Legal Aid Services of Oregon

What Legal Aid Services of Oregon does

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is a nonprofit organization providing free civil legal representation and advice to low-income Oregonians. Founded as a 501(c)-style entity, LASO operates eight regional offices across Oregon — in Albany, Bend, Klamath Falls, Newport, Pendleton, Portland, Roseburg, and Salem — alongside a central administrative office in Portland. Beyond general civil legal aid, LASO runs three specialized statewide programs: the Farmworker Program (offices in Forest Grove and Salem) serving migrant and seasonal agricultural and forestry workers; the Native American Program (NAPOLS), nationally recognized since 1979 for Indian law specialization; and the Statewide Tax Clinic (Low Income Taxpayer Clinic) handling IRS and Oregon Department of Revenue disputes. Core technology and proprietary systems are not publicly disclosed; service delivery is built on attorney-staffed intake across offices, statewide hotlines (Oregon Public Benefits, Eviction Defense Project, Farmworker Program), and a coordinated pro bono volunteer network managed through Pro Bono Oregon.

LASO serves four primary horizontal segments: (1) low-income Oregonians generally — including survivors of domestic violence, older adults, people with disabilities, and laid-off workers; (2) farmworkers and agricultural workers; (3) Native American communities; and (4) low-income taxpayers. Client eligibility is generally limited to households at or below 125% of the federal poverty level, and services are provided free of charge. The organization does not operate a fee-for-service revenue model; instead, funding is derived from federal grants through the Legal Services Corporation, state funding through the Oregon State Bar Legal Services Program, and donations coordinated by the Campaign for Equal Justice (CEJ). LASO also participates in joint initiatives such as the Eviction Defense Project (with Oregon Law Center and Center for Non-Profit Legal Services) and the Tax Infrastructure Grant Program (with Oregon State University), the latter currently subject to proposed funding expansion under Oregon House Bill 2991.

From a go-to-market perspective, LASO does not employ a traditional sales force. Intake occurs through regional office walk-ins, phone hotlines, online county lookup tools, and a network of referrals from courts, law enforcement, social service agencies, healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations serving BIPOC, immigrant, and farmworker populations. Outreach is conducted at senior centers, community organizations, and targeted community events, with interpretation available in over 160 languages. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors; current executive leadership includes Interim Executive Director Emily Brown-Sitnick. Headcount is stated as 51-100 employees, though total statewide headcount is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Legal Aid Services of Oregon

Legal name

Legal Aid Services of Oregon

Website

https://lasoregon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is a nonprofit civil legal aid organization providing free legal representation to low-income Oregonians across all 36 counties via eight regional offices and three statewide specialized programs (Farmworker, Native American, Tax Clinic), funded by government grants and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAM

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Pro bono legal services
• Low-income legal assistance
• Housing law advocacy
• Native American legal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants (Federal and State): LASO is funded primarily through government grants, including federal funding from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and state funding from the Oregon State Bar Legal Services Program. Additional state funding is directed through programs such as the Tax Infrastructure Grant Program managed in part by LASO.
2. Donations and Fundraising: LASO's fundraising efforts are coordinated by the Campaign for Equal Justice (CEJ), an Oregon nonprofit. Donations from individuals, law firms, and organizations support LASO and Oregon's broader legal aid programs.
3. No-Fee Client Services: LASO provides free legal services to eligible clients. Clients are not charged for legal services, making the revenue model entirely grant and donation-dependent rather than fee-for-service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) provides free civil legal representation, advice, and advocacy to income-eligible Oregon residents. Services span housing, family law, public benefits, employment, tax, and Native American law matters, delivered through eight regional offices and three specialized statewide programs.

Product overview

Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) is a nonprofit organization providing civil legal aid to low-income Oregonians. The organization operates eight regional offices serving the general low-income population and three specialized statewide programs: the Farmworker Program, the Native American Program (NAPOLS), and the Statewide Tax Clinic. Additionally, LASO coordinates pro bono opportunities through partnerships with private attorneys and operates the Eviction Defense Project as a joint initiative with partner legal aid organizations. Services are provided free of charge to eligible clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Civil Legal Aid Representation

Quantifiable outcome

• One study found that the single most important factor in decreasing the incidence of domestic violence is the presence of a legal aid office in the community.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Oregon State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon State University is a partner in managing the Tax Infrastructure Grant Program, which provides free tax preparation assistance to low-income Oregonians. The program's proposed funding increase (House Bill 2991) would increase grant program funding from $8 million to $14 million per two-year cycle to meet rising demand.
• Oregon Law CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon Law Center is a joint partner in the Eviction Defense Project (EDP), a statewide initiative to help tenants facing eviction. The EDP is a joint project of Legal Aid Services of Oregon, the Oregon Law Center, and the Center for Non-Profit Legal Services. Oregon Law Center also serves certain Oregon counties that LASO does not cover.
• Center for Non-Profit Legal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCenter for Non-Profit Legal Services is a joint partner in the Eviction Defense Project alongside LASO and Oregon Law Center. The EDP provides legal assistance to tenants whose landlords have taken them to eviction court, serving clients through phone and email intake.
• Campaign for Equal Justice (CEJ)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Campaign for Equal Justice (CEJ) is an Oregon nonprofit that coordinates all fundraising efforts for legal services programs in Oregon, including LASO. CEJ enables donors to contribute to LASO and Oregon's legal aid programs through its online donation platform.
• Oregon State BarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOregon State Bar provides funding through its Legal Services Program and certifies LASO's pro bono programs. The OSB also supports LASO through its infrastructure and regulatory standing, and the Eviction Defense Project is an OSB-certified pro bono program offering free PLF coverage to volunteer attorneys.
• Pro Bono OregoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPro Bono Oregon is the statewide platform through which LASO coordinates pro bono case referrals. Volunteer attorneys statewide accept cases in areas including bankruptcy, domestic violence, expungement, tenant law, elder law, and tax through OSB-certified pro bono programs.
• Stoel Rives LLPsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerStoel Rives LLP co-sponsors the Legal Aid Night Clinic with LASO and Dunn Carney LLP. The clinic is held twice monthly at the Standard Insurance Building in downtown Portland, where volunteer attorneys screen cases and provide continuing representation.
• Dunn Carney LLPsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDunn Carney LLP co-sponsors the Legal Aid Night Clinic with LASO and Stoel Rives LLP, held twice monthly in downtown Portland for civil legal intake.
• Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerIRCO is a community partner of the LASO Portland Regional Office's anti-displacement and fair housing projects, providing referrals and serving BIPOC and immigrant communities.
• Community Alliance of TenantssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Alliance of Tenants is a partner in LASO Portland's anti-displacement and fair housing projects, supporting outreach and referral pipelines for housing-related legal services.
• Unite OregonsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnite Oregon is a community partner of LASO Portland's housing justice and anti-displacement projects, collaborating on fair housing outreach to BIPOC communities.
• El Programa Hispano CatoicosecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEl Programa Hispano Catoico is a partner in LASO Portland's anti-displacement and fair housing projects, serving as a referral resource for the Latinx community in Oregon.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oregon Law Center: Oregon's other major civil legal aid nonprofit; LASO and Oregon Law Center jointly operate the Eviction Defense Project and divide geographic coverage of Oregon counties, making OLC the closest structural peer for service area and target population.
• Center for Non-Profit Legal Services: Nonprofit legal aid provider jointly partnering with LASO and Oregon Law Center on the Eviction Defense Project; serves similar low-income populations in Oregon with overlapping intake channels and pro bono coordination.
• Northwest Justice Project: Washington state's primary LSC-funded civil legal aid provider, serving low-income populations with a comparable mix of statewide programs and regional offices; structurally analogous as a Pacific Northwest LSC grantee peer.
• California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA): California-based LSC-funded legal aid provider focused on rural and agricultural worker populations; comparable to LASO's Farmworker Program in targeting migrant/seasonal farmworkers for employment, housing, and benefits legal issues.
• Idaho Legal Aid Services: Idaho's primary LSC-funded civil legal aid provider serving low-income residents statewide through regional offices; structurally similar to LASO as a single-state, LSC-anchored nonprofit legal aid organization.
• Montana Legal Services Association: Montana's LSC-funded statewide civil legal aid provider serving rural and tribal populations; comparable to LASO in addressing rural access-to-justice gaps and serving Native American communities.

Broad incumbents

• Legal Aid Services of New York: One of the largest LSC-funded civil legal aid organizations in the U.S.; comparable in mission and service mix (housing, family law, public benefits), serving low-income clients statewide with regional offices and specialized programs.

Others

• Pro Bono Net: National nonprofit that builds technology and infrastructure to support pro bono legal service delivery, including LawHelp.org; comparable as an ecosystem enabler for the pro bono referral model LASO uses through Pro Bono Oregon.
• National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA): National membership and advocacy organization for civil legal aid and public defender organizations; comparable as the federal policy and funding-advocacy counterpart to LASO's LSC grant dependency.

Emerging players

• Indian Law Resource Center: National nonprofit legal organization specializing in Indigenous peoples' rights and tribal sovereignty; comparable to LASO's NAPOLS program in Indian law focus, though operating at a national rather than state level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pendletonlegalaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/legal-aid-services-of-oregon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Legal Aid Services of Oregon