Lakeshore Legal Aid

What Lakeshore Legal Aid does

Lakeshore Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit law firm founded in 1966 that delivers free civil legal services to low-income residents, older adults, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across Southeast Michigan. The organization operates seven litigation offices (Dearborn, Detroit Cass Corridor, Southwest Detroit, Mt. Clemens, Pontiac, Port Huron, Taylor) plus a Warren administrative office and a statewide Counsel & Advocacy Law Line (CALL) hotline. Its practice spans family law, protection from abuse, housing, consumer, public benefits, income tax, individual rights, employment, estates and guardianships, expungement, and education, with a dedicated Pro Bono department engaging volunteer attorneys under Director Heather Herbert.

The technology footprint is deliberately lightweight and centered on accessibility rather than automation: a WordPress public website, a separate WordPress Pro Bono portal, and integration with JusticeServer and Paladin for pro bono case-marketplace listings; ADP Workforce Now for recruiting; and a TFA Forms-hosted donation page. Proprietary surface assets include the Legally Speaking TV program (since 2019, produced with the Macomb County Bar Foundation and the City of Sterling Heights Television) and a Legal Video Library (since 2020). No API, mobile app, or documented AI capability is offered.

Lakeshore is funded through a diversified mix of restricted and unrestricted sources: a federal Legal Services Corporation grant under 45 CFR Part 1610, Michigan State Bar Foundation grants including the Access to Justice Campaign, the Area Agency on Aging 1-B (AgeWays), Oakland County Bar Foundation, St. Clair County Millage, United Way, individual donations, and a 2025 TD Charitable Foundation grant. All services are provided free of charge to eligible clients; there is no fee-for-service revenue. The executive team is led by CEO Ashley E. Lowe, with a Chief Advocacy Officer (Akisha Johnson), CFO (Teresa Fiehn), COO (Katherine Strickfaden), and Chief Culture Officer (Landon Reid).

Name

Lakeshore Legal Aid

Legal name

Lakeshore Legal Aid

Website

https://lakeshorelegalaid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Lakeshore Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit law firm, founded 1966, that provides free civil legal services to low-income residents, older adults, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across Southeast Michigan through seven litigation offices and a statewide hotline.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Courts & Judicial Administration (BPAIABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Civil legal services
• Legal aid nonprofit
• Pro bono representation
• Family law assistance
• Housing legal aid

Headquarters

HQ city

Warren

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government and Foundation Grants: Federal funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and grants from the Michigan State Bar Foundation (MSBF), Oakland County Bar Foundation, Area Agency on Aging 1-B / AgeWays, St. Clair County Millage, United Way, and other funders. Grants are restricted per LSC regulations (45 CFR Part 1610).
2. Donations (Individual and Access to Justice Campaign): Charitable donations from attorneys via the Access to Justice Campaign (administered by MSBF in partnership with State Bar of Michigan) and non-attorney donations; donations of $250+ are subject to LSC-mandated restrictions. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit status.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Core offering

Lakeshore Legal Aid is a not-for-profit law firm that provides free civil legal services — including advice, document preparation, negotiation, mediation, and court representation — to low-income individuals, older adults, and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault across Southeast Michigan. Services are delivered through seven litigation offices, a central CALL telephone/online intake, and a Pro Bono volunteer attorney network, covering practice areas such as family law, housing, consumer, public benefits, income tax, employment, expungement, education, and elder law.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Legally Speaking: A television show produced since 2019 in partnership with the Macomb County Bar Foundation and the City of Sterling Heights Television, hosted by CEO Ashley Lowe, featuring discussions on critical legal issues affecting Michigan residents.
• Counsel & Advocacy Law Line (CALL)
• Family Law Assistance Project (FLAP)

Products and services

• Civil Legal Services Free umbrella civil legal services practice covering Family Law, Protection from Abuse, Housing, Consumer, Public Benefits, Income Tax, Individual Rights, Employment, Estates & Guardianships, Expungement, Education, Senior Services, LGBT Rights, and Drivers License Restoration for eligible low-income, older adult, and domestic violence/sexual assault survivor clients in Southeast Michigan.
• Counsel & Advocacy Law Line (CALL Hotline) Telephone intake and legal-advice hotline (1-888-783-8190) operated by Lakeshore Legal Aid for new clients seeking free civil legal services across Southeast Michigan, with Spanish and Arabic multilingual support.
• Pro Bono Legal Services Program Pro Bono department that engages volunteer attorneys in family law, employment-barrier expungement/license restoration, bankruptcy, estate planning/probate, and FLAP clinics; supported by a WordPress volunteer portal and listings on JusticeServer and Paladin; malpractice coverage provided.
• Family Law Assistance Project (FLAP) In-person legal-advice and brief-service clinics held at the Oakland County Friend of the Court (35 W. Huron, Suite 701, Pontiac, MI), where experienced family law attorneys complete short intakes and advise pro per clients on divorce, custody, paternity, and support.
• Legally Speaking TV Show Ongoing video/TV program hosted by Lakeshore CEO Ashley Lowe that interviews experts on current legal issues affecting Michigan residents; produced in partnership with the Macomb County Bar Foundation and Sterling Heights Television.
• Legal Video Library Collection of screencasts and animations guiding Michigan families through common civil-legal processes (custody, child support, paternity, eviction, taxes, DHHS appeals, debt collection, wills, special education, etc.), developed with regional partners since 2020.

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Legal Aid of Western Michigan: Another Michigan-based LSC-funded civil legal aid organization providing free services across western counties. Direct comparable in mission, funder mix, and practice areas, with complementary geographic coverage that often co-serves Michigan statewide initiatives.
• Michigan Advocacy Program / Michigan Legal Help: Michigan's statewide legal aid consortium that runs michiganlegalhelp.org — the self-help portal Lakeshore uses for client intake. Operates the Michigan Indian Legal Services, Farmworker Legal Services, and other regional programs, with overlapping LSC-funded practice and statewide reach.

Regional players

• Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC): Michigan statewide nonprofit providing free immigration-related civil legal services, including representation for low-income immigrants, survivors of domestic violence, and detained individuals. Comparable in funding model (LSC, foundation grants, donations) and Southeast Michigan service area.
• Oakland County Bar Foundation: County bar foundation that funds Lakeshore's Oakland County office. A regional ecosystem peer — not a direct service competitor, but a co-funder whose priorities shape Lakeshore's program portfolio in the county.

Others

• Michigan State Bar Foundation (MSBF): Foundational funder of Lakeshore and administrator of the Access to Justice Campaign. Not a direct service peer, but a key funding and ecosystem anchor whose grant decisions directly shape Lakeshore's capacity and program scope.

Broad incumbents

• Legal Services Corporation (LSC): Federal funder of 130+ civil legal aid programs across the U.S., including Lakeshore. Sets the regulatory framework (45 CFR Part 1610) under which Lakeshore operates and is the largest single source of comparable funding across the national legal aid sector.
• National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA): National membership and advocacy organization for civil legal aid and public defense providers. Comparable as a peer institution whose members include Lakeshore, providing training, policy advocacy, and standards that shape Lakeshore's operating model.

Emerging players

• Paladin: Pro bono opportunity marketplace used by Lakeshore to publish cases and recruit volunteer attorneys. A technology-enabled adjacent player whose growth directly affects Lakeshore's volunteer pipeline efficiency.
• JusticeServer: Online pro bono case-matching platform integrated with Lakeshore's volunteer portal. Comparable as a technology enabler whose product roadmap and case supply directly affect Lakeshore's ability to scale pro bono engagement.
• Pro Bono Net: National nonprofit building technology and resource platforms for the civil legal aid sector. Comparable as a sector-shaping infrastructure peer whose tools and national reach complement Lakeshore's local service delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCzGfRxF1wUCRVnvNb4tI1LQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/LakeshoreLegalAid.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakeshore-legal-aid
• Instagraminstagram.com/lakeshorelegalaid
• Xx.com/MICH_legalaid

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Lakeshore Legal Aid