Innovation Lab Lab
Innovation Law Lab is a Portland-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that uses proprietary case management technology (LawLab and BorderX) and a four-city Centers of Excellence network to provide free legal representation to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, while pursuing systemic litigation against immigration enforcement practices.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Innovation Lab Lab does
Innovation Law Lab is a Portland, Oregon-based nonprofit legal organization founded in 2014 by Stephen W. Manning that uses law, technology, and community organizing to advance immigrant and refugee rights. The organization serves detained and non-detained immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, providing free legal representation, habeas petitions, bond hearings, and asylum claims, while also pursuing systemic public interest litigation against immigration enforcement practices. Core programs include Defend Community, Know the Law, Innovate in Community, Use the Law, and Justice Bus mobile legal services.
The organization's technology infrastructure centers on the LawLab case management system and the BorderX remote mass representation platform, which together enable a documented 10X capacity scaling for individual attorneys and throughput of up to 85 requests per week (4,500 annually). Centers of Excellence in Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, and Kansas City connect trained attorneys, social scientists, forensic specialists, and partner organizations (including UC Hastings Center for Gender and Refugee Studies and Catholic Legal Immigration Network) to represent detained individuals in hostile jurisdictions. BorderX technology-enabled collaboration produces court-ready legal packets within 5-21 days for detained noncitizens nationwide.
Innovation Law Lab operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded entirely by private foundation grants and individual donations, explicitly declining federal government funding to maintain advocacy independence. The organization does not charge clients for services and does not publicly disclose revenue. Its go-to-market is community-led, leveraging coalition partnerships (Oregon For All, Oregon Ready, Integrated Rural Strategies Group), earned media through high-profile litigation, and a partner network model where local field organizations at detention sites collaborate with the remote BorderX team. The organization has been notably active in 2025-2026 litigation, securing a federal preliminary injunction against warrantless ICE arrests in Oregon and filing multiple lawsuits challenging DHS detention, re-detention, and surveillance practices.
Innovation Lab Lab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Innovation Lab Lab
- Legal name
- Innovation Law Lab
- Website
- https://innovationlawlab.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Innovation Law Lab is a Portland-based nonprofit founded in 2014 that uses proprietary case management technology (LawLab and BorderX) and a four-city Centers of Excellence network to provide free legal representation to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, while pursuing systemic litigation against immigration enforcement practices.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Innovation Lab Lab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Immigration Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110), Offices of Lawyers (54111), Legal Services (5411)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Immigration Legal Services & Representation (Law Firms) (THACAKAF), Immigration Law Literacy & Rights Education (EDAAADAB)
Keywords
Where Innovation Lab Lab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Innovation Lab Lab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Private Foundation Grants: Supported by contributions and grants from private foundations. The organization publishes financial statements and IRS Form 990s, indicating institutional grant funding.
- Individual Donations: Gifts from individual donors directly fund public interest litigation and public education initiatives. The organization maintains a donate page for public contributions.
- No Federal Government Funding: The organization explicitly states it does not receive any federal government funding, maintaining independence in its advocacy work.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Innovation Lab Lab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Innovation Law Lab is a nonprofit legal organization that provides free immigration legal representation, public interest litigation, and community education programs for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Its core delivery model combines proprietary technology (LawLab case management and BorderX remote representation) with a Centers of Excellence network in Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, and Kansas City to scale mass representation for detained noncitizens.
Product overview
Innovation Law Lab is a nonprofit legal organization that operates a multi-product technology and advocacy infrastructure for immigrant and refugee justice. The core technology platform consists of LawLab (case management system), BorderX (remote mass representation technology), and Centers of Excellence (legal representation hubs in hostile jurisdictions). These are complemented by community programs including Defend Community, Know the Law, Innovate in Community, and Use the Law, as well as the Justice Bus mobile legal services. The organization leverages technology, law, and community organizing to scale impact for immigrant advocacy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- LawLab Case Management System Case management system that serves as the central database for the BorderX initiative, aggregating substantive information about claimants, claims, and transactional information about the immigration court process and enabling remote collaboration with local partners and tracking of case outcomes.
- BorderX Technology-enabled collaboration between local field partners and Innovation Law Lab's remote team that uses LawLab technology to produce court-ready legal documents for detained noncitizens seeking release, enabling single lawyers to scale representation capacity up to 10X.
- Centers of Excellence Designated jurisdictions where Innovation Law Lab partners with local organizations and pro bono attorneys to represent detained individuals, currently operating in Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, and Kansas City.
- Justice Bus Mobile immigration legal services bringing legal assistance to underserved communities, allowing organizations to request visits.
- Defend Community Program focused on defending rights through legal advocacy and community empowerment for immigrants and refugees, using constitutional rights defense and community organizing.
- Know the Law Educational program that puts the power of legal knowledge into the hands of community members through Know Your Rights education, toolkit resources, and rapid response coordination.
- Innovate in Community Program powering the future of immigrant justice with human-centered design and technology, focusing on technology-enabled representation and innovation.
- Use the Law Program ensuring everyone has access to quality legal representation regardless of circumstances, covering habeas petitions, bond hearings, asylum claims, and release requests.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85 requests per week throughput capacity for BorderX
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Innovation Lab Lab
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Innovation Lab Lab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature3 records
Innovation Lab Lab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, U.C. HastingscoreProvides support team for Centers of Excellence alongside vulnerable populations project, contributing legal expertise for refugee and gender-based asylum cases
- Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.coreContributes vulnerable populations project support to the Centers of Excellence support team, enhancing representation capacity
- Centers of Excellence - Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, Kansas CitycoreFour Center of Excellence locations partnering with local NGOs, private immigration attorneys, non-immigration attorneys, big law, and in-house counsel to represent detained individuals
- BorderX CollaboratorscoreEligible nonprofit organizations and consortia working at underserved detention sites that collaborate with BorderX for remote mass representation delivery
- Oregon For All CoalitionminorCoalition partnership for safeguarding organizations toolkit and broader immigrant advocacy coordination
- Oregon Worker ReliefminorCommunity-led program that distributed over $60 million to immigrant Oregonians excluded from federal pandemic relief
- Oregon Ready CoalitionminorCoalition calling on immigration authorities to prioritize health and well-being of communities during COVID-19 pandemic
- Integrated Rural Strategies GroupminorPartnered with Law Lab to host Freedom To Thrive webinar in support of the Anticarceral Legal Organizing program
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Innovation Lab Lab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Florence Immigrant Rights Project: Arizona-based nonprofit providing free legal services to adults and children in immigration detention — directly comparable detention-focused representation model.
- Kids in Need of Defense (KIND): National nonprofit providing pro bono legal representation to unaccompanied immigrant children — directly comparable to Innovation Law Lab's mission, pro bono model, and reliance on attorney networks.
- HIAS: Jewish-American refugee resettlement and legal services organization serving refugees and asylum seekers — comparable refugee-focused legal aid mission.
- Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC): National nonprofit network providing immigration legal services and capacity-building — comparable in legal-aid delivery, training, and network-of-affiliates model (and a current strategic partner of Innovation Law Lab).
- National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC): Heartland Alliance-affiliated nonprofit providing direct legal representation, policy advocacy, and impact litigation for immigrants — closely comparable scope, including asylum and detention work.
- National Immigration Law Center (NILC): National advocacy organization using impact litigation, policy analysis, and communications to advance immigrant rights — comparable litigation-heavy advocacy posture and California base.
- Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES): One of the largest immigration legal services nonprofits in the U.S., providing representation, advocacy, and bond services for immigrants and refugees — directly comparable in service mix, scale ambition, and detention focus.
Emerging players
- Justice Action Center: Nonprofit launched in 2018 using impact litigation to protect immigrant rights — comparable litigation-first posture and organizational form, but smaller and earlier-stage.
Others
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA): National bar association of immigration attorneys — comparable ecosystem role (training, amicus, advocacy), but a membership association rather than direct legal services provider.
- Immigration Advocates Network: Collaborative network of immigration legal services organizations providing curated resources and pro bono tools — adjacent ecosystem enabler with overlapping constituency but no direct representation services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Innovation Lab Lab social profiles
Digital presenceInnovation Lab Lab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Innovation Lab Lab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Innovation Lab Lab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Innovation Lab Lab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Innovation Lab Lab
What does Innovation Lab Lab do?
Innovation Law Lab is a nonprofit legal organization that provides free immigration legal representation, public interest litigation, and community education programs for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Its core delivery model combines proprietary technology (LawLab case management and BorderX remote representation) with a Centers of Excellence network in Atlanta, Charlotte, Portland, and Kansas City to scale mass representation for detained noncitizens.
Is Innovation Lab Lab a public or private company?
Innovation Lab Lab is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Innovation Lab Lab founded?
Innovation Lab Lab was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Innovation Lab Lab based?
Innovation Lab Lab is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Innovation Lab Lab make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Private Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations and no Federal Government Funding.
Who are Innovation Lab Lab's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Florence Immigrant Rights Project, Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), HIAS, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), National Immigration Law Center (NILC) and Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES). Justice Action Center is listed as an emerging player. Others are American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and Immigration Advocates Network.
Does Innovation Lab Lab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Innovation Lab Lab.
What industry is Innovation Lab Lab in?
Innovation Lab Lab's product category is Immigration Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAL, Immigration Law, with a secondary code of THACAKAF, Immigration Legal Services & Representation (Law Firms). Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.