Removing Barriers to Justice
The Philadelphia Bar Foundation is the only foundation in the city fully dedicated to civil legal aid. Through grants and other support, we strengthen nearly 40 nonprofit organizations that help people facing poverty, abuse, and discrimination.
The Access to Justice Gap
Philadelphia has the highest poverty rate of any large U.S. city. More than 430,000 people live below the federal poverty line, including children, working-age adults, and seniors. Yet only 1 in 5 low-income residents receives the legal help they need for serious issues like housing, employment, health care, or family safety.
For example, in landlord-tenant disputes, fewer than 10% of tenants have a lawyer—while more than 80% of landlords do. This imbalance shows how deeply unfair the system can be for those without resources.
Why It Matters
Without timely legal help, people often lose access to housing, education, health care, safety, or income. These barriers keep families from exercising their rights and fully participating in their communities. Those of us who can help have a responsibility to close this gap.
How We Make a Difference
In the past five years, the Bar Foundation has awarded over $3 million in grants. Together, our nonprofit partners serve more than 60,000 clients each year; and research shows that every $1 invested in legal aid creates an $11 benefit for families and the community.
When legal problems are resolved, lives improve: families stay together, children remain in school, people find or keep jobs, and households gain stability.
Supporting the Full Range of Legal Services
Equal access to justice means addressing a wide range of needs—from housing and employment to health care, disability rights, immigration, and more. The Philadelphia Bar Foundation is committed to supporting the full spectrum of nonprofit legal aid organizations, so that everyone in our community has the chance to be heard and protected under the law.
