VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROGRAM OF NORTHEAST INDIANA INC

What VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROGRAM OF NORTHEAST INDIANA INC does

The Volunteer Lawyer Program of Northeast Indiana, Inc. (VLP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by local attorneys and judges, headquartered at 347 W Berry Street, Suite 101, Fort Wayne, Indiana. It provides free and low-cost civil legal aid to income-eligible residents across a nine-county region in northeast Indiana, with services covering family law, bankruptcy, housing, consumer issues, small claims, contracts, real estate, powers of attorney and wills, estate law, guardianships, expungement, and Specialized Driving Privileges. VLP does not employ attorneys; instead, it relies on a network of volunteer attorneys and uses four intake paralegals (plus an executive director, executive assistant, and program coordinators) to screen over 10,000 inquiry calls annually, process eligibility (typically at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines, with the Modest Means program extending to 300%), and place qualified cases with volunteer counsel. Dedicated service programs include the Specialized Driving Privileges clinic, Modest Means low-bono program, Expungement Services, and Guardianship Services, supplemented by in-person and virtual clinics such as the Allen County Eviction Clinic, ZOOM Housing Clinic, Expungement Seminars, and the annual Talk to a Lawyer Today event.

VLP is governed by a board composed of sitting and retired judges from Allen Superior Court, DeKalb Superior Court, Adams Superior Court, Allen Circuit Court, and the U.S. District Court, along with managing partners and principals at regional law firms and community representatives. The organization is independently operated with no parent company and is supported by donations from individuals and organizations (including recurring weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual giving options) plus nominal client fees — $30 for guardianship applications, $20-$25 for Specialized Driving Privileges processing, $157 per county for expungement filings, and a $30 application fee plus $1,000 retainer for the Modest Means program. Partnerships with Ivy Tech Community College (venue for Expungement Seminars) and the Volunteer Center (referral gating for expungement cases) extend reach into educational and volunteer-infrastructure channels. There is no proprietary technology stack beyond a Squarespace-hosted website, phone intake, and Zoom-based virtual clinics; VLP does not employ AI/ML systems.

The strategic posture is that of a stable, community-rooted nonprofit legal aid provider rather than a venture-scalable entity: a long-tenured volunteer-attorney network and a judge-and-lawyer-led board function as the principal moat, while growth is constrained by donation dependence, a fixed nine-county service area, and a small paid staff. Revenue, funding, and case-volume trends are not disclosed in the available data, limiting quantitative growth assessment.

Name

VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROGRAM OF NORTHEAST INDIANA INC

Legal name

Volunteer Lawyer Program of Northeast Indiana, Inc.

Website

https://vlpnei.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Volunteer Lawyer Program of Northeast Indiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that connects income-eligible residents of a nine-county northeast Indiana region with volunteer attorneys for free and low-cost civil legal aid, screening over 10,000 inquiry calls annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Wayne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and organizations to support free civil legal services. They offer recurring donation options (weekly, monthly, quarterly, annual) as well as one-time donations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

VLP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal aid organization that connects income-eligible residents in Northeast Indiana with volunteer attorneys who provide free civil legal representation. Intake paralegals screen over 10,000 inquiry calls annually for income qualification and case type, then place qualified cases with volunteer lawyers across family law, housing, bankruptcy, consumer issues, guardianships, expungement, specialized driving privileges, and related civil matters. Services are delivered through direct intake, in-person clinics, and virtual Zoom clinics, with nominal fees attached only to specific programs such as Modest Means and Expungement.

Product overview

VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROGRAM OF NORTHEAST INDIANA INC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2002 that provides a unified platform of free civil legal aid services to low-income individuals and families across nine counties in Northeast Indiana. The organization does not employ attorneys but rather connects qualified clients with volunteer attorneys through intake screening and case placement. Services include: Specialized Driving Privileges (SDP) program, Modest Means low-bono legal assistance, Expungement services, Guardianship services, Allen County Eviction Clinic, ZOOM Housing Clinic, Expungement Seminar, and Talk to a Lawyer Today events. The organization handles civil legal matters only and screens over 10,000 inquiry calls annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VLP Legal Aid Services Core free civil legal aid program connecting low-income individuals and families in Northeast Indiana (≤200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines for most services) with volunteer attorneys for representation on family law, bankruptcy, housing, consumer issues, small claims, contracts, real estate, POA/wills, estate law, and related civil matters. Includes intake screening (phone and online), eligibility determination, and case placement with pro bono attorneys.
• Specialized Driving Privileges (SDP) Program Monthly clinic helping individuals with suspended licenses obtain Specialized Driving Privileges to drive for limited purposes such as work, school, medical appointments, or court-ordered programs; serves those at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines; $20–$25 processing fee to cover materials and filing costs.
• Modest Means Program Low-bono legal assistance program for Allen County residents at or below 300% of Federal Poverty Guidelines who can contribute toward legal costs but cannot afford market rates; $30 application fee plus $1,000 retainer with hours in excess of 10 billed at attorney-determined hourly rates.
• Expungement Services Legal process service helping eligible individuals expunge or seal certain Indiana criminal records; provides free record review and volunteer attorney matching after attending the Volunteer Center's Expungement Seminar; $157 filing fee per county and $350 filing fee for bankruptcy cases.
• Guardianship Services Legal guardianship services for families meeting 200% of Federal Poverty Guidelines, including court-appointed guardian representation for adults with disabilities or minors whose parents cannot care for them; $30 application fee for guardianship petitions.
• Allen County Eviction Clinic Free in-person clinic providing legal information and guidance on the eviction process, negotiating with landlords, rental assistance options, and eviction sealing for Allen County residents facing housing instability.
• ZOOM Housing Clinic Free virtual clinic offering legal advice on housing-related issues including eviction, rent, leases, and tenant rights via Zoom video conferencing; accessible to residents throughout the service area.
• Expungement Seminar Free in-person educational event helping individuals understand expungement eligibility under Indiana law, providing free record review and volunteer attorney matching for qualified participants after seminar attendance.
• Talk to a Lawyer Today Free brief legal advice by phone offered on Martin Luther King Jr. Day during the annual Talk to a Lawyer Day event, with volunteer attorneys available to answer legal questions.
• Other Civil Legal Services Civil legal services covering Family Law, Bankruptcy, Housing, Consumer, Small Claims, Contracts, Real Estate, POA/Wills, Estate Law, and related matters for qualifying low-income individuals in the nine-county Northeast Indiana service region.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 10,000 inquiry calls fielded annually with screening, processing, and case placement

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Ivy Tech Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIvy Tech Community College serves as a venue partner for Expungement Seminars. The seminars are held at Ivy Tech locations (3701 Dean Drive, Fort Wayne, IN 46835), allowing VLP to conduct educational events and connect eligible individuals with volunteer attorneys for expungement assistance.
• Volunteer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Volunteer Center partners with VLP for the expungement program referral process. Individuals seeking expungement must first attend the Volunteer Center's Expungement Seminar before VLP can begin working with them on their case.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pro Bono Net: National nonprofit that builds technology platforms and resource hubs connecting volunteer lawyers with low-income clients. Comparable as a complementary player that supports legal aid intake, referrals, and pro bono engagement — a potential technology/infrastructure partner for VLP.
• ABA Free Legal Answers: American Bar Association program providing free virtual legal advice to income-eligible users through volunteer attorneys. Comparable in delivery model (remote, volunteer-attorney-driven, income-gated) and a partial substitute for VLP's intake-driven placement approach.

Regional players

• Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid: Regional legal aid provider serving central Minnesota with a similar model of civil legal services, clinic delivery, and income-eligibility screening. Comparable in mission, multi-county coverage, and donor/volunteer-supported operating model.
• Legal Aid of Western Missouri: Regional legal aid organization serving a multi-county area in western Missouri with a similar volunteer-driven, clinic-based service model. Comparable in scale, regional multi-county footprint, and reliance on a mix of staff paralegals and volunteer attorneys.
• Legal Aid Society of Louisville: Kentucky-based regional legal aid nonprofit serving low-income individuals with civil legal issues. Comparable as a similarly sized, donor-funded, volunteer-attorney-driven legal aid organization in a neighboring Midwestern state.

Direct peers

• Indiana Legal Services: Indiana's primary statewide legal aid organization providing free civil legal help to low-income Hoosiers. Most directly comparable to VLP given overlapping geography, mission, and service categories; VLP effectively complements ILS's statewide coverage in northeast Indiana.
• Indianapolis Legal Aid Society: Marion County-based legal aid nonprofit serving low-income individuals with civil legal matters. Directly comparable regional legal aid organization using volunteer attorneys and clinic-based service delivery.
• Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic: Indianapolis-based nonprofit providing free legal services to low-income residents through volunteer attorneys. Closely mirrors VLP's pro bono model, faith-affiliated origins, and reliance on a volunteer lawyer network to deliver civil legal aid.
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: Large regional legal aid organization serving low-income clients across a multi-county service area. Comparable in mission, clinic-based delivery, and volunteer/pro bono engagement model, though at materially larger scale than VLP.

Broad incumbents

• National Legal Aid & Defender Association (NLADA): National membership and advocacy organization for civil legal aid and public defense providers. Comparable as the umbrella/membership body that VLP and similar legal aid programs affiliate with for funding, training, and policy support.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VLPNEI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volunteer-lawyer-program-of-northeast-indiana-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles30 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 VOLUNTEER LAWYER PROGRAM OF NORTHEAST INDIANA INC