The International Legal Foundation

Legal ServicesNew York, United States51-200 Employees

Founded in 2001, the International Legal Foundation is the leading global advocate for the right to counsel for the poor. We make justice a reality for poor people by fighting to guarantee high-quality legal representation for everyone arrested or detained. Around the world, we provide criminal defense services and build sustainable, effective legal aid institutions. We achieve systemic change through litigation, advocacy, and policy reform. 

The ILF has programs in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Nepal, Tunisia, and the West Bank. Over the years, we have represented more than 80,000 people and trained and mentored hundreds of lawyers. We are building a culture of defense and creating a new generation of skilled defense lawyers through multi-year, intensive mentoring.

We also conduct high-level advocacy, pushing countries, international institutions, and donors to prioritize legal aid as a fundamental human right. We were a drafter of the United Nations Principles and Guidelines on Access to Legal Aid in Criminal Justice Systems, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2012. We also organized the first-ever international conference on public defense, held in Johannesburg, South Africa in June 2014. Today, we are in the vanguard of global efforts to standardize public defense so quality legal services are measurable and accountable.

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