Community Lawyers, Inc. was incorporated in California in May 2005. Community Lawyers, Inc. was formed to formalize mentoring opportunities for first-generation pre-law and college students to expose them to opportunities in, and the challenges of the legal profession and the needs of low- and moderate-income clients.

The precursor to Community Lawyers was started as an informal mentoring and internship program with private attorneys. In the years of 2002 to 2005, approximately a dozen new and future attorneys sought assistance from CLI for work and practical experience.

The organization seeks to create a pipeline for quality, ethical and affordable attorneys who are responsive to the needs of the communities they serve.