South Carolina Legal Services

What South Carolina Legal Services does

South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm formed in 2002 through the consolidation of six regional legal aid programs that had operated in the state since the late 1960s and 1970s. It provides free civil (non-criminal) legal assistance to eligible low-income South Carolina residents—generally those at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Level, with exceptions up to 200%—across practice areas including housing, public benefits, employment, education, consumer protection, family law, elder law, immigration, and tax matters. SCLS also operates specialized programs for Hurricane Helene disaster recovery, low-income taxpayer disputes with the IRS (LITC), veterans' legal clinics, expungement services, and pro se divorce assistance.

The organization delivers services through a multi-channel infrastructure: a centralized statewide telephone intake office (LATIS) at 1-888-346-5592, eight regional offices (Charleston, Columbia, Conway, Florence, Greenville, Orangeburg, Rock Hill, Spartanburg) covering all 46 South Carolina counties, a 24/7 online intake application via LawHelp, guided-interview self-help tools for court forms, and community-based clinics at VA facilities and other partner sites. Its technology stack is primarily web-based workflow and case management, including a Housing Law Center website (schousinglaw.org) and bilingual self-help resources. It does not have a mobile app, API, or disclosed AI capabilities.

SCLS is funded primarily through federal grants from the Legal Services Corporation (the statutory federal funding authority), supplemented by the South Carolina Bar Foundation, local United Ways, state court filing fees, federal/state/local grants (including American Red Cross disaster relief), and private donations. It is governed by a 27-member Board of Directors with at least 60% attorney composition and one-third client-eligible representation. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the organization employs approximately 50 attorneys plus support staff across the 8 offices.

Name

South Carolina Legal Services

Legal name

South Carolina Legal Services

Website

https://sclegal.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

South Carolina Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm providing free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income South Carolina residents through 8 regional offices, statewide intake, and online applications across housing, family, benefits, and disaster recovery matters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Free legal services
• Nonprofit law firm
• Low-income legal help
• Disaster legal assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Corporation Grants: Primary federal funding from the federally funded Legal Services Corporation, the central funding source for civil legal services providers established by the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974
2. South Carolina Bar Foundation: State bar foundation funding supporting legal aid programs
3. Local United Ways: Regional United Way contributions supporting local legal services
4. State Court Filing Fees: Revenue from state court filing fees allocated to support legal aid services
5. Federal, State, and Local Grants: Various federal, state, and local funding sources including American Red Cross disaster relief grants
6. Private Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations; SCLS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with Tax ID 57-0485205

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) provides free legal assistance in a wide variety of civil (non-criminal) legal matters to eligible low-income residents of South Carolina. Core service areas include housing, family law, public benefits, employment, education, consumer protection, elder law, immigration, and tax matters. The organization also runs a specialized Disaster Legal Assistance program for Hurricane Helene survivors, a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic for federal tax disputes, and a Private Attorney Involvement Program engaging volunteer attorneys.

Product overview

South Carolina Legal Services is a statewide nonprofit law firm providing free civil legal assistance to low-income South Carolinians through multiple service channels. The core offerings include disaster legal assistance for Hurricane Helene survivors, a Housing Law Center with guided interviews, self-help forms for court access, and Order of Protection resources. Services are accessed through an online intake application on LawHelp, telephone intake (LATIS), and eight regional offices. The organization also runs Pro Se Divorce Clinics and Veterans Legal Clinic Series as community programs, operates a Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) Program for volunteer attorneys, and provides a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic for IRS disputes. A comprehensive library of legal publications and brochures covers consumer, education, elder, employment, family, health, housing, immigration, and tax matters.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disaster Legal Assistance

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 430,000 households assisted with FEMA registration after Hurricane Helene
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and supporting.

• American Red CrossmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmerican Red Cross provided funding support for South Carolina Legal Services' Hurricane Helene disaster recovery legal assistance program, helping provide free civil legal help to income-eligible residents affected by the storm.
• Furman University's Institute for the Advancement of Community HealthsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarding body that recognized SCLS with the 2025 Distinguished Community Health Partner Award for contributions to community health outcomes through legal services.
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Columbia Field OfficesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCLS is a founding member of the South Carolina Elder Justice Network, which received the FBI Director's Community Leadership Award for collaborative work with the FBI Columbia Field Office.
• Private Attorneys (PAI Program)majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrivate attorneys participate in SCLS's Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) Program to supplement SCLS's work and expand access to justice. Attorneys receive $85/hr, malpractice insurance, and case support. Services qualify as pro bono under SC Rules of Professional Conduct.
• Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough Center on ProfessionalismsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded the Scarborough Fellowship to a law student working with SCLS's Upstate Medical-Legal Partnership, supporting training and professional development in legal services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/sclegalservices
• Facebookfacebook.com/sclegal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-carolina-legal-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/sclegalservices
• Xx.com/sclegal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 South Carolina Legal Services