Our Work

 LEGAL MOMENTUM—The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund

Legal Momentum is the nation’s oldest legal advocacy organization dedicated to advancing the rights of women and girls. For more than 40 years, Legal Momentum has made historic and enduring contributions to the rights and opportunities available to women through its advocacy, litigation, and educational initiatives.

Legal Momentum focuses on five priority areas to ensure that its work will advance the economic and personal security of the most vulnerable women, especially poor, immigrant and low-wage working women.  Our programs focus on the following:

WOMEN AND POVERTY: The poverty rate for adult women has been substantially higher than for adult men in every year since official poverty measurement began. Legal Momentum is proposing policy solutions that will alleviate women and children’s poverty. More…>

WOMEN AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES:  Women continue to hold jobs with lower salaries and fewer benefits and to face barriers to employment in jobs that have traditionally excluded women. Learn how Legal Momentum is working in schools and molding policies to enhance girls’ participation in training for higher paying jobs. More …>

WOMEN AT WORK: Nearly 50 years after sex discrimination in employment was prohibited, women continue to be paid less, face sexual harassment, and confront barriers to hiring and promotion. These challenges are severe for women in “non-traditional” jobs.  Legal Momentum works to protect the workplace rights of women, especially vulnerable populations. More…>

WOMEN AND VIOLENCE: Women face violence at home, on the street, and in the workplace.  Notwithstanding one of Legal Momentum’s signature achievements – passage of the Violence Against Women Act—supportive services, rights and protective measures for victims remain inadequate. More…>

GENDER EQUITY AND GENDER BIAS: Women suffer the negative effects of bias in many arenas, from the courts to the schools. Legal Momentum continues to champion the rights of women and girls in order to eradicate harmful stereotypes, policies, and practices and enhance equity through improved protections, opportunities and services. More…>