Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands

What Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands does

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm founded in 1968 and headquartered at 1321 Murfreesboro Pike in Nashville, Tennessee. It provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals, families, seniors, veterans, and reentry populations across 48 counties in Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands through approximately 50 staff attorneys operating from eight regional offices (Nashville, Clarksville, Columbia, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, Tullahoma, Cookeville, and Oak Ridge). The organization describes itself as Tennessee's largest nonprofit law firm and is funded primarily by Legal Services Corporation federal grants, foundation and government appropriations, individual and corporate donations, and event-based fundraising through the Equal Justice Campaign (targeting $2M annually) and the Leadership Cabinet law-firm program. Its practice spans housing, family law, domestic violence, public benefits, education rights, employment, consumer issues, tax, and reentry matters; the Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) program, funded by Metro Nashville, served 1,069 households in 2025 with a 93% displacement-avoidance rate and a reported $4.18 return per dollar invested.

The organization's core product portfolio is built around direct legal representation, free legal clinics held at 35+ monthly community touchpoints (libraries, community centers, partner organizations), the Volunteer Lawyers Program pro bono matching service, and a self-service education layer branded as the Community Classroom. Specialized offerings include the Reentry Services Project (expungement, driver's license restoration, certificates of employability), the Restoration of Rights Service, the Gilbert Family Fellows Program for children's rights, and special pro bono clinics for conservatorship, adoption, debt relief, name change, and wills. Tech infrastructure is light: LegalServer for case management and clinic registration, Blackbaud CMS for the website, Zoom for virtual clinics, SurveyMonkey for client feedback, Every.org for stock donations, and a small set of automation/AI-adjacent tools including Gavel.io for form automation, Synthesia for synthetic video used in the Restoration of Rights form helper, and an Eviction Help Chatbot integrated with the RenterDefender tenant platform.

The business model is a charitable legal services model rather than a commercial one: services are provided at no cost to income-eligible clients, and revenue is derived from a diversified mix of federal and state grants, foundation grants, individual donations (including monthly giving, stock gifts, and planned giving), corporate sponsorships, and special events such as the annual "An Evening at GEODIS Park" fundraiser. The 2026 Equal Justice Campaign targets $2M for expansion, and the Leadership Cabinet engages law firms at $400 per attorney with a $10K minimum. Strategic distribution relies on a phone hotline (1-800-238-1443), online intake through TN Free Legal Answers, the eight regional offices, the clinic network, and an emerging digital layer (podcast, YouTube, chatbot). Reported 2025 operating outcomes include 7,305 cases closed, $16M+ in client benefits and savings, and 6,862 children and youth served.

Name

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands

Legal name

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands

Website

https://las.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm founded in 1968 that provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals across 48 Tennessee counties through 8 offices and approximately 50 staff attorneys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Services

NAICS

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

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAM

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAIAFAC

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Justice System (Courts, Prosecution & Corrections)

SECONDARYBPAGAEAN

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGAFAA

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Free legal services
• Pro bono representation
• Eviction defense
• Nonprofit law firm

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Government Grants: Primary funding from Legal Services Corporation (LSC) federal grants and other government appropriations. Also receives funding from foundations and public sources.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Annual fundraising campaign (Equal Justice Campaign targeting $2M annually), monthly giving program, stock donations, planned giving/bequests, corporate sponsorships
3. Event Fundraising: Special events including annual 'An Evening at GEODIS Park' fundraiser, sponsorships, and corporate partnerships through Leadership Cabinet ($400/attorney or $10K minimum for law firms)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands provides free civil legal representation, advice, and self-help resources to low-income individuals and vulnerable populations across 48 counties in Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Core practice areas include housing (including a dedicated Eviction Right to Counsel program in Nashville), family law, domestic violence, public benefits, education, employment, consumer issues, tax, and reentry/expungement matters. Services are delivered via staff attorneys, a volunteer lawyer network, free walk-in clinics, and virtual intake.

Product overview

Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands is a nonprofit law firm offering free civil legal help to low-income and vulnerable individuals across 48 counties. The organization provides a unified suite of legal services centered on direct legal representation and self-help resources. Core offerings include Free Civil Legal Help Services for housing, family law, domestic violence, benefits, education, consumer, tax, and reentry matters; the Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) Program for Nashville tenants; the Community Classroom with educational booklets and videos; and Free Legal Clinics offering one-on-one attorney consultations. Supporting programs include the Volunteer Lawyers Program for pro bono attorney matching, the Reentry Services Project for formerly incarcerated individuals, the Restoration of Rights Service for civil rights restoration, the Gilbert Family Fellows Program for children's legal advocacy, and various Special Pro Bono Projects including Virtual Debt Relief, Name Change, Conservatorship, Adoption, and Wills Clinics. The organization also produces the Legal Aid in Action Podcast for public education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gilbert Family Fellows Endowment Fund: Endowment fund supporting attorneys dedicated to protecting the legal rights of vulnerable children, including those in foster care.
• Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP)

Products and services

• Free Civil Legal Help Services Provides free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and vulnerable populations in 48 counties across Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. Practice areas include housing, family law, domestic violence, public benefits, education, consumer issues, taxes, and reentry matters.
• Eviction Right to Counsel (ERTC) Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 7,305 cases closed and over $16 million in benefits and savings secured for clients in 2025
• +3 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

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Eviction Right to Counsel CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Coalition partnership issuing open letter to Nashville landlords requesting temporary pause on evictions following Winter Storm Fern, advocating for housing stability during community recovery.
• Bass Berry + SimscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025Nashville law firm partnership to support community in 37210 zip code. Bass Berry & Sims has also partnered on Pro Bono Adoption Project alongside LAS and K&L Gates, and Nashville Conservatorship Pro Bono Project alongside LAS, Nelson Mullins, and Office of Conservatorship Management.
• Nelson MullinscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in Nashville Conservatorship Pro Bono Project led by LAS, providing free legal representation to low-income caregivers seeking legal conservatorship for disabled young adults.
• Office of Conservatorship ManagementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Nashville Conservatorship Pro Bono Project providing conservatorship for disabled young adults.
• K&L GatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Pro Bono Adoption Project alongside Bass Berry & Sims and LAS, providing free legal representation during the adoption process for families in need.
• BradleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating firm in Nashville Conservatorship Pro Bono Project.
• Butler SnowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating firm in Nashville Conservatorship Pro Bono Project.
• Tennessee Bar Association (TBA) Young Lawyers DivisionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Virtual Name Change Clinic collaboration among LAS, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, TBA Young Lawyers Division, and Belmont School of Law.
• Belmont School of LawminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in Virtual Name Change Clinic providing law student volunteers.
• Legal Aid of East TennesseeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Virtual Debt Relief Clinic and Virtual Name Change Clinic combining pro bono resources across Tennessee legal aid organizations.
• West Tennessee Legal ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Virtual Debt Relief Clinic combining pro bono resources across Tennessee legal aid organizations.
• Operation Stand DowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeteran services organization hosting twice-monthly legal clinics (second and fourth Wednesdays) at 1125 12th Avenue South, Nashville for veterans with civil legal issues.
• Greenhouse MinistriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner hosting free legal clinics twice monthly (second and fourth Thursdays) in Murfreesboro at 309 South Academy St.
• Littell-Partin CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner hosting monthly legal help sessions in Grundy County (14399 US Hwy 41) on third Thursdays.
• Every.orgminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNonprofit fundraising platform partner for stock donations enabling fee-free stock gift processing with 100% of value reaching LAS.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Memphis Area Legal Services: Memphis-based LSC-funded legal aid nonprofit providing free civil legal services to low-income residents of Shelby County and surrounding areas. Directly comparable in mission, federal funding, and service mix (housing, family, consumer).
• Lone Star Legal Aid: One of the largest LSC-funded legal aid programs in the country, serving rural and low-income communities across central and east Texas. Highly comparable due to similar size, regional multi-office structure, broad civil practice areas, and rural service area profile.
• Atlanta Legal Aid Society: LSC-funded legal aid nonprofit serving the Atlanta metro and surrounding counties. Comparable peer delivering free civil legal services with strong volunteer lawyer engagement, multi-office presence, and similar urban/rural service mix.
• Legal Aid Society of Cleveland: LSC-funded legal aid program serving Cuyahoga County and surrounding areas in Ohio. Comparable peer organization with similar practice mix, volunteer lawyer program, and significant technology investment in service delivery.
• West Tennessee Legal Services: LSC-funded legal aid program serving West Tennessee, covering the western third of the state. Closely comparable peer with the same mission, federal funding model, and service delivery structure; an existing collaboration partner on Virtual Debt Relief Clinic.
• Legal Aid of East Tennessee: The LSC-funded legal aid program serving the 33 counties of East Tennessee. Directly comparable peer delivering the same civil legal services model to low-income individuals under the same federal funding stream; an active partner on Virtual Debt Relief and Virtual Name Change Clinics.
• Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County: Large LSC-funded legal aid program serving low-income residents of Los Angeles County. Comparable in operating scale, multi-office model, broad civil practice areas, and the use of technology to scale intake and service delivery.

Emerging players

• Pro Bono Net: Nonprofit organization that develops technology and resource platforms (including LawHelp.org and probono.net) for civil legal aid and pro bono programs nationwide. Comparable as a technology-and-infrastructure peer serving many of the same legal aid organizations directly.

Broad incumbents

• Tennessee Justice Center: Tennessee-based nonprofit focused on health care and disability rights advocacy. Comparable as a Tennessee social-justice-focused nonprofit but operates a narrower policy/advocacy model rather than direct legal representation, making it broader incumbent in mission.
• National Legal Aid & Defender Association: National membership and advocacy organization supporting civil legal aid and public defender organizations. Comparable as the sector's broad incumbent association; not a direct service peer but the primary convener of the legal aid community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lasmtc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@legalaidsocietyofmiddleten2209
• Facebookfacebook.com/LASMTC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/legal-aid-society-of-middle-tennessee-&-the-cumberlands
• Instagraminstagram.com/legalaidsocietymidtn

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 Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands