International Legal Foundation (ILF)  was founded to address the global crisis in access to justice.

Every day, millions of men, women, and children are held in jails around the world because they cannot afford a lawyer to defend them. Without legal representation, many face torture or other abuses, languish behind bars for years awaiting trial, or are wrongfully convicted.  

The denial of access to legal aid, and a lack of qualified criminal defense lawyers, particularly impacts poor and otherwise marginalized communities. These vulnerable populations are disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated.

They make justice a reality for poor people by fighting to guarantee high-quality legal representation for everyone arrested or detained. Around the world, they provide criminal defense services and build sustainable, effective legal aid institutions. 

Over the past two decades, the ILF has established a practical and effective approach to meet the urgent need for quality criminal defense in diverse legal systems.

From the ground up, they train and empower lawyers to be proactive advocates capable of providing high-quality criminal defense. Case by case, their lawyers transform the criminal justice system and strengthen the rule of law. To ensure large-scale and sustainable reform, they share expertise and build government support for the right to legal aid.