DNA-People's Legal Services

What DNA-People's Legal Services does

DNA-People's Legal Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal aid organization founded in 1967 and headquartered in Window Rock, Arizona. The organization provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals (those earning under 125% of the federal poverty level) across the Navajo, Hopi, and Jicarilla Apache reservations and adjacent portions of Northern Arizona, Northwest New Mexico, and Southern Utah — a service area spanning three states and seven Native American nations. Its core service lines include public defender representation in tribal, state, and federal courts; a federally funded Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) for tax controversy and VITA tax preparation; a comprehensive Self-Help legal resource library covering consumer protection (debt collection, identity theft, repossession, fraud), probate, and public benefits; and a Volunteer Lawyers Program that engages 100+ pro bono attorneys annually.

The organization's technology stack is built on commodity SaaS infrastructure: LegalServer for case management and intake, Microsoft 365 for productivity, 3CX for VoIP telephony, ADP for payroll, AirMason for employee handbooks, and Zoom for virtual communications. Service delivery is channeled through a centralized intake hotline (1-833-362-1102), an online pre-application portal (dpls.kempscaseworks.com), and six physical branch offices. DNA does not charge clients for services.

DNA's business model is grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. The primary funding stream is a federal grant from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the congressionally chartered entity that funds civil legal aid; LSC funds are restricted under the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974. Secondary funding includes an IRS LITC grant for tax clinic operations and charitable donations (DNA is an Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization, enabling state tax credits for donors). Annual reach is approximately 4,000 direct clients with an additional 12,000 family members benefiting, generating over $3.3 million per year in client financial outcomes; the organization turns away approximately 3,000 additional clients annually due to resource constraints.

Name

DNA-People's Legal Services

Legal name

DNA People's Legal Services

Website

https://dnalegalservices.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

DNA-People's Legal Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1967 that provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals (under 125% of the federal poverty level) across the Navajo, Hopi, and Jicarilla Apache reservations and adjacent areas of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, funded primarily by the Legal Services Corporation and IRS LITC grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), 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

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)

Keywords

• Legal aid services
• Civil legal assistance
• Native American legal services
• Low income tax clinic
• Pro bono representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Window Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Legal Services Corporation Grant: Primary funding from the federally funded Legal Services Corporation (LSC), which provides grants to legal aid organizations. Funds received may not be used in any manner inconsistent with the Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974.
2. Charitable Donations: DNA accepts charitable donations and is an Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization, allowing Arizona taxpayers to claim a state tax credit for donations. Donations support the organization's mission of providing free legal services.
3. Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) IRS Grant: DNA operates an IRS-funded Low Income Taxpayer Clinic that provides tax assistance services, funded through IRS grants for tax controversy representation and education.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DNA-People's Legal Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal aid organization that provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals who cannot afford an attorney. Since 1967, the organization has delivered legal assistance, advice, and representation in U.S. and tribal courts to residents of the Navajo, Hopi, and Jicarilla Apache Reservations and remote portions of Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, encompassing seven Native American nations across three states.

Product overview

DNA-People's Legal Services is a nonprofit legal aid organization providing free civil legal services to low-income individuals. The organization operates multiple integrated service programs: a core Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) for tax season assistance and IRS controversy support; a comprehensive Self-Help legal resource center covering consumer issues (debt collection, telemarketing scams, identity theft, car purchases, repossession) and family matters (probate, public benefits); a Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP) connecting pro bono attorneys with clients; and Public Defender services for criminal matters in tribal, state, and federal courts. Services are delivered across seven branch offices serving Navajo, Hopi, and Jicarilla Apache reservations in Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern Utah.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DNA Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients secure over $3.3 million in financial savings and compensation per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - VITA ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNA operates as an IRS-funded Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) and participates in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to provide free tax preparation and tax controversy assistance to low-income taxpayers in Native American communities.
• Arizona Department of RevenueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNA is designated as an Arizona Qualifying Charitable Organization, allowing Arizona taxpayers who donate to DNA to be eligible for a state tax credit.
• Navajo Nation Bar AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDNA partners with the Navajo Nation Bar Association for CLE presentations and the annual Navajo Nation Bar Review course. Volunteer attorneys can present CLE sessions at the association's monthly meetings and annual conference.
• State and Local Bar AssociationscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDNA's Board of Directors members are appointed through state or local bar association application processes. Bar associations also refer volunteer attorneys to DNA's Volunteer Lawyers Program.
• Navajo United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNavajo United Way hosts a VITA tax site at 264 Loop Rd, Window Rock, AZ as part of the free tax preparation network serving Navajo Nation.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Judicare: Judicare-model legal aid serving low-income Wisconsin residents through a combination of staff attorneys and private attorney panel — a service model similar to DNA's Volunteer Lawyers Program. Comparable in funding structure and rural service approach.
• Legal Aid of New Mexico: Primary statewide legal aid provider in New Mexico — a state where DNA also operates. Comparable in LSC funding, civil legal aid scope, and service to low-income and Native American populations in shared geographic markets.
• Utah Legal Services: Statewide legal aid serving low-income Utah residents, including Native American communities in Southern Utah where DNA also operates. Directly comparable in funding structure and target population.
• Pine Tree Legal Assistance: LSC-funded legal aid serving low-income Mainers, including Native American populations in rural Maine. Comparable to DNA in rural service delivery model, LSC funding structure, and volunteer attorney engagement (judicare model).
• California Indian Legal Services: Legal aid organization providing free civil legal services to low-income Native Americans across California. Closely comparable to DNA in mission, federal LSC funding structure, and Native American community focus, though operating in a different geographic region.
• Idaho Legal Aid Services: LSC-funded legal aid serving low-income Idaho residents including Native American communities on reservations. Directly comparable to DNA in client base (low-income and tribal), service mix (civil legal aid), and funding model.
• Southern Arizona Legal Aid: Regional legal aid serving Southern Arizona — overlapping DNA's Flagstaff-area service territory. Directly comparable in LSC funding, low-income client focus, and civil legal aid practice areas including family law and consumer issues.
• Nevada Legal Services: LSC-funded civil legal aid serving low-income Nevadans including Native American populations. Comparable in funding structure, target client base, and rural service delivery challenges similar to DNA's operating model.

Emerging players

• Indian Law Resource Center: Native American-focused legal and advocacy organization with similar client base to DNA, but oriented toward international human rights, environmental law, and Indigenous self-determination. Comparable in mission focus but with a narrower, specialized practice profile.

Broad incumbents

• Native American Rights Fund: National nonprofit legal organization dedicated to defending and promoting the legal rights of Native American tribes and peoples. Operates at a larger national scale than DNA with broader advocacy and impact litigation mandate, but highly comparable in client base and core mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dnapeopleslegal
• Facebookfacebook.com/dnalegalservices

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 DNA-People's Legal Services