LCE defends, protects, and empowers Washington’s older residents, taking care of critical legal matters like nursing home safety, wills, and power of attorney, but also addressing fundamental human needs: economic security, housing, mental health/social isolation. When renters and homeowners face eviction, foreclosure, housing code violations, or other threats to their housing stability, LCE attorneys are often their last – and only – line of defense against well-resourced landlords and banks. LCE also connects people to the public and veterans’ benefits and tax rebates that they deserve, helping them make ends meet – which is especially important as prices for food and other basic goods have increased. For residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, LCE is their advocate and their voice. Surely, one test of a community's compassion is how it cares for its older adults.

Headquarters: DC-Ward 2

Where They Operate: DC-Citywide; DC-Ward 1; DC-Ward 2; DC-Ward 3; DC-Ward 4; DC-Ward 5; DC-Ward 6; DC-Ward 7; DC-Ward 8

Age Groups Served: Seniors (50+)

Ethnic Groups Served: African American; Asian American; Caucasian; Latino/Hispanic; Other

Population(s) Served: Individuals with Disabilities; Low- to Moderate-Income Community Members; Women/Girls


  • Number of people (clients, patrons, students, etc) your organization serves annually:   6,000
  • Number of volunteers who work with your organization annually:   600
  • Number of hours of volunteer work you record annually:   20,000
  • Additional impact:  
    $10,000,000 in monetary benefits and/or legal victories obtained for our clients annually

Awards & Recognition

Received the Community Cornerstone Award from D.C. Councilmember Anita Bonds for making "an extraordinary impact in improving the quality of life and well-being of District residents" (August 2015)
Received the prestigious Potter Stewart Award from the Council on Court Excellence in recognition of its superlative advocacy efforts (May 2014)
Received the Laura Lisner Award "for outstanding achievements enhancing the quality of life for older adults" (May 2011)
Named the "Best Place to Volunteer in D.C." by the Washington City Paper (March 2011)
For 12 consecutive years LCE's Pro Bono Publico newsletter has received an "APEX Award for Excellence"

Press

Budget (FY2023)

  • The current budget for Legal Counsel for the Elderly is: $3 million or higher
  • $1 million to $3 million
  • $500k to $1 million
  • Less than $500k

Catalogue charities range in size from $100,000 to $3 million. This graphic indicates the budget range of the organization featured here. If you see an organizational budget above the $3 million mark, that is because the featured charity has grown in size since it first appeared in the Catalogue. We proudly present on our website the work of these "growth" charities.

About Spur Local

Every year, 190+ local nonprofits (with budgets under $4M) apply to join the Spur Local network. 170+ community volunteers assess these applications for impact. 100% of organizations are site visited and financially reviewed. Finally, 76+ critical, local nonprofits are selected for inclusion in Spur Local's annual print and digital catalog, and enter a four-year partnership with us. Since 2003, we have raised over $65 million for nonprofits across the Greater Washington region. We charge no fees and raise funds separately to support our work.

Spur Local looks to friends like you to keep our services independent and entirely free of charge. Consider a small contribution to Spur Local to cap off your gift and help the causes you care about get the full support they deserve!

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