Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota

What Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota does

Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota, operating under the brand name Justice North, is a nonprofit regional civil law firm that provides free civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable individuals across Minnesota. Founded in 1952 and headquartered in Duluth, the organization offers direct legal representation and assistance in civil matters including housing, safety, family law, and stability-related issues. All services are provided at no cost to clients who meet income and asset eligibility requirements, with Executive Director Dori Rapaport leading the organization.

The firm operates through a multi-channel service delivery model: a statewide phone hotline (877-MY-MN-LAW), an online application portal at justicenorth.org/apply, and a network of Legal Kiosks stationed at community locations across Minnesota that provide free computer access for individuals without personal technology. A Pro Bono volunteer program engages private attorneys to expand case capacity. The core technology consists of a website-based application and service delivery platform integrated with the Legal Kiosk network, which supports remote court hearings and online meetings. With between 11 and 50 employees, the organization maintains offices in Duluth and Moorhead.

Justice North is funded through a combination of individual donations, charitable contributions, government grants, and core institutional support from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) — the federally established funder of civil legal aid — along with United Way. As of January 1, the organization completed a merger with Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM), consolidating operations under the Justice North brand to serve Minnesota more comprehensively from a unified legal aid platform.

Name

Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota

Legal name

Justice North

Website

https://lasnem.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota, operating as Justice North, is a nonprofit civil law firm providing free legal assistance on housing, safety, stability, and family law matters to low-income Minnesota residents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Other Legal Services (54119)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Nonprofit law firm
• Pro bono services
• Legal services corporation
• Access to justice

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Justice North operates as a nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, and community partners. Donations directly impact the organization's ability to sustain and expand legal services to vulnerable populations.
2. Government Grants and Legal Services Corporation Funding: As a legal aid organization, Justice North receives funding through Legal Services Corporation (LSC) and potentially other government grants to support civil legal services for low-income individuals.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Justice North provides free civil legal aid services to low-income and vulnerable individuals across Minnesota facing civil legal challenges such as housing, family law, safety, and stability matters. Services are delivered through direct attorney representation, a statewide Legal Kiosk network providing technology access, an online application portal, a phone hotline, and a Pro Bono volunteer attorney program.

Product overview

Justice North is a nonprofit civil law firm that operates as a single unified organization providing free civil legal aid services to vulnerable populations in Minnesota. The organization offers direct legal representation and assistance through its core legal aid services, supported by a statewide network of free Legal Kiosks that provide technology access for those without it. Pro bono volunteer engagement and an online application portal round out the service delivery model. As of January 1, Justice North represents the merger of Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (LSNM) and the former Justice North entity into one legal aid organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Justice North Legal Aid Services Free civil legal aid services for low-income and vulnerable Minnesota residents facing civil legal challenges including housing, family law, safety, security, and stability matters. Delivered through direct attorney representation by the nonprofit civil law firm.
• Legal Kiosks Free-to-use computer kiosks stationed at community locations across Minnesota that provide access to legal aid services for individuals without technology access, enabling them to apply for legal help, access legal resources, attend online meetings, and participate in remote court hearings.
• Pro Bono Volunteer Program A volunteer attorney program that enables legal professionals to take on civil legal cases for Justice North clients, supporting the organization's mission of ensuring equal access to justice for low-income individuals.
• Online Application Portal A web-based self-service portal allowing individuals to apply for Justice North legal aid services directly through the website at justicenorth.org/apply.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Legal Kiosk ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Legal Kiosk Project is a statewide initiative that stations computers at community locations across Minnesota to provide free access to legal aid services. Justice North participates in this ecosystem, with kiosks enabling clients to apply for services, access legal resources, attend online meetings and remote court hearings. The project is accessible at legalkiosk.org.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Pro Bono Net: Pro Bono Net is a national nonprofit that supports innovative pro bono legal services and technology platforms used by legal aid organizations statewide. It is an ecosystem partner and technology provider that Justice North-adjacent organizations use to scale volunteer engagement.
• LawHelpMN.org: LawHelpMN.org is a statewide online portal that connects low-income Minnesotans with legal aid resources and self-help tools. It is an ecosystem partner and partial substitute for Justice North's direct legal services, with overlapping referral networks.

Direct peers

• Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid: Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid is a nonprofit civil legal aid organization serving central Minnesota, providing direct civil legal services to low-income individuals. It is a direct peer with overlapping geographic coverage, identical funding sources (LSC), and comparable service offerings (housing, family, public benefits).
• Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS): SMRLS is an LSC-funded nonprofit civil legal aid organization serving southern Minnesota. It directly competes for grant funding, serves the same client population, and provides nearly identical civil legal aid services (housing, family law, consumer) in an adjacent region.
• Central Minnesota Legal Services: Central Minnesota Legal Services is a regional LSC-funded nonprofit legal aid organization serving central Minnesota. It is a direct peer with identical mission, funding structure, and service offerings.
• Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis: Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in Hennepin County. It is a direct peer operating in the same state with the same LSC funding model and overlapping client base in metropolitan Minnesota.
• Volunteer Lawyers Network: Volunteer Lawyers Network is a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that connects volunteer attorneys with low-income clients in need of civil legal services. It is a direct peer with the same pro bono volunteer model and overlapping client base.

Regional players

• Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area: This is a nonprofit civil rights legal organization providing legal aid to underserved communities. It is a regional peer operating in California with an identical mission-driven legal aid model and LSC-style funding structure, useful for benchmarking best practices.

Emerging players

• Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV): MACV provides housing and supportive services to veterans in Minnesota, including some legal assistance. It is an emerging peer with partial overlap in civil legal services for vulnerable populations and shared donor and volunteer networks.
• Anishinaabe Legal Aid: Anishinaabe Legal Aid is a nonprofit providing free legal services to Native American communities in Minnesota. It is an emerging peer with partial overlap, focusing on a specific underserved population within the broader legal aid market Justice North serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LegalAidNEMN
• Facebookfacebook.com/Legal.Aid.Service.NE.MN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lasnem
• Instagraminstagram.com/justicenorthmn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota