History
JALA has existed in one form or another since 1937, when a group of attorneys in the Jacksonville Bar banded together to try to provide legal services to those who could not otherwise afford them. In 1973, the program's name changed to Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, or JALA. The program achieved 501(c)3 non-profit status in 1976. Jim Kowalski, a decorated consumer law attorney, assumed the role of Executive Director in late-2012 and has served in that capacity since then. Today, JALA primarily provides legal services to the low-income residents of Duval, Clay, Nassau, and St. Johns Counties. Each year, JALA assists over 11,000 low-and-middle income individuals, children, seniors, and veterans with civil legal problems ranging from health benefits to foreclosure to eviction. JALA currently has a staff of 30 attorneys and a total staff of over 60, maintaining three fully staffed offices in downtown Jacksonville, St. Augustine, and Green Cove Springs.
Specialties
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Inc. (JALA) is a non-profit law firm dedicated to providing free civil legal assistance to those who could not otherwise afford it.