For 25 years, South Carolinians have benefited from the work of South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center. We work on behalf of groups of people who lack a voice in government and serve a wide range of needs – economic, social, legislative and educational.

Who benefits? Thousands of individuals are helped by our work to change or improve laws. The efforts of SC Appleseed also help attorneys, associations, elected officials, private businesses and public affairs organizations throughout the state by wrestling with complex issues that affect their day-to-day operations.

The attorneys at SC Appleseed work as advocates for all South Carolinians. Similar to the classic legal aid system -- which provides low- or no-cost legal assistance to individuals -- we tackle systemic issues in behalf of groups of people.

Founded in 1979 as South Carolina Legal Services Association, we served as the state’s center for legal services programs. In 1995, our state funding was eliminated and Congress imposed harsh restrictions on the work legal aid programs could provide. We then became an independent organization, governed by a volunteer board.

In 1998, we affiliated with the Washington-based Appleseed Foundation in order to gain access to a national resource network. Affiliation, however, cannot secure our strong financial future.

SC Appleseed provides a variety of services:

Legal Trainings for Attorneys;
Case support and assistance for Pro Bono, Legal Services and Low Income Services providers;
Community Education:
Legal Manuals and Brochures;
Advocacy on behalf of the low income community on civil legal issues in the areas of health, consumer, education, housing, public benefits, family and community economic development.