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The Community Legal Service is a national organisation set up by the government to improve access to justice and ensure that people get information and advice about their legal rights and help with enforcing them. Bringing together legal aid solicitors, Citizens' Advice Bureaux, Law Centres, local authority services and other organisations in local networks, the Community Legal Service is an important part of the Government's fight against social exclusion.

Organisations giving legal and advice services within the Community Legal Service display the distinctive CLS logo, showing that they meet the Quality Mark Standards for legal and advice services. Many of the organisations within the Community Legal Service offer some or all of their services for free. Others charge for their services. [visit the community legal service website for types of charges.

Establishing, maintaining and developing the Community Legal Service is the responsibility of the Legal Services Commission, working together with the Department for Constitutional Affairs.

More than 200 CLS Partnerships across England and Wales assess local needs for legal services and work to ensure that funding is targeted where it is most needed. Partnerships include representatives of the Legal Services Commission, local authorities, Government departments and statutory organisations, charities and legal service providers.

Knowsley was an Associate Pioneer of the Community Legal Service (CLS) and has its own local CLS Partnership which meets monthly and reviews all legal advice services in the borough.