HEOP) Program combining Medicaid and ACA Navigator services with tax assistance to help 18 Western North Carolina counties claim tax credits and access health insurance through Healthcare.gov.
• NCMedHelp

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000+ low-income people served annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Legal Aid of NCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for NCMedHelp program providing free one-on-one Medicaid support. Legal Aid of NC is part of the three-organization collaborative (with Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and Pisgah Legal Services) serving Medicaid members throughout North Carolina.
• Charlotte Center for Legal AdvocacycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for NCMedHelp program providing free one-on-one Medicaid support. The three organizations work together to help Medicaid members throughout North Carolina navigate the healthcare system.
• Mission HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical-Legal Partnership with Mission Health, a 2019 recipient of Community Investment funds from Mission Health. Addresses social determinants of health including housing, safety, and financial needs.
• Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical-Legal Partnership with MAHEC to provide holistic healthcare by addressing socio-economic problems that exacerbate illness and injury.
• RHA Health Services Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical-Legal Partnership with RHA Health Services to address social determinants of health for patients with mental health and substance use treatment needs.
• Charles George VA Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical-Legal Partnership with the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville provides free on-site legal help to veterans through a dedicated attorney.
• NC SERVEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of NC SERVES network, which coordinates organizations to help veterans and their families access care and support. Pisgah Legal works with other community partners to provide holistic veteran services.
• Legal Aid of North CarolinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline and Ask A Lawyer clinics. Collaborates on disaster legal services for Hurricane Helene survivors across Western North Carolina.
• North Carolina Bar FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline providing free legal advice to Hurricane Helene survivors through volunteer attorneys.
• NC Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMAVL (Mountain Area Volunteer Lawyers) program was formed in 1983 under the sponsorship of the North Carolina Bar Association and in cooperation with Pisgah Legal Services.
• Buncombe County Veterans Treatment CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPisgah Legal serves as a partner in the Buncombe County Veterans Treatment Court, which helps veterans involved with the justice system due to homelessness, PTSD, and/or drug addiction.
• Hot Springs Health ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical-Legal Partnership addressing social determinants of health for patients in the Hot Springs area.
• Barnardsville Area Resiliency NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Ask A Lawyer Disaster Relief Clinic in Barnardsville to provide free legal consultations for Hurricane Helene survivors.
• Rebuilding Hollers FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for disaster relief clinics helping homeowners with FEMA claims, insurance issues, and housing recovery after Hurricane Helene.
• Yancey Long Term Recovery GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Disaster Recovery Resource Fairs providing information on home repairs, FEMA issues, insurance, and housing assistance across Yancey County communities.
• Renew NCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help homeowners apply for the Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program for free assistance to repair, rebuild, or replace homes damaged by Hurricane Helene.
• My Mountain RecoveryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mitchell County disaster recovery clinics helping residents with FEMA appeals, insurance issues, and housing concerns.
• Pisgah Legal Executive Director Jaclyn KigercoreOthersContact for organizations interested in working with Pisgah Legal Services on medical-legal partnerships.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Legal Aid of North Carolina: Statewide civil legal aid nonprofit serving low-income North Carolinians with similar poverty-law practice areas. Direct partner on NCMedHelp and WNC Disaster Recovery Hotline, making it the closest operational peer.
• Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy: Regional civil legal aid nonprofit serving the Charlotte area with similar focus on housing, healthcare, immigration, and veterans' benefits. Co-partner in the NCMedHelp collaborative alongside Pisgah Legal and Legal Aid of NC.

Regional players

• South Carolina Legal Services: Statewide legal aid program serving low-income South Carolina residents with comparable poverty-law practice areas, federal LSC funding model, and pro bono volunteer infrastructure.
• Atlanta Legal Aid Society: Regional civil legal aid nonprofit serving the Atlanta metro area with similar service mix including housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer protection for low-income clients.
• Tennessee Justice Center: Tennessee-based legal aid and advocacy organization with overlapping practice in Medicaid, SNAP, housing, and healthcare access. Comparable mission to address poverty through legal representation in an Appalachian-adjacent state.

Others

• Legal Services Corporation: Federal funder of civil legal aid programs nationwide; Pisgah Legal operates within the LSC-funded ecosystem. Not a direct competitor but the primary national infrastructure and funding partner for the legal aid sector Pisgah Legal operates in.
• Pro Bono Net: National nonprofit that builds technology and infrastructure (including case management and pro bono matching platforms) used by legal aid organizations like Pisgah Legal. Ecosystem enabler rather than direct service competitor.
• American Bar Association Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defense: National professional association body that coordinates pro bono efforts and supports civil legal aid programs. MAVL was founded in 1983 under the sponsorship of the NC Bar Association, which sits within the ABA ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PisgahLegal
• Instagraminstagram.com/pisgahlegal
• Xx.com/PisgahLegal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pisgah Legal Services