Christian Legal Aid of the District of Columbia

What Christian Legal Aid of the District of Columbia does

Christian Legal Aid of the District of Columbia (CLADC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, non-partisan, Christian legal services organization incorporated in 2007 and headquartered in Washington, D.C. The organization provides free civil legal services to low-income residents of the Washington, DC metro area across four practice areas: criminal record sealing, housing conditions and eviction defense, estate planning, and probate (including guardianship). Clients must meet eligibility requirements — DC residency and household income not exceeding HUD's Low (80%) Income Limits — and receive services valued at $300 to $4,000 per client at no cost. In 2024, CLADC served over 800 individuals, up from more than 650 in 2023.

CLADC's service delivery model is asset-light and volunteer-driven. Core operations run through recurring virtual legal clinics conducted via Zoom on the third and fourth Saturdays of each month, where volunteer attorneys and law students conduct one-hour consultations. Cases requiring extended representation are routed through a referral network of volunteer attorneys or assigned to a small staff of part-time attorneys covering criminal record sealing, estate planning, SSDI/Social Security, and probate matters. The organization relies on individual donations, foundation grants (led by the DC Bar Foundation), in-kind pro bono legal services, and partnerships with faith communities (Grace Downtown) and the DC Resource Bridge referral system. The stated operating leverage is a 3:1 ratio of services delivered per dollar donated.

The underlying technology stack is minimal: standard legal software, Zoom for clinic consultations, and conventional case management tools. There is no proprietary platform, no AI/ML components, and no disclosed mobile applications. Revenue mechanics are purely philanthropic — there are no client fees — and the organization reports a ~10-person staff supplemented by a large volunteer bench. Leadership transitioned in February 2025 with the appointment of Pablo C. Villeda, formerly Regional President, Latin America at International Justice Mission, as Executive Director.

Name

Christian Legal Aid of the District of Columbia

Legal name

Christian Legal Aid of DC

Website

https://christianlegalaid-dc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Christian Legal Aid of DC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 that provides free civil legal services — criminal record sealing, housing/eviction defense, estate planning, and probate — to low-income residents of the Washington, DC metro area, delivered primarily through monthly virtual legal clinics staffed by volunteer attorneys.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Other Legal Services (54119), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Defense & Legal Aid Services (BPAIAFAC)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Pro bono services
• Criminal record sealing
• Estate planning help
• Eviction defense

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations from Individuals: Individual donors contribute to fund CLADC's operations. The organization states that with every $1 donated, they provide $3 of free legal services to neighbors in need. Operating costs cover staff time, office rent, legal software, volunteer training, community education workshops, and legal fees for contracted attorneys.
2. Foundation Grants and Justice Partner Funding: CLADC receives funding from justice partners including The DC Bar Foundation (the leading funder of civil legal aid in DC), Grace Downtown church, and Bosson Legal Group. These partnerships provide financial support to sustain free legal services operations.
3. Pro Bono Legal Services (In-Kind): CLADC provides free services to clients largely because local attorneys generously donate their time through pro bono work. Volunteer attorneys conduct clinics, provide extended representation, and support the referral network without compensation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Christian Legal Aid of DC provides free civil legal services to low-income residents of the Washington, DC metro area across four core practice areas: criminal record sealing, housing (eviction defense and housing conditions), estate planning, and probate/guardianship. Services are delivered through monthly virtual legal clinics held via Zoom, supplemented by follow-up consultations, extended representation, and a referral network of volunteer attorneys for matters outside the four core practice areas. All services are provided at no cost to eligible clients who meet DC residency and HUD Low (80%) Income Limits.

Product overview

Christian Legal Aid of DC operates as a single, unified legal aid service providing free civil legal assistance to low-income residents in Washington, DC. The organization offers four core practice areas—Criminal Record Sealing, Estate Planning, Housing Legal Services, and Probate Services—delivered through virtual legal clinics, follow-up services, and extended representation. Services are provided by staff and volunteer attorneys, with clients accessing help through scheduled consultations at recurring monthly clinics. In 2024, CLADC provided legal services to over 800 individuals, with each client receiving services valued between $300-$4,000 at no cost.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Criminal Record Sealing Free legal services to help low-income DC residents seal or expunge criminal records, including Motions to Seal and Motions to Set Aside under the Youth Rehabilitation Act, enabling clients to move forward unburdened by past mistakes and pursue employment and housing opportunities.
• Estate Planning Free legal services including drafting wills, health care powers of attorney, and financial powers of attorney to help low-income DC residents plan for the future and protect their loved ones.
• Housing Legal Services Free legal services including eviction defense, housing conditions and repairs assistance, and security deposit legal services to protect low-income DC tenants from unfair housing practices.
• Probate Services Free legal assistance with small estates, large estates, guardianship matters, and will/estate contests to help low-income DC residents navigate inheritance and probate court processes.
• Legal Clinics Free virtual legal consultation services held multiple times monthly via Zoom (third and fourth Saturday of each month, 9am-12pm), where staff attorneys, volunteer attorneys, and law students provide one-hour consultations to gather information and provide legal advice on civil legal matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• In 2023, provided legal aid to 650+ people; in 2024, served 800+ individuals with services valued at $300-$4,000 per client
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grace DowntowncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Grace Downtown is a cross-cultural church community in Washington, DC that experiences and extends God's kindness to workplaces, neighborhoods, city, and world. They partner with CLADC to support access to justice initiatives.
• Bosson Legal GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Bosson Legal Group is a boutique law firm in Fairfax, Virginia providing superior, client-focused legal services in business litigation, employment, personal injury, and Defense Base Act claims. Values excellence and integrity in seeking justice for the wronged.
• DC Resource BridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCLADC is a participant of the DC Resource Bridge, a DC-funded referral system that helps DC residents connect with a variety of DC-based legal services and organizations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bread for the City: DC-based nonprofit providing both social services and free legal services to low-income residents. Comparable as a similar hybrid service provider serving the same DC low-income population with overlapping legal aid offerings.
• Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia: Faith-based legal aid organization providing free legal services to low-income individuals through a clinic model. Highly comparable as a Christian legal aid organization using volunteer attorneys in a similar clinic-based service delivery model.
• Open Hands Legal Services: NYC-based Christian legal aid clinic serving low-income individuals with free legal services. Directly comparable as a faith-based legal aid organization with a similar volunteer attorney clinic model and shared board member network with CLADC.
• Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia: The primary legal aid provider in Washington, DC offering free civil legal services to low-income residents. Directly comparable as both organizations serve the same client base in the same geography with overlapping practice areas including housing and family law.
• DC Volunteer Lawyers Project: DC-based legal aid organization that engages volunteer attorneys to provide free legal services to low-income DC residents, particularly in family law matters. Directly comparable model of leveraging pro bono attorneys to deliver free legal services in the same geography.
• Legal Counsel for the Elderly: DC-based legal aid organization providing free legal services to elderly DC residents. Comparable as a DC-focused legal aid provider serving low-income vulnerable populations with similar practice areas including estate planning.

Regional players

• Neighborhood Legal Services Program: Maryland-based legal aid organization serving low-income residents in suburban Maryland outside DC. Comparable civil legal aid provider in the broader DC metro area serving similar client populations with similar practice areas.
• Good Samaritan Advocates: Maryland-based Christian legal aid organization referenced in CLADC's leadership connections. Comparable faith-based legal aid provider serving low-income populations in the broader DC metro region.

Broad incumbents

• International Justice Mission: Large global faith-based human rights organization fighting slavery and violence against the poor. Comparable as a faith-based justice organization with overlapping leadership connections (CLADC's ED and board members have extensive IJM backgrounds), though operating at much larger scale globally.
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): Larger faith-based legal services network providing immigration-related legal aid through affiliated agencies. Comparable as a faith-based organization delivering free legal services through a network of volunteer and staff attorneys, though focused specifically on immigration law.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CLAofDC
• Facebookfacebook.com/about
• Instagraminstagram.com/christianlegalaidofdc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/christian-legal-aid-of-the-district-of-columbia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Christian Legal Aid of the District of Columbia