What is CLEAR Legal Services?
CLEAR Legal Services (Community Legal Empowerment and Affordable Representation) is an affordable legal services initiative launched by the Kwah Dao Foundation to support long-term sustainability and expand access to justice in Northern Thailand.
CLEAR provides limited legal assistance to individuals, expatriates, and small businesses in Chiang Mai and nearby provinces, including Mae Hong Son, Chiang Rai, Lamphun, and Lampang.
The service is led by Attorney Ek, a licensed quadrilingual lawyer (Thai, Shan, English, Chinese) and former Kwah Dao scholarship recipient, who now gives back by helping others navigate the legal system.
Services include:
- Legal advice and opinions
- Contract drafting and document review
- Notarial services
- Company registration
- Will preparation
- Thai citizenship applications
- Civil litigation support
A Social Enterprise Model for Justice
CLEAR operates as a mission-aligned social enterprise initiative. Affordable legal services provided to expatriates and businesses generate income that is reinvested directly into Kwah Dao’s charitable work.
Any surplus from paying clients helps fund legal assistance, scholarships, student loans, and advocacy for stateless and marginalized communities who cannot afford representation.
Building Future Lawyers
Through its scholarship programs, Kwah Dao also hopes to encourage more young people from stateless communities to become lawyers, strengthening long-term community-based legal support and access to justice.
How income is used?
Once sustainable, income from CLEAR will be allocated to:
- 65% Scholarships and Student Loans Program
- 15% Public-benefit legal support and management
- 20% A permanent Kwah Dao office and long-term stability
Kwah Dao remains a nonprofit organization, and CLEAR is designed as a zero-yield social enterprise, supporting impact—not private profit.
