National Legal Aid Service

In 2007, the Government of Kenya, through the defunct Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, now the Department of Justice in the Office of the Attorney General established the National Legal Aid and Awareness Programme (NALEAP).

The main aim of setting up NALEAP was to create awareness with the Kenyan public about legal aid; and provide legal advice and representation mainly to the poor, marginalised and vulnerable in the Kenyan society.

Legal aid is a human rights issue, and the goal of NALEAP was to create a practical, affordable and effective legal awareness and legal aid service delivery scheme that would increases access to justice for all.

The NALEAP programme facilitated the development of the draft Legal Aid Bill, which was later enacted into law as the Legal Aid Act, 2016 thereby laying the foundation for the establishment of a structured and sustainable National Legal Aid Service in Kenya with the mandate of mainstreaming the provision of legal aid services in Kenya.

SERVICES

The National Legal Aid Service (NLAS) provides legal aid services in the following matters;

  1. Civil Matters
  2. Criminal Matters
  3. Children Matters
  4. Constitutional Matters
  5. Matters of Public Interest

MANDATE

  • Provide legal aid services to the needy, marginalized and vulnerable persons;
  • Promote the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods to enhance access to justice;
  • Promote legal literacy and legal awareness to the public;
  • Support Justice Advisory Centers, education, and research;
  • Sensitize the public through the provision of legal information and law-related education;
  • Recommend law reform in Legal Aid
  • Undertake advocacy work on behalf of the community;

Applying for Legal Aid

  1. To make an application to receive Legal Aid Services fill in the Form NLAS1
  2. For one to be eligible for grant of legal aid, he /she shall make an application to the Service by filling a form as prescribed under the Legal Aid (general) regulations 2020. This form can be found on the first schedule. This also applies to legal aid providers who wish to be accredited to offer the services.
  3. Depending on the circumstances of the case, the Service may grant partial legal aid to an aided person on condition that he/she makes a financial contribution to the fund. NLAS will also charge fees for accreditation of various legal aid providers as per the fee schedule in the Legal Aid (general) regulations 2020.
  4. NLAS has legal aid clinics at its offices located at KCS House, 10th floor, that run from Monday to Friday from 8:00am-5:00pm and frequent legal aid clinics in the community.
    1. NLAS offices are located five regions i.e. Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru and Eldoret.
    2. Additional offices will be established in seven (7) other counties namely; Lamu, Mandera, Wajir, Garissa, isiolo, Marsabit and Tana River.

Call Us Our Toll Free Number - 0800720640