christian law association

What christian law association does

Christian Law Association (CLA) is a U.S.-based nonprofit religious legal ministry founded in the 1960s by attorney David C. Gibbs, Jr. after an Ohio pastor contacted him for help with a state lawsuit against the pastor's church. The organization provides free legal counsel and representation to Bible-believing churches, Christian schools, camps, ministries, and individual Christians on matters including church governance, property and zoning, employment, religious liberty, nonprofit compliance, child protection policy, and security planning. Services are delivered via direct phone consultations and ongoing case representation, with no charge to qualified clients — a model that has continued for over 50 years.

CLA operates from a headquarters in Mason, Ohio, with mailing addresses in West Chester, Ohio and Seminole, Florida, and explicitly serves ministries across all 50 states. The organization is funded almost entirely by donations from individuals and churches; revenue from book and publication sales (titles such as 'One Nation Under God,' 'Understanding the Constitution,' and devotionals by Glorianne Gibbs, priced at $10–$15 each, sold via a WordPress/WooCommerce storefront) is ancillary rather than primary.

Distribution and demand generation occur through content marketing — a website blog, the Legal Alert email newsletter, and the CLA Podcast — supplemented by Facebook, Instagram, and X. There is no disclosed technology platform beyond standard web/email infrastructure, no AI components, no M&A activity, and no external funding rounds; the organization is founder-led and operates as an independent 501(c)-style ministry.

Name

christian law association

Legal name

Christian Law Association

Website

https://christianlaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Christian Law Association is a U.S. nonprofit religious legal ministry founded by David C. Gibbs, Jr. that provides free legal counsel to churches, Christian schools, ministries, and individual Christians across all 50 states, funded by donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Religious Organizations (81311)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD)

Keywords

• Religious liberty legal counsel
• Church legal services
• Nonprofit legal ministry
• Free legal representation
• Ministry legal defense

Headquarters

HQ city

Mason

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Support: CLA is a nonprofit legal ministry funded entirely by donations from individuals and churches. They explicitly state that legal help is provided free of charge to Bible-believing churches and Christians.
2. Book and Publication Sales: CLA sells Christian living books and resources through their online shop, including devotionals and educational materials about the Constitution and American founding. Prices range from $10-$15 per item.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Christian Law Association is a nonprofit legal ministry that provides free legal counsel, representation, and educational resources to churches, Christian schools, camps, ministries, and individual Christians. Core services cover church governance, property matters, employment concerns, religious liberty, nonprofit compliance, zoning, child protection policies, and security planning, delivered via direct phone consultations and ongoing case representation across all 50 U.S. states.

Product overview

The Christian Law Association offers a suite of services centered on providing free legal counsel to churches, ministries, and Christians nationwide. The core offering is free legal assistance for ministry-related legal questions covering church governance, property matters, employment issues, religious liberty, and nonprofit compliance. Supporting offerings include a Legal Alert Newsletter with legal tips and guidance, a Podcast providing biblical and legal content, and a resource shop featuring published books on Christian living and constitutional topics including 'One Nation Under God,' 'Understanding the Constitution: Ten Things Every Christian Should Know,' 'A Heart for the Lord,' and 'A Walk with the Lord.' The ministry operates as a faith-based legal defense organization rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Legal Counsel Services Free legal counsel and representation provided to churches, ministries, and individual Christians on matters including church governance, property, employment, religious liberty, zoning, and nonprofit compliance.
• One Nation Under God

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 6,500 churches and Christians assisted in 2025 alone
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Center for Law and Justice: National religious-liberty legal organization founded by Jay Sekulow that provides free legal representation and advocacy on First Amendment and religious-freedom issues. Directly comparable to CLA in mission, free-service model, and target client base.
• Pacific Justice Institute: Nonprofit legal defense organization that defends religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties — including cases involving churches and Christian schools. Comparable legal-aid mission and reliance on donor funding.
• National Legal Foundation: Public-interest law firm dedicated to the defense of religious freedom and traditional values through litigation and education. Closely comparable target client base and case types to CLA's religious-liberty work.
• Becket Fund for Religious Liberty: Nonprofit, nonpartisan law firm that protects the free expression of all faiths in courts and legislatures. While broader in religious scope than CLA, it is a direct peer for high-impact religious-liberty litigation and shared donor audiences.
• Liberty Counsel: Litigation and education ministry providing legal representation in religious-liberty, parental-rights, and sanctity-of-life cases. Competes for the same evangelical donor base and offers overlapping free legal services to churches and individuals.
• Alliance Defending Freedom: Largest U.S. religious-liberty legal organization, providing pro-bono legal counsel and advocacy for churches, Christian schools, and individuals. Direct competitor for the same donor and case pool as CLA, but with substantially greater resources and higher-profile Supreme Court involvement.
• First Liberty Institute: Nonprofit legal organization dedicated exclusively to religious-liberty cases, representing churches, individuals, and faith-based organizations nationwide. Closely comparable service offering, donor model, and case portfolio to CLA.
• Thomas More Law Center: National nonprofit law firm that defends and promotes America's Judeo-Christian heritage and religious liberty through litigation. Overlaps with CLA on religious-liberty cases, particularly involving Christian clients and institutions.

Others

• Family Research Council: Evangelical Christian policy and advocacy organization focused on faith, family, and freedom. While not a direct legal-services peer, it competes for the same evangelical donor base and frequently refers religious-liberty cases to specialized legal ministries like CLA.
• National Religious Broadcasters: Association of Christian broadcasters and media organizations that also engages in religious-liberty advocacy. Adjacent ecosystem participant that shares CLA's evangelical donor and ministry audience, though its core mission is broadcasting rather than legal services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clalaw
• Facebookfacebook.com/christianlawassociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/christianlawassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 law association