Community Law Center

What Community Law Center does

Community Law Center, Inc. (CLC) is a Maryland-based nonprofit law firm founded in 1984 and headquartered in Baltimore, with a secondary mailing address at P.O. Box 4735, Baltimore, MD 21211. The organization provides free and low-cost legal representation to nonprofit organizations and community associations throughout Maryland, covering matters including nonprofit formation, 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(6) tax exemption applications, board governance, bylaws, compliance, zoning, liquor license issues, and neighborhood nuisance abatement. Service delivery is built on a small staff of approximately 1-10 employees supplemented by a network of over 600 volunteer attorneys across Maryland who provide pro bono representation through a matching program.

The organization's product portfolio comprises four interconnected offerings: (1) direct legal services including free 30-minute telephone advice calls and matched pro bono attorney representation for qualifying organizations; (2) workshops and trainings such as 'How to Start a Nonprofit in Maryland,' Board Member Boot Camp, Bylaws Scavenger Hunt, and Bar Bad Bars on liquor license topics; (3) online publications and recorded webinars including the 'How to Start a Nonprofit Organization in Maryland' manual ($35), 'Strengthening Baltimore's Neighborhoods' handbook ($15), and recorded webinar access; and (4) specialized resources including the Urban Agriculture Law Project and Booze News blog tracking Baltimore City Liquor Board proceedings. CLC does not operate a technology platform — the offering is fundamentally human legal expertise delivered through direct attorney-client relationships, in-person and virtual workshops, and downloadable PDF publications.

Revenue mechanics rely on a combination of donations and grants (typical for nonprofit 501(c)(3) operations), nominal non-refundable sliding-scale application fees for legal services, and modest direct revenue from publications and recorded webinar sales. The organization is governed by a board of directors and does not have disclosed parent entities, subsidiaries, or funding rounds. In November 2025, CLC lost its offices in a fire at the historic 'Castle' building on Keswick Road but has stated plans to continue operations.

Name

Community Law Center

Legal name

Community Law Center, Inc.

Website

https://communitylaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Community Law Center is a Baltimore-based nonprofit law firm providing free and low-cost legal services, workshops, and publications to nonprofit organizations and community associations throughout Maryland, supported by a network of over 600 volunteer attorneys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Literacy & Public Legal Education (Know Your Rights) (EDAAAFAI), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Nonprofit legal services
• Pro bono legal aid
• Community association law
• Nonprofit compliance training
• Maryland legal services

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Revenue: Community Law Center provides free and low-cost legal representation to qualifying nonprofit organizations and community associations. Services include free 30-minute brief legal advice calls, pro bono attorney matching through their volunteer lawyer network, and reduced-cost legal representation for organizations meeting income eligibility requirements. A non-refundable sliding scale application fee covers administrative costs.
2. Publications and Educational Materials: CLC generates revenue through the sale of educational publications and recorded workshops. Publications include the 'How to Start a Nonprofit Organization in Maryland' manual (9th ed., 2020) at $35, 'Strengthening Baltimore's Neighborhoods' handbook at $15, and recorded webinar access at $40. Additional recorded webinars on nonprofit tax filings and liquor license topics are available for $30 each.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Community Law Center is a nonprofit law firm that provides free and low-cost legal representation, advice, and education to nonprofit organizations and community associations in Maryland. Its core offerings include direct legal services (brief 30-minute advice calls, application-based case representation, and matched pro bono attorneys), educational workshops and trainings on nonprofit formation and governance, and a catalog of published legal handbooks and recorded webinars sold through its website.

Product overview

Community Law Center is a nonprofit law firm providing legal services to nonprofits and community associations in Maryland. Their service portfolio consists of four interconnected offerings: (1) Direct Legal Services including brief 30-minute advice calls and pro bono attorney matching through their volunteer network of Maryland attorneys; (2) Workshops & Trainings covering nonprofit formation, board governance, bylaws, liquor license issues, and fiscal sponsorship; (3) Online Publications including the 'How to Start a Nonprofit Organization in Maryland' handbook and urban agriculture legal guides; and (4) Specialized Resources like the Urban Agriculture Law Project and Liquor License Resources. They operate primarily in Baltimore City with a network of over 600 volunteer attorneys.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services Free and low-cost legal representation and advice for nonprofit organizations and community associations in Maryland, including brief 30-minute legal advice calls and matched pro bono attorneys for ongoing matters such as incorporation, tax exemption, governance, contracts, property, and zoning.
• Workshops and Trainings Educational workshops including 'How to Start a Nonprofit in Maryland,' Board Member Boot Camp, Bylaws Scavenger Hunt, Maintaining Small Nonprofit Organizations, Bar Bad Bars (liquor license issues), Legal Strategies for Community Associations, and Understanding Fiscal Sponsorship, offered in-person and virtually.
• Online Publications and Recorded Webinars Downloadable and purchasable publications including the 'How to Start a Nonprofit Organization in Maryland' handbook, 'Strengthening Baltimore's Neighborhoods' handbook, 'Guide to the Development Process in Baltimore City,' 'Legal Tools for Urban Agriculture in Baltimore City,' and recorded webinars on nonprofit tax filings and liquor license procedures.
• Urban Agriculture Law Project Legal resources and guidance for urban agriculture initiatives in Baltimore City, covering zoning, land use, animal regulations, food licensing, and property tax credits for urban farmers.
• Liquor License Legal Services Legal services and workshops for community associations dealing with liquor license issues, including protest of renewals, MOU negotiations, and navigating city liquor board processes.
• Pro Bono Attorney Matching Program Network of more than 600 volunteer Maryland attorneys matched with nonprofit organizations for pro bono legal work covering nonprofit startup, tax exemption applications, contracts, property matters, and community issues.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average of 365 new cases accepted per year (1 case per day)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Maryland Attorneys (Pro Bono Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of over 600 volunteer attorneys across Maryland who provide pro bono legal services to nonprofits and community associations through CLC's matching program. Attorneys are matched with qualifying organizations based on case type and practice area.
• Impact Hub BaltimoreminorOthersHost venue for CLC's 'How to Start a Nonprofit in Maryland' workshop series.
• Maryland Art PlaceminorOthersHost venue for CLC workshops including 'How to Start or Maintain a Nonprofit in Maryland' training sessions.
• Baltimore Community FoundationminorOthersHost venue for CLC workshops including 'Horror Stories: Spooky 501c3s and How NOT to Be One' training.
• Maryland Legal AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through 'Lawyer in the Library' program providing legal assistance referrals for civil matters including expungements, custody, housing, and benefits issues.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Baltimore Community Foundation: Community foundation serving the Baltimore region that funds and convenes local nonprofits. Currently a workshop venue partner of CLC and a logical peer for understanding the local nonprofit ecosystem in which CLC operates.
• Nonprofit Finance Fund: National nonprofit that provides financial advisory, consulting, and loans to nonprofits and social enterprises. Adjacent to CLC in serving the operational needs of nonprofit organizations, though focused on financial rather than legal services.

Emerging players

• Pro Bono Institute: National organization that supports and convenes pro bono legal programs across the U.S. Highly comparable to CLC's pro bono matching infrastructure and use of volunteer attorneys, but operates as a convener/consultant rather than a direct legal services provider.

Direct peers

• Maryland Legal Aid: Maryland's primary statewide civil legal aid provider; already a CLC partner via the Lawyer in the Library program. Directly comparable as a nonprofit legal services organization serving low-income Marylanders and community-based clients, though its focus is broader civil legal aid rather than nonprofit law specifically.
• Public Justice Center: Baltimore-based nonprofit legal advocacy organization that provides legal services and impact litigation on housing, employment, and civil rights issues. Comparable to CLC in mission, Maryland base, and nonprofit legal services delivery model, with overlap in community-level advocacy.
• Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland: Maryland organization that recruits, trains, and matches volunteer attorneys with low-income clients needing civil legal services. Highly comparable to CLC's Pro Bono Program model of matching volunteer lawyers to qualifying organizations, with an overlapping Maryland attorney network.
• CASA de Maryland: Maryland-based nonprofit providing legal services (including immigration and tenants' rights), community education, and advocacy for Latino and immigrant communities. Comparable to CLC as a nonprofit legal services organization in Maryland combining direct representation with community workshops and education.
• Lawyers Alliance for New York: New York-based nonprofit that provides business and transactional legal services to nonprofits and social enterprises. Closely comparable to CLC in serving the legal needs of nonprofit organizations (incorporation, governance, real estate, contracts), though operating in a different geography.
• Legal Aid Bureau (Maryland): Maryland's oldest and largest provider of free civil legal services to low-income residents. Comparable to CLC in nonprofit legal services mission and statewide Maryland footprint, though focused more on individual clients than on nonprofit and community-association representation.

Broad incumbents

• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: National nonprofit civil rights legal organization using volunteer lawyer networks and impact litigation. Comparable to CLC's pro bono-driven legal services model and community-advocacy orientation, though operating at a national scale and on broader civil rights issues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/CommunityLawCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-law-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/communitylawcenter
• Xx.com/CommunityLawCen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Community Law Center