EDGAR CAHN

Edgar Cahn (1935–2022) was an American legal scholar, activist, and social entrepreneur best known for co-founding the Antioch School of Law and pioneering the concept of Time Banking, a system that promotes mutual aid by valuing people’s time as currency.

A Yale Law School graduate, Cahn was a passionate advocate for social justice, dedicating his career to empowering marginalized communities. Alongside his wife, Jean Camper Cahn, he played a crucial role in developing the federal Legal Services Program, which provided legal aid to low-income individuals. Their groundbreaking work led to the establishment of the Clinical Legal Education model, ensuring law students gained hands-on experience in community advocacy.

In the 1980s, Cahn introduced Time Banking, a system where people earn credits by providing services to others, which they can later redeem for assistance in return. This initiative revolutionized community-based support networks and promoted economic justice.

Throughout his career, Cahn wrote extensively on law, democracy, and social innovation. His legacy continues to shape legal education, social policy, and grassroots activism, particularly in the areas of economic justice and community empowerment.