LAWYERS FOR EQUAL JUSTICE

Lawyers for Equal Justice (LEJ) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) law firm that was created to advocate on behalf of low income individuals and families in Hawai`i on civil legal issues of statewide importance and to complement the assistance provided by existing legal services providers in the state. Our core mission is to help our clients gain access to the resources, services and fair treatment that they need to realize their opportunities for self achievement and economic security. 

We carry out our mission by engaging in:

• Legal advocacy, including the bringing of class actions, to assist low income individuals and communities in the enforcement of their rights and the obtaining of benefits under the law




• Legislative and administrative agency advocacy to ensure that the policies, laws and practices intended to address the problems of those living in poverty are well designed and are implemented legally, fairly and effectively




• Research and analysis of issues affecting low income communities, identifying strategies for improvement of conditions in those communities and disseminating findings through seminars and publication




• Legal education to inform low income individuals and groups of their rights and the options available to exercise those rights




• Grassroots coalition building with community groups who share a common interest in seeking dynamic responses to social needs




• Supporting the work of other public interest advocates in Hawai`i through collaborative partnerships that facilitate the sharing of technical skills and substantive knowledge and the coordinated use of resources

Central to our mission are the core values held by most people in Hawai‘i, such as fairness, opportunity, community, partnership, responsibility and ensuring equal access to justice for low- income residents of Hawai‘i.