Legal Resources
February 22, 2008The Law Department of the National Trust provides a full variety of legal services in support of historic preservation, from in-house legal advice to public legal advocacy in preservation cases and controversies across the country.
Legal Defense Fund
The Law Department is also the home of the Legal Defense Fund (LDF), which provides litigation and legal advocacy to ensure the effectiveness of laws at the federal, state, and local levels. LDF responds on many fronts to help communities around the country protect their heritage, their homes and businesses, their neighborhoods, and their history. The LDF team works with local preservation advocates all over the country, not only in the courtroom, but in city council chambers and executive offices at the federal, state, and local levels, to protect the irreplaceable qualities that make our communities unique.
The work of the Legal Defense Fund is supported by the Trust’s membership dues, general donations, and foundation grants—and our staff efforts are leveraged with generous pro bono assistance from dedicated lawyers in the private bar. This work would simply not be possible, however, without contributions from individual supporters. To make a contribution, please download and return our donation form.
Preservation Law Resources
The National Trust for Historic Preservation provides a variety of information and resources on historic preservation law. Among the most popular general summary is the Layperson's Guide to Historic Preservation Law, a summary of the various laws and regulations that protect historic resources, as well as legal incentives, such as tax credits.
Preservation Easements
Owners of historic properties devote considerable time, effort, and expense to restoring and maintaining the architectural details and historic character of their properties. Preservation-minded owners often worry that their properties will not be properly protected and maintained in the future by subsequent owners. Likewise, preservation organizations have a strong interest in ensuring the long term protection of the many thousands of historic properties that remain in active private use, whether a nationally-significant landmark, a rural village, a cultural landscape, or farmland.
Workshops & Other Programs
The National Trust's Law Department also sponsors and organizes legal workshops and other educational programs for lawyers and non-lawyers alike. Recent programs have included a legal workshop on protecting Native American historic properties on public lands (co-sponsored with the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers) and historic preservation law courses (co-sponsored with the American Law Institute-American Bar Association).
Additional Resources
