Find how lower-income families as well as seniors or the disabled can get a free legal consultation near them, online or over the phone. There are many pro-bono lawyers and law firms that help people with a limited income, or that are on government assistance, get help with civil matters. Find details below on government funder legal aid programs, non-profits or local volunteer attorneys (with a list by state) that give free advice to clients or answer all types of non-criminal legal cases.

Government funded LSC legal aid services
Free legal aid - Who it helps and requirements
Types of civil cases it is possible to get help from a lawyer with
Find a lawyer near you or online that gives free advice

Government funded - LSC - legal aid programs

Many of the consultations, as well as the non-profits that offer them, are paid for by the federal government Legal Services Corporation, or LSC. The government pays lawyers, or their firms, to help low and moderate income families as well as senior citizens get the help they need. People of all backgrounds including veterans, families with children, immigrants and many others can get legal advice for free near them or over the phone as a result of the federal LSC program.

The types of civil cases covered by the free federally funded legal consultations are extensive. The pro-bono attorneys support a wide variety of needs, including they people who are facing foreclosure, bankruptcy, or eviction. There is also free legal aid for domestic violence cases, predatory lending, and the attorneys offer free legal aid for many other situations.
Both local and national legal services are coordinated. As the national LSC organization works with pro-bono law firms as well as volunteer attorney across the country. For people not near a location, free legal consultations can also be done over the phone, remotely on video chat or online. The goal is to ensure that people who need free legal advice can get it ASAP, no matter where they live.
In total, Legal Services Corporation partners with hundreds of independent, non-profit law firms at the state, city and county level, including some that may be near you and local. Almost all cities and counties are covered. Or a phone call can be arranged with a lawyer for a free consultation. In fact, anywhere from three to six million low-income people receive consultations or some form of free legal aid (or representation) every year

There are other federal government funded as well as non-profit resources that offer free lawyer help as well. They are available in state and counties across the county and focus on low to moderate income households, immigrants, seniors and others. Contact LSC for referrals to lawyers.

Requirements for free legal advice

A wide variety of low-income people can receive free legal representation or consultations from these organizations. They include low and moderate income people or those facing poverty (or that live close to federal povery levels) Typical clients are the working poor on government benefits, renters who are facing an eviction, veterans, single moms, or struggling families with children. The disabled can also get legal consultations for free over the phone. Senior citizens can also get support no matter their income.

Most people who ask for help from an attorney are women or even single mothers. In fact, three out of four clients of the program are low-income females, many of whom are struggling to keep their families safe (sadly often from DV) as well as their children together. A large number of single moms also request immediate help from a pro bono lawyer near them you. However there are no gender or race requirements.
While the criteria can vary (based on state, pro-bono firm, etc) in general Legal Services Corporation (LSC) affiliated lawyers and most civil aid programs limit eligibility to those earning up to 125% of the federal poverty level. For a household of four, that threshold for LSC is generally around $35,000 to $40,000 with over 50 million Americans qualified.

Overall, the individuals and families who seek free legal assistance from a lawyer tend to be the most vulnerable among us. They also come from very diverse backgrounds and they are a reflection of our nation. Clients encompass all races, ethnic groups and ages. In total, it is estimated that over 50 million people, including around 20 million children, are eligible for some form of free legal advice from attorneys supported by the Legal Services Corporation or their local non-profit law firms in their community.

Types of cases covered by legal consultations that are available for free from lawyers

While the Legal Services Corporation, partner non-profit organizations as well as local volunteer attorneys offer a wide range of free legal advice to clients, here are some more common issues that people need help with. Free consultations can found near you for some or all of the following topics. They include the following.

Legal aid for housing needs: Housing cases are a priority for many of the free law firms. In fact, anywhere from 20 to 30 percent of the clients who are seeking help from the program involve foreclosures or evictions. These cases can range from people who need help to modify their loan, tenants requesting legal aid to resolve landlord-tenant disputes, disputes of tenant disturbances and more.

Free attorneys can even provide help to individuals who are trying to maintain federal government housing subsidies such as section 8. Learn more on how lawyers can help modify home loans and provide foreclosure prevention advice.
Eviction defense, housing discrimination, and other tenant assistance programs are a focus. Hundreds of non-profit law firms that are part of the Legal Services Corporation network or a pro-bono firm support low income renters to ensure they have a home to live in and that they are not illegally evicted by a property owner. Whether it is a landlord that refuses to make repairs to an apartment, a property owner that discriminates and will not lease a home to a minority or disabled person, or some other matter, free legal aid can be used. Find more details on attorneys that offer eviction defense.

Family law cases: Attorneys will help victims of domestic violence by obtaining restraining and protective orders. They will also assist family members obtain guardianship for children without parents, offer free legal in-person advice to help parents obtain and keep custody of their children if needed, and a number of other services can be provided for other family law matters. This is the most common need that people have, as almost one third of all cases closed by the local programs are related to family law cases.

Free divorce lawyers help low-income families, women facing DV or abuse as well as the poor. The services are part of the Family Law process, and people with no or little money will get help. Get assistance with separation orders, child custody disputers or support payments, free divorce attorneys for a court appearance and more. Locate other options for a free divorce lawyer.

Consumer Free Legal Issues: About 10 percent of all cases to the program involve protecting the elderly, minorities, the disabled, and other vulnerable groups from being victimized, whether a scam or questionable lender. Lawyers help people impacted by unscrupulous banks, lenders, consumer fraud, or other local businesses. Free legal advice is also available from local lawyers or over the phone at these non-profit law firms to help people file for bankruptcy when appropriate.

Another service offered by some firms is they can often help people manage their debts and deal with creditors as well as aggressive collectors. This form of assistance is covered by LSG guidelines as well. Free lawyer consultations can be done over the phone as well about debt issues. Click here to read more on how lawyers can provide legal support and arbitration for debts settlement.

Elder law and legal aid for senior citizen specific cases: Some non-profit firms offer elder law assistance programs. This means they specialize on supporting people over the age of 60 and that is all they do. The free legal advice and representation is targeted at issues that senior citizens, retirees, their caregivers, surviving spouses and older Americans face. Read more on Elder Law attorneys.

Income Maintenance: Over 10 percent of the clients need help in dealing with their employers or filling applications for public aid from government programs, including SSI or SSDI disability benefits. The legal assistance provided will help people apply for or retain both state and federal government benefits such HUD housing, SNAP and others to which they are entitled. Legal aid for disabled adults is also a focus, and find a social security disability lawyer near you.

Income maintenance also includes help from an attorney in applying for public assistance programs. As the application process, no matter the benefit, is often complicated. Lawyers can also help low income families get government benefits, such as food stamps or Medicaid. Income Maintenance is also a key service for households living in poverty.

Free Civil Court Representation Legal Advice: Attorneys may represent a client in local court at no cost to them. They will go over the process, answer any questions that the client or the judge has, and in general provide the assistance that the individual needs for their civil case - no matter the topic. Lawyers from across the community work as part of the Legal Services Corporation organization to provide this service to the poor.

Utility and Heating Issues disconnection prevention from free lawyers: Hundreds of thousands of families (if not millions) face disconnection of their utilities, electric, gas, and heating service every year. Some shut-offs may be questionable or illegal. Attorneys can help you get your utility service reconnected, or ensure it stays on from the start. Read more on the laws for utility and heating disconnections for your state.

Veterans and active military members can get free legal consultations. Attorneys will provide advice to current members of the armed forces, veterans, and also to their immediate family members. A wide range of issues can be addressed by Legal Services Corporation sponsored attorneys. Some examples include assistance in applying for the VA benefits they are entitled too, housing matters, filing for disability claims, and much more.

Legal aid lawyers help people file for bankruptcy, for free. A number of volunteer and pro-bono attorneys provide consultations to people that need or want to file bankruptcy. Clients can get advice on understanding their options, the process, and what they can do to eliminate debts as well as rebuild their credit. Get questions answered, review the process and more. Continue to learn about low-income bankruptcies lawyers you.

Find a free lawyer or get legal services for free near you

Many pro-bono or free law firms will have waiting lists of those who want to consult them, or they need to turn clients away. However, in some instances there will be free emergency legal consultations in some cases though, and they will not have a waiting list. Or some low income families may be referred to a paralegal for aid. Another option for immediate help is the LawHelp.org legal site.

Select your state below to find free legal consultations. Or you can contact the main federal LSC office at 202-295-1500 to learn more about the free legal aid programs in your state and local area or to get a question answered over the phone for free or referred to a local provider.

Another option is the American Bar Association (ABA). The organization has a directory of lawyers and firms that provide advice for free. The national ABA organization supports “Free Legal Answers”, but the service is offered locallly. This is a virtual service where people submit legal questions and volunteer / pro-bono attorneys provide brief, free advice online with more details here. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_services/flh-home/.