Sugar Law Center For Economic And Social Justice

What Sugar Law Center For Economic And Social Justice does

Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public-interest law center founded in 1991 and headquartered at 4605 Cass Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The organization provides legal advocacy, representation, education, research, and technical support to low-income workers, their families, and community groups across the United States. Its service portfolio is organized into five interconnected areas: Workplace Justice Services (wage theft claims, workplace injuries, unemployment insurance, WARN Act mass layoff representation), Community Justice Services (energy security, community benefits from development projects, democratic participation, environmental justice), Know-Your-Rights Training (self-help educational resources, including Michigan unemployment insurance handbooks and DTE consumer-rights guides), Policy Advocacy (living wage ordinances, worker protections, equitable development legislation), and Technical Support for Community Coalitions.

The organization operates a community-led advocacy model that combines direct legal representation, public education, policy initiatives, and grassroots organizing rather than charging fees to clients. It has recovered unpaid wages and provided representation, counseling, or training to more than 5,000 workers over its three-decade history and was the first nonprofit law center to represent workers under the federal WARN Act. Sugar Law's funding base is composed of institutional grants from the Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Michigan State Bar Foundation, Michigan Justice Fund, Fund for Equal Justice, and CO.ACT Detroit, alongside individual donations. Staff are members of the National Lawyers Guild and the National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320, and the organization co-l litigates with partners including CAIR-Michigan, ACLU of Michigan, and the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is conducted through direct legal representation, training materials, and coalition support.

Name

Sugar Law Center For Economic And Social Justice

Legal name

The Maurice and Jane Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice

Website

https://sugarlaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sugar Law Center is a Detroit-based 501(c)(3) public-interest law center founded in 1991 that provides free legal advocacy, representation, know-your-rights training, and policy support to low-income workers and communities on workplace justice, environmental justice, and civil rights issues nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Interest Legal Advocacy

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employment & Labor Law (BPAHAAAD), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Legal advocacy services
• Nonprofit law center
• Workplace rights advocacy
• Community legal support
• Policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Detroit

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded through donations from individuals and institutional foundations. The organization receives support from Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Michigan State Bar Foundation, CO.ACT Detroit, Michigan Justice Fund, Fund for Equal Justice, and individual donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Sugar Law Center provides free legal representation, advocacy, education, research, and technical support to low income workers, their families, and community groups. Core offerings include workplace justice services (wage theft, unemployment insurance, WARN Act mass layoff cases, workplace injuries), community justice services (energy security, environmental justice, community benefits from development projects, democratic participation), know-your-rights training, policy advocacy, and technical support to community benefits coalitions.

Product overview

The Sugar Law Center operates as a single, unified legal advocacy organization providing comprehensive services to low-income workers and communities. Its portfolio consists of five interconnected service areas: Workplace Justice Services (legal representation for wage theft, unemployment insurance, workplace injuries, and WARN Act claims), Community Justice Services (energy security, community benefits, democracy, and environmental justice), Know-Your-Rights Training (educational self-help resources), Policy Advocacy (systemic legislative change efforts), and Technical Support for Community Coalitions. These services combine public education, legal advocacy, research, and technical support to empower communities seeking economic and social rights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Recovered unpaid wages for more than 5,000 workers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered major and minor.

• CO.ACT DetroitmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDetroit-based nonprofit coalition partner for community advocacy and organizing
• CAIR-Michigan (Council on American-Islamic Relations)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil rights coalition partner for litigation challenging University of Michigan's treatment of pro-Palestinian protesters
• American-Arab Anti-Discrimination CommitteemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil rights organization co-filing federal lawsuits protecting First Amendment rights of pro-Palestinian protesters
• ACLU of MichiganmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil liberties organization partnering on campus protest policy litigation
• National Lawyers GuildminorOthersProfessional affiliation organization; all Sugar Law staff are members

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sugar Law Center For Economic And Social Justice