ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the various types of centers that make up the universe of traditional public interest law and participated in the Alliance for Justice's 1983—1984 survey. It discusses the unique features of each major program type. Working to ensure minority groups' participation in the formulation of public policy, civil rights/civil liberties and minority defense organizations are the most firmly established, largest, and best endowed of all public interest organizations. The civil rights centers developed the three basic organizational models after which most public interest groups are patterned. Many, like the Housing Advocates in Cleveland, Ohio, resemble private law firms, except that they depend on funding from outside sources. The newest groups are the Women's Advocacy Project in Austin, Texas and the Women and the Law Project, a clinical program of American University's Washington College of Law. Both were established in 1984. The Mental Health Law Project was the only disability law firm identified in the 1975 survey.
