Chesapeake Legal Alliance is a nonprofit legal organization dedicated exclusively to protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed through strategic legal advocacy. Specializing in environmental law, it stands out for its pro bono model, mobilizing a network of volunteer attorneys to address critical ecological challenges and hold polluters accountable across the region.
The organization applies the power of the law to promote healthy, resilient ecosystems and clean water for communities throughout the Bay’s 64,000-square-mile watershed. With a focus on litigation, policy advocacy, and community support, it serves environmental nonprofits, community groups, and advocates, managing nearly 100 legal projects annually to safeguard thousands of rivers, streams, and green spaces.
Services Offered
- Pro bono legal representation
- Environmental litigation
- Clean Water Act compliance and enforcement
- Fisheries protection and advocacy
- Land use and habitat protection
- Agricultural pollution legal strategies
- Municipal and industrial wastewater compliance cases
- Nonprofit legal assistance
- Bay cleanup advocacy
- Government transparency initiatives
- Legal research and advisory services
- Community outreach and education
- Mediation and settlement negotiations
- Policy analysis and advocacy
Chesapeake Legal Alliance operates throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, encompassing urban, suburban, and rural communities in Maryland, Virginia, and other watershed states. It has achieved significant legal victories, including historic settlements for pollution reduction and ongoing cases with major implications for the Bay’s ecosystem health.
