Montana Legal Services Association

Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA) is the only statewide nonprofit law firm providing free civil legal aid to income-qualifying Montanans. Since the early 1970s, MLSA has served the people of Montana — all 56 counties and every tribal reservation — with legal representation, advice, and self-help resources in housing, domestic violence, public benefits, consumer law, tribal rights, and more.

MLSA operates with a systemic approach: every case is chosen not just to help one client, but to create precedents, policies, and practices that improve access to justice for all Montanans. In 2023, MLSA delivered $4,428,518 in direct financial benefit to clients and generated $9.6 million in economic impact for Montana — a 215% return on investment.

MLSA's Tribal Advocacy Incubator Program (TAIP) has become a national model for access to justice on reservations, earning the 2025 ABA Louis M. Brown Select Award. The Montana Health Justice Partnership embeds legal services within community health centers, addressing the health-harming legal needs of patients throughout Montana. MLSA also maintains MontanaLawHelp.org — a statewide self-help legal portal — and the AskKarla.org platform, ensuring that even Montanans who don't qualify for direct representation have access to legal information.