Nonprofits - Nonprofit Legal Defense Network

We offer two main types of support: (1) risk assessments to help you identify specific areas where you may want to seek legal advice, and (2) individualized legal advice through requests posted to We The Action.

Complete a Risk Assessment

A risk assessment can help you identify and prioritize your legal needs. Use Alliance for Justice’s self-checkup tool, or we offer two ways to connect with a lawyer who can guide you through the risk assessment process:

Risk Assessment Clinics:
90-minute one-on-one sessions with a trained lawyer scheduled by our network. Lawyers will offer clarification, not legal advice, on the rules covered in the Advocacy Check-Up Self-Assessment tool and general guidance to empower you to create a clear roadmap to get the specific pro bono support you need.

Request a Lawyer:
Submit a risk assessment request through We The Action and select the volunteer lawyer who fits your needs.

Find Lawyers for Specific Legal Needs

Already know what legal assistance you need? Submit your request through We The Action. Work with lawyers on issues like:

C3/C4 compliance
Lobbying
Data retention and security

Employee handbooks and policies
Investigation/subpoena playbooks
Executive orders (including DEI)

Request to Join a Virtual Clinic

Email our team to learn more about available dates and times.

Find a Lawyer

Nonprofits face unprecedented challenges, from abrupt loss of grant funding to threats to tax-exempt status to rapid shifts in laws and policies affecting their work. We connect them with free legal support to withstand these risks and continue their vital work.

Create an Account: Fill out a quick form, if you don’t already have an account. A We The Action staff member will follow up to complete your sign-up. Tip: Write “Nonprofit Legal Defense Network” in the “How did you hear about us field” to fast-track your request.
Submit Your Request: Click the green Create New Project Button, and in just a few minutes, We The Action’s tools will help you frame a request that attracts lawyers likely to fit your needs. Tip: Choose “Nonprofit Legal Defense” under “Causes” to send your request directly to Nonprofit Legal Defense Network lawyers.
Select Your Lawyer: Review your interested volunteers, request any additional information you want, and pick the lawyer you want to work with. Tip: You can submit as many requests as you want to, as often as you need, and We The Action offers different privacy settings to meet your needs. If you have questions, please contact We The Action’s team.

Support FAQs

Is your support really free?

Yes! Both risk assessment clinics and requests for legal advice submitted through We The Action are free. Lawyers participating in our network through We The Action offer their services pro bono, and the platform is also free for nonprofits to use. You can submit multiple requests and work with multiple lawyers, free of charge.

How long does it take to submit a request?

Usually 5-20 minutes, depending on how complex it is. We recommend taking a few minutes to describe the end result you’re seeking clearly and to tell volunteers why the request matters to your work, but you provide much of the information through quick drop down menus.

Will your network assign me a lawyer?

No! The We The Action dashboard you use to request assistance will show you lawyers who are interested, along with key information like expertise areas, location, and states where they are licensed. You decide which lawyers to consider and what additional information (such as a resume or an introductory call) you need. And you select each lawyer you work with.

My legal question is sensitive. How can I protect my organization and privacy when I post it via We The Action?

We The Action offers multiple privacy settings for projects. The default setting is a “public” project, which can be viewed by anyone and can be shared with We The Action’s full list of 54,000 lawyers. This option maximizes the pool of volunteers who might sign up. But you control how you describe your request, and you do not need to share private or privileged information until you choose a lawyer to work with.

For more sensitive legal needs, We The Action also offers a “private” project option. The details of projects posted this way can only be viewed by volunteers logged in to their We The Action accounts, are not promoted on social media, and are only emailed to volunteers whose profiles match key criteria (e.g., state where licensed, legal practice areas, language skills, etc.).

If your legal need calls for even more discretion, you can contact the We The Action team to discuss the best options, including opportunities to share your request directly with a curated group of lawyers or law firms.

Can someone walk me through using We The Action’s platform to submit my request or answer my questions about it?

Sure! Contact We The Action to schedule a time.