Who is Copenhagen Legal Aid?

Copenhagen Legal Aid is the largest and oldest legal aid organisation in the country and has existed since 5th December 1885.

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Who is Copenhagen Legal Aid?

We are a self-governing institution, independent of political and other interests. We have around 200 legal staff provide voluntarily and unpaid help and advise the Legal Aid's clients.

Legal Aid advisers are trained lawyers, law students and lawyers who work in a wide range of authorities, law firms and private companies. That is why the Legal Aid staff together have a wide range of expertise in many different areas of law.

Unlike many other legal aid institutions, which offer only verbal advice, the Legal Aid handles clients' cases and can, if necessary, refer these to the courts by assisting in applying for a free court process with the appointment of a lawyer.

Our core values

Our core values and our identity embodies the following words: Trust, Access, Support, Humanity, Clarity, Fairness, Reliability, Warm professionalism, Stability and Inclusion.
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Our visual identity is based on the encounter between people and their shared intention to create support and security. The fundamental inspiration for our logo is two hands meeting in an equally dignified and trusting moment.

At the same time, the shape can be interpreted as two hands carrying a shared value: one shielding hand from above and one carrying hand from below symbolising both protection and support, but also the balance between helping and being helped. The logo thus expresses Copenhagen Legal Aid's role as a stable, humane and accessible point of support when facing legal challenges.

History of the Legal Aid

Copenhagen Legal Aid is an organisation with a long tradition of supporting citizens unable to afford legal support. Here you can read about how it started and how the organisation has been shaped over the years.

1885

Student Society Legal Aid for the Citizens with limited Means

At a general meeting of the “Studentersamfundet” on 24 October 1885, it was decided to create the “Studentersamfundets Retshjælp for Ubemidlede”. The institution's task was to provide free legal aid to the unemployed from a small circle of Copenhagen-based lawyers associated with the Student Society. The Legal Aid opened its doors for the first time on 5th December 1885 in premises in Åbenrå 33.

1895 - 1937

  • In 1895, the Legal Aid moved to premises in Frederiksborggade 1.

  • In 1910, the Legal Aid moves to St. Pedersstræde 19.

  • In 1923, the Legal Aid moves to Vester Farimagsgade 24.

  • In 1937, the Legal Aid moved to HC Andersen's Boulevard 4.

1917

In 1917 the Legal Aid becomes an independent organisation without connections to its original founder, "Studentersamfundet".

1947

Radio program from the Danish National Radio

On 16th April 1947, the Danish National Radio (Danmarks Radio) interviews employees in the Copenhagen Legal Aid, where an evening in the Legal Aid is portrayed by conversations with employees and clients.

1948

In 1948, Copenhagen Legal Aid moved to Gammel Kongevej 10, where the Planetarium is now located.

1906

New legal rules

It was not until 1906 that legislation on legal aid for low income citizens was implemented outside Copenhagen, in which appointed lawyers in the province were required to provide free legal aid. The scheme was not implemented in Copenhagen because “Studenterfundets Retshjælp for Ubemidlede” handled the task there. Such was the legal position essentially right up until January 1, 1970.



The standard legal aid scheme meant that people with incomes that did not exceed a certain limit could get the assistance of solicitors in certain types of cases - for a modest fee. It was not until 1979 that the scheme also came to include lawyers in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg.

1978

The Legal Aid - Copenhagen Legal Aid

In 1978, the name of the institution was changed to the current name, Copenhagen Legal Aid.

1985

Legal aid 1885-1985

In the book, "Copenhagen Legal Aid 1885-1985" edited by Bo Antonsen, published in October 1985 on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Copenhagen Legal Aid, you can read more about Copenhagen Legal Aid and its work in the first 100 years. The book is available at the Danish Royal Library.

1987

In May 1987, Copenhagen Legal Aid moves to Rudolph Berghs Hospital in Tietgensgade 31c opposite the Tivoli Concert Hall.

1989

Legal aid for over 100 years

In 1989, director Lise Roos released the film “Retshjælpen i over 100 år”, which follows a number of clients' encounters with Copenhagen Legal Aid. The film is available at Filmcentralen:
https://www.danmarkpaafilm.dk/film/retshjaelpen-i-over-100-aar

1999

Copenhagen Legal Aid is moved - quite late - to the use of IT, replacing handwritten files and letters written on typewriters by two “scribes”.

2005

In 2005, Copenhagen Legal Aid moved to Stormgade 20, 1st and 2nd floors, where it is now housed. The offices of Copenhagen Legal Aid are next door to Copenhagen City Hall and Tivoli Gardens and are made available for a symbolic rent by the City of Copenhagen.

2006

Documentary film “Legal aid

In 2005-2006, Tju Bang Film and director Per K. Kierkegaard created the film “Retshjælpen”, which depicts the everyday life of clients' meeting with the Copenhagen Legal Aid in both small and large cases. The film is available at Filmcentralen:
https://fjernleje.filmstriben.dk/film/2674254400/retshjaelpen

2010

On the occasion of the 125th anniversary in 2010, the publication “Retshjælpen i over 100 år” was published in the book “Retshjælpen 1885-2010".

2015

In 2014, Danmarks Radio made a documentary about Copenhagen Legal Aid in 12 episodes, in which the clients' cases are followed. The documentary was shown in March 2014 and in 2015. The documentary can be viewed on the Danish Royal Library's website https://www.kb.dk/find-materiale/dr-arkivet/post/ds.tv:oai:io:2caeb9b3-381a-495a-bdb6-5eef1f85ce34

Board of Directors

Copenhagen Legal Aid is managed by the Board of Directors, which is elected by Copenhagen Legal Aid's employees. The day-to-day running of Copenhagen Legal Aid is carried out by the Managing Director, as well as a group of managers for each day of the week.

Jesper Gradert
Legal Aid Office Manager
Jørgen Steen Sørensen
Judge of the Supreme Court (President)
Maria Brammer
Advokatfuldmægtig
Victor Brochorst Figueroa
Cand. jur.
Anton Sass
Cand. jur.
Emil Borup Pedersen
Lawyer
Morten Nielsen
Cand. jur.
Janek Blankensteiner
Managing Director, cand. jur.
Tobias Steinø
Lawyer
Nikolaj Linneballe
Lawyer
Nikolaj Aarø-Hansen
Municipal Court President

Download Copenhagen Legal Aid Annual Reports

Copenhagen Legal Aid publishes an annual report with information on the previous year's work in Copenhagen Legal Aid.

Download them here

Københavns Retshjælps Årsberetning 2024

Donations to the Legal Aid

From time to time, Copenhagen Legal Aid receives unsolicited - or upon application - funding for specific acquisitions necessary to maintain Copenhagen Legal Aid, our premises, IT and other systems, as well as for conducting training courses for Copenahgen Legal Aid staff.
Microsoft Denmark through Microsoft's charity program with software at reduced prices.
The law firm Horten has provided support in the form of premises and catering in connection with the organisation of courses. The same goes for the law firm Poul Schmith, which also donates current legal literature.
Merchant Niels Erik Munk Pedersen Foundation has supported Legal Aid in the form of a larger grant to update the Legal Aid's IT systems, etc.
The law firm Kromann Reumert supports the Legal Aid with ongoing specialised IT assistance for the operation of Legal Aid's IT systems.

Copenhagen Legal Aid's Financials

Copenhagen Legal Aid's advisers are unpaid. Therefore, Legal Aid's main expenses are salaries for the Legal Aid's management and administrative staff, as well as IT systems and licences, reference books, courses and general office staff.

The annual cost of running the Legal Aid is approximately

‍3.5 million DKK

Most of the expenses are covered by operating grants from the the Department of Civil Affairs under the Ministry of Justice, which manages the legal aid pool under the Finance Act.

In addition, the Legal Aid is supported by the Varelotteriet and Landsbrugslotteriet to a significant extent, and the Municipality of Copenhagen makes the Legal Aid's premises in Stormgade available without rent payment, but in return for the costs of the property. Both the lotteries and the municipality have supported Legal Aid for a significant part of the 140-year history of the Legal Aid.

A year in key figures

>
4,000

New cases opened for clients in the Legal Aid

>
7,300

Clients physically contacting the Legal Aid (excluding telephone enquiries)

17,000

Received letters and emails

22,500

Hours of free advice provided

En hånd, der trykker på en ringeknap på en slidt messingdørtelefon.

The Legal Aid on an average day

On an average evening in the Legal Aid, approximately 30 clients are personally attended, 13 telephone inquiries and 69 letters and emails received, i.e. a total of 82 inquiries are processed. 34 lawyers and law students provide more than 100 hours of free legal advice per evening.

Over the course of the year alone, it 7,300 people seeks advice in person at Legal Aid, while 3,255 contacts the Legal Aid by telephone during our business hours for legal advice.

In 2024, the Legal Aid handled a total of 17,000 letters and emails from clients and counterparties.