Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia

What Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia does

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (LASEV) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) law firm founded in 1966 and headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, that provides free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents of Hampton Roads and Virginia's Eastern Shore. The organization assists more than 17,000 people annually across practice areas including housing law (eviction defense, public/subsidized housing, fair housing, eviction expungement), family law (custody, protective orders, CPS, divorce), public benefits (SNAP, Medicaid, Social Security), estate planning for seniors, consumer law (auto fraud, debt collection, garnishment, bankruptcy), education law (student discipline, special education), and civil rights. Services are delivered through four physical offices (Norfolk, Hampton, Williamsburg, Belle Haven), a central phone intake line, an online web application, and extensive community outreach events at churches, food pantries, libraries, and community centers.

LASEV operates a portfolio of specialized, grant-funded units beyond its general civil practice: the Disability Rights Unit & Homeless Outreach Project (DRU/HOP) serves individuals at the intersection of homelessness and disability; the Veterans Justice Team provides legal services to homeless and at-risk veterans including discharge upgrades; the Eviction Expungement Program, funded by the Legal Services Corporation Pro Bono Innovation Fund, clears tenant rental and credit histories; the Student Disability Rights Project advocates in special education matters; and the Youth Homelessness Prevention Project delivers legal advocacy to homeless youth under 25. A Community Lawyering team pursues strategic litigation, including recent federal suits against HUD and the Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Pro bono engagement is coordinated through a dedicated program that connected volunteer attorneys with 3,600+ clients in 2023.

The business model is grant-dependent rather than revenue-generating: LASEV charges no fees for services and is funded by Legal Services Corporation appropriations, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grants, foundation grants (Hampton Roads Community Foundation, Virginia Law Foundation), United Way, and individual donations, including a $160,000 for 60 Years campaign partnered with Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers. Technology infrastructure is intentionally lean, comprising an online intake application, a DonorPerfect-powered donation portal, and an ArcGIS-hosted Community Resource Map indexing 45+ local social services. Governance rests with a Board of Directors led by President Greg Summy, Esq., while day-to-day operations are managed by Executive Director Raymond Hartz, Esq. and a leadership team spanning litigation, administration, finance, development, pro bono, and four regional offices.

Name

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia

Legal name

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia

Website

https://laseva.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia is a 501(c)(3) non-profit law firm founded in 1966 that provides free civil legal services in housing, family law, public benefits, and consumer matters to more than 17,000 low-income residents annually across Hampton Roads and Virginia's Eastern Shore via four offices and community outreach.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Other Legal Services (54119), 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), Legal Literacy & Public Legal Education (Know Your Rights) (EDAAAFAI)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Free legal representation
• Housing legal services
• Non-profit law firm
• Public benefits advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Norfolk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: LASEV receives grant funding from organizations such as Hampton Roads Community Foundation for the Youth Homelessness Prevention Project and Virginia Law Foundation for the Student Disability Rights Project.
2. Federal Government Grants: Funded by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Legal Services for Homeless Veterans and Veterans At-Risk For Homelessness grant supporting the Veterans Justice Team.
3. Legal Services Corporation Funding: LASEV's Eviction Expungement Project is funded by the Legal Services Corporation Pro Bono Innovation Fund grant.
4. Donations and Fundraising: The organization conducts fundraising campaigns including the $160,000 for 60 Years campaign in partnership with Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia provides free civil legal representation, advice, and advocacy to income-qualifying residents of Hampton Roads and the Eastern Shore in matters including housing, family law, public benefits, consumer law, estate planning, and education. Service delivery is organized through specialized programmatic units covering disability rights, veterans' legal needs, eviction expungement, student disability rights, and youth homelessness prevention, supplemented by pro bono volunteer networks and community outreach.

Product overview

Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (LASEV) is a non-profit law firm that provides a unified suite of free civil legal services to qualifying low-income residents of Hampton Roads and Eastern Virginia. Founded in 1966, the organization operates as a single integrated legal aid platform with multiple specialized programs including the Disability Rights Unit & Homeless Outreach Project (DRU/HOP), Veterans Justice Team, Eviction Expungement Program, Student Disability Rights Project, and Youth Homelessness Prevention Project. Core services cover housing law, family law, public benefits, estate planning, and consumer law, delivered through four regional offices (Norfolk, Hampton, Williamsburg, and Belle Haven) via direct representation, community outreach events, and a pro bono volunteer network. LASEV also provides supplementary tools including an interactive Community Resource Map and a web-based intake application system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Representation and Advice Free legal representation for income-qualifying Virginia residents in civil legal cases covering landlord/tenant, public benefits, domestic violence, family law, consumer law, collections, estate planning, education, and civil rights matters.
• Housing Legal Services Legal representation in housing matters including eviction defense, poor housing conditions, public and subsidized housing issues, voucher denials and terminations, fair housing issues, and eviction expungements.
• Family Law Services Legal assistance with protective orders, custody, child support, spousal support, CPS cases, guardianships, and divorce for qualifying low-income Virginia residents.
• Public Benefits Assistance Legal help with denials of SNAP, Medicaid, Medicare, Unemployment, and Social Security benefits for income-qualifying Virginians.
• Estate Planning Services Preparation of simple wills, advance medical directives, and powers of attorney, particularly for seniors, as part of LASEV's estate planning practice.
• Consumer Law Services Legal assistance with auto fraud, garnishments, debt collection defense, and bankruptcy matters for qualifying low-income Virginia residents.
• Disability Rights Unit and Homeless Outreach Project (DRU/HOP) Unit dedicated to assisting and advocating for individuals living at the intersection of homelessness and disability, specializing in obtaining or preserving access to disability benefits, IEPs, school discipline hearings, and estate planning for seniors.
• Eviction Expungement Program Project engaging volunteer attorneys to help address the eviction crisis by clearing up tenant rental and credit histories to reduce barriers to affordable housing.
• Veterans Justice Team Team serving homeless and at-risk veterans by assisting with government benefits, housing, employment, consumer, and family law matters, including discharge upgrades.
• Student Disability Rights Project Project dedicated to special education advocacy, student discipline, bullying, and truancy cases involving disabled students.
• Youth Homelessness Prevention Project Project expanding youth outreach initiatives and providing essential legal advocacy, support services, and resources tailored specifically to homeless and at-risk youth.
• Community Advocacy and Outreach Community-based advocacy working with various organizations to connect with potential clients and educate individuals about legal matters through regular outreach events and workshops.
• Pro Bono Volunteer Program Program connecting volunteer attorneys with civil legal matters through advice clinics, limited or extended representation, and short-term transactions such as estate planning or negotiations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Assists more than 17,000 people each year with civil legal issues
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cooper Hurley Injury LawyersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with LASEV for the $160,000 for 60 Years fundraising campaign celebrating 60 years of service to Hampton Roads communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Legal Aid Chicago: Non-profit civil legal aid provider serving low-income Chicago-area residents across housing, family, consumer, and public benefits matters. Comparable organizational structure, practice areas, and community-based outreach.
• Bay Area Legal Aid: Non-profit civil legal aid organization serving low-income residents of the San Francisco Bay Area. Closely comparable mission, multiple specialized practice units (housing, public benefits, consumer), and LSC funding model.
• Atlanta Legal Aid Society: Non-profit civil legal aid organization serving low-income residents of metro Atlanta with housing, family, public benefits, and consumer representation. Comparable mission, practice mix, and community-outreach-driven intake model.
• Lone Star Legal Aid: Non-profit civil legal aid organization serving low-income residents across rural and urban Texas, with comparable housing, family, public benefits, and disaster-related legal practice. Closely aligned LSC-funded model and outreach-driven intake.
• Maryland Legal Aid: Statewide non-profit legal aid provider serving low-income Marylanders with civil legal services across housing, family, public benefits, and consumer law. Directly comparable in scale, practice scope, and LSC-funded structure.
• Greater Boston Legal Services: Non-profit legal aid organization serving low-income residents of greater Boston with civil legal services, including specialized units in housing, family, and public benefits. Comparable LSC-funded model and community-lawyering approach.
• Virginia Legal Aid Society: Non-profit civil legal aid organization serving low-income Virginians, operating in overlapping practice areas including housing, family law, and public benefits. Direct in-state peer with comparable mission, client base, and LSC funding model.
• Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley: Non-profit civil legal aid provider serving western Virginia with a comparable LSC-funded model covering housing, family, consumer, and public benefits matters. Direct peer in mission, structure, and funding mix within the same state.
• Public Law Center: Non-profit civil legal aid organization serving low-income residents of Orange County, California, with comparable practice areas (housing, family, consumer, immigration-related civil matters) and pro bono volunteer model.

Broad incumbents

• Legal Aid Society (New York): The largest U.S. civil legal aid provider, serving low-income New Yorkers across housing, family, public benefits, and consumer law. Comparable mission and core service mix; significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint than LASEV.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/legal-aid-society-of-eastern-virginia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia