Rural Law Center of New York

What Rural Law Center of New York does

Rural Law Center of New York (RLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization incorporated in 1996 and headquartered in Plattsburgh, NY. It is the only legal services program in New York State whose mission is dedicated exclusively to serving the civil legal needs of individuals and families living in the state's 44 rural counties. Its core service portfolio includes Civil Legal Services (family law, housing, consumer debt, foreclosure, eviction), North Country Conflict Resolution Services (NCCRS mediation across Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, and Franklin counties), a Kinship Care Program, the COVID-19-era Family Stabilization Project, and a Civil Appeals function staffed by three appellate attorneys. RLC serves low-income clients at or below 125% of the poverty level (IOLA-funded) and up to 200% of the poverty level (JCLS-funded), with services delivered free of charge at point of use.

The organization operates with approximately 20+ staff members including attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, and county-level mediation coordinators, supported by a Board of Directors including President Scott Clippinger, Vice President Ellen Coccoma, and Secretary/Treasurer Andrew Pulrang, with Heidi Dennis serving as Executive Director. Service delivery blends physical county offices, an online intake system powered by LegalServer, phone intake, webcam-based legal consultations for remote geographies, and on-site court-based mediation. Supporting infrastructure includes an extensive library of self-help legal resource guides (PDFs), Google Analytics for web traffic, PayPal for donations, and Adobe Reader for document distribution.

RLC's revenue model is grant-funded rather than commercial. Primary income is derived from three government funding streams: IOLA (Interest on Lawyers Accounts) Fund grants since 1996 on five-year cycles, JCLS (Judicial Civil Legal Services) funding for over a decade, and ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) funding since 2005 on five-year RFP cycles. Secondary income includes periodic Adirondack Foundation Trust grants, private 501(c)(3) donations (monetary, in-kind, and volunteer time), and nominal fees for more complex mediation matters. The organization is governed as a standalone nonprofit with no parent company, no private equity or venture capital exposure, and no M&A activity. Strategic partnerships include Albany Law School (14-year Elder Law Pro Bono Program), USDA (agricultural mediation), NYS Unified Court System (NCCRS host site), and a coalition of three legal aid organizations for the Family Stabilization Project.

Name

Rural Law Center of New York

Legal name

Rural Law Center of New York, Inc.

Website

https://rurallawcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rural Law Center of New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization founded in 1996 and the only program in New York State dedicated exclusively to serving the civil legal needs of low-income residents across the state's 44 rural counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

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)

SECONDARYBPAHAAAK

Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

SECONDARYBPAHAAAE

Real Estate & Construction Law

Business & Public Services/Professional Services (Legal, Accounting, Consulting)/Legal Services

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Legal services
• Rural legal assistance
• Mediation services
• Family law services

Headquarters

HQ city

Plattsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from IOLA (Interest on Lawyers Accounts) Fund since 1996 (five-year grant cycles), JCLS (Judicial Civil Legal Services) funding for over a decade, and ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) funding since 2005. IOLA serves clients at or below 125% of poverty level; JCLS serves those at or below 200% of poverty level.
2. Foundation Grants: Periodic grant awards from Adirondack Foundation Trust (created 1997) and other private funders through the Foundation's charitable giving programs.
3. Private Donations: Registered 501(c)(3) organization accepting tax-deductible monetary donations, in-kind donations, volunteer time, and supplies/equipment from private supporters and community members.
4. Mediation Services: Free and low-cost dispute resolution services including mediation, arbitration, facilitation, and conflict coaching. Most services are free through NYS Unified Court System funding, with some complicated matters involving a nominal fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rural Law Center of New York provides free civil legal aid, mediation, appellate representation, kinship care support, and agricultural mediation to low-income residents across New York's 44 rural counties. Core practice areas include family law (custody, divorce, domestic violence), housing (foreclosure, eviction, Section 8), consumer debt (bankruptcy, fraud), and estate planning for seniors. Services are delivered through county offices, webcam consultations, online intake, and court-based mediation programs.

Product overview

The Rural Law Center of New York operates as a unified legal services nonprofit rather than a technology product company. Its service portfolio centers on civil legal aid delivery through multiple interconnected programs: Civil Legal Services serves as the core offering addressing family law, housing, and consumer debt; North Country Conflict Resolution Services provides alternative dispute resolution through mediation; the Kinship Care Program assists family caregivers; the Family Stabilization Project addresses COVID-19 economic impacts; and Civil Appeals handles appellate representation. Supporting infrastructure includes Legal Resource Guides (self-help PDFs), Online Intake (digital case submission), and the New York State Agricultural Mediation Program. These programs collectively serve low-income rural New Yorkers across 44 counties, with mediation and legal aid services often delivered in conjunction with court systems and partner organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• North Country Conflict Resolution Services (NCCRS): A program of the Rural Law Center providing conflict resolution services including mediation, arbitration, facilitation and conciliation to residents of Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, and Franklin counties in Northern New York.

Products and services

• Civil Legal Services Core legal assistance program providing representation and advocacy in family law (custody, visitation, divorce, domestic violence), housing (foreclosures, evictions, Section 8, homelessness), consumer debt (bankruptcy, fraud, unfair collection), and other civil matters for low-income rural New Yorkers across 44 counties.
• North Country Conflict Resolution Services (NCCRS) Mediation program staffed by certified professionals and community volunteers, part of the statewide Community Dispute Resolution Centers Program. Provides free conflict resolution services including mediation, arbitration, facilitation, and conciliation to residents of Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, and Franklin counties in Northern New York.
• Kinship Care Program Program assisting grandparents and relative caregivers raising children by providing custody petition assistance, court preparation support, and collaboration with the statewide Kinship Navigator program and the Child Care Coordinating Council of the North Country.
• Family Stabilization Project Collaborative initiative with Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, The Legal Project, and Albany Law School providing legal services to mitigate economic impact of COVID-19, focusing on eviction prevention, public benefits, unemployment, consumer debt, and bankruptcy.
• Civil Appeals Appellate legal representation with three staff appellate attorneys handling appeals from family courts in rural counties, plus pro bono appellate matters impacting rural residents.
• New York State Agricultural Mediation Program USDA-partnered mediation program providing services for family farms facing adverse decisions in USDA funding programs, delinquent loans, unpaid bills, and farm succession issues, offering an alternative to costly appeals or litigation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving low-income New Yorkers throughout New York's 44 rural counties
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York (LASNNY)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in the Family Stabilization Project providing direct legal services to families affected by COVID-19 pandemic economic downturn. Project focuses on eviction prevention, public benefits, unemployment benefits, consumer debt, bankruptcy, and reentry support.
• The Legal ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in the Family Stabilization Project collaboration providing regional direct legal services to families during the COVID-19 pandemic economic recovery period.
• Justice Clinic at Albany Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partner in the Family Stabilization Project providing direct legal services to families affected by COVID-19 pandemic economic downturn across the region.
• Albany Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner14-year partnership with Albany Law School students in the Elder Law Pro Bono Program. 10-20 students per semester receive training from RLC attorneys and staff on basic elder law issues, then conduct legal information workshops for seniors in rural counties. RLC is also co-host at annual Veteran's Law Day and Elder Law Community Training events.
• Kinship Navigator (Statewide Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerModel partnership with statewide Kinship Navigator program providing assistance with petition completion and court preparation for grandparents and kinship caregivers raising children in rural areas.
• Child Care Coordinating Council of the North CountrysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration supporting grandparents and kinship providers in preparing for family court proceedings through the Kinship Care Program.
• USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with USDA to provide mediation services as an alternative to costly appeals or litigation for family farms facing adverse decisions in USDA funding programs, delinquent loans, unpaid bills, and farm succession matters.
• New York State Unified Court SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCCRS is part of the statewide Community Dispute Resolution Centers Program administered by the NYS Unified Court System. RLC is also a host organization for the Court's Attorney Emeritus program volunteers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Pro Bono Net: National nonprofit that builds technology and infrastructure for legal aid and pro bono programs. RLC uses LegalServer (a Pro Bono Net product) for intake, illustrating technology ecosystem alignment with the broader civil legal aid sector.
• LawHelpNY: Pro Bono Net-affiliated statewide legal information portal connecting low-income New Yorkers to legal aid providers including RLC. Operates as an ecosystem enabler rather than direct service competitor.

Direct peers

• USDA Agricultural Mediation Program (state affiliates): Federal-state partnership funding agricultural mediation services. RLC operates the New York State Agricultural Mediation Program under this framework; comparable state-level mediation grantees (e.g., in Pennsylvania, Vermont) are direct functional peers.
• The Legal Project: A Capital Region NY legal services nonprofit collaborating with RLC on the Family Stabilization Project. Provides civil legal aid to low-income clients with overlapping practice areas (family, housing, consumer).
• Empire Justice Center: A statewide NY legal services and policy advocacy organization focused on poverty law. Competes for similar IOLA/JCLS funding and serves overlapping client populations, with deeper focus on systemic reform.
• Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York: A fellow New York State civil legal services provider that partners with Rural Law Center on the Family Stabilization Project. Serves a different (urban/suburban) geography but operates the same IOLA/JCLS-funded model for low-income clients.

Broad incumbents

• Legal Services NYC: The largest civil legal aid provider in the country, serving New York City. Operates the same IOLA-funded model at significantly greater scale; provides a useful comparison for organizational capacity and funding.
• New York State Unified Court System - Community Dispute Resolution Centers Program: Statewide umbrella program that houses RLC's North Country Conflict Resolution Services. Operates and funds the CDRC network across New York, providing the regulatory and funding framework for RLC's mediation services.

Regional players

• Northeast New York Legal Aid Society / Legal Aid Society of Mid-New York: Regional civil legal aid programs in New York State funded through IOLA and JCLS. Comparable mission and funding structure to RLC, serving adjacent upstate geographies.
• Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo: Western New York civil legal aid provider operating under the same IOLA/JCLS funding framework. Comparable nonprofit legal services model with similar practice areas.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rurallawcenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/RuralLawNY
• Instagraminstagram.com/rurallawcenterny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rural-law-center-new-york

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Rural Law Center of New York