Recruit board & volunteers. Minimum: 1 lawyer, 1 community member, 1 accountant.

Pilot launch. Run 2 half-days per week for one month. Track every case. Refine your conflict check.

Register entity. File as a non-profit (501(c)(3) in the US, Charity in UK/CA). Open a bank account.

Intake system. Create a paper or digital form (name, issue, urgency, prior lawyer, income level). Use a simple CRM like Airtable or LegalServer (free for small clinics).

Full launch. Publish hours. Partner with 211 (or local helpline) for referrals. 6. Common Service Areas (Start with 2-3) Do not try to do everything. Pick high-volume, solvable problems: