First Defense Legal Aid mobilizes lawyers and overpoliced community members to fill gaps in public defense and create, protect, and engage replicable alternatives to the criminal system, starting with its entry points.
In 1995, First Defense Legal Aid (FDLA) began its mission…
with a hotline that served to connect anyone arrested or detained by Chicago police with an on-call attorney who could provide police station representation free of charge. Through FDLA’s advocacy, this service was adopted by the Cook County Public Defender in March 2019, sustaining and universalizing access to a basic civil and human right. Yet with the victory of this 24/7, on-call Police Station Representation Unit, FDLA’s work for justice is not yet over.
FDLA continues to provide a diverse array of legal, educational, and community services to residents throughout Chicago and Illinois. Our original hotline has grown into a 24/7/365 “Help Not Jail” program, connecting callers with resources to avoid arrest and interactions with the police. Additional programming includes Know Your Rights peer trainings and educational materials, an in-house Civil Rights Legal Aid Program, and ongoing policy advocacy to secure the civil and human rights of those detained by police.
For more details and a full list of all our current programming, please visit our projects page.
Beyond our namesake, FDLA stands for the core of our organization’s values:
Fairness
We work to create a society where everyone is treated fairly and equitably. We strive to show honesty, humanity, patience, and respect for all people in the process.
Dignity
We celebrate diversity with an understanding of Ubuntu, my humanity is tied to yours. We believe in a world where everyone is respected, safe, and able to flourish in every way.
Liberation
We work together to fight for human rights and racial justice by committing ourselves to building anti-oppressive spaces and systems.
Accountability
We believe our integrity lies in how we hold ourselves and each other accountable to our mission and the communities we exist to serve and protect.