Pro bono legal help — volunteer attorneys, law school clinics, and free legal tax representation.
Federal legal aid programs set income cutoffs. People who earn above those limits — but whose income does not come close to covering attorney fees that can run hundreds of dollars an hour — have to look somewhere else. That gap is what pro bono programs, law school clinics, IRS tax clinics, and online legal advice services exist to fill.
Each of these works differently. This guide covers the range of pro bono legal service programs. Some match you with a private attorney who takes your case for free. Some connect you with law students supervised by a licensed professor. Some handle only tax disputes with the IRS. Some provide a written answer to a single legal question. Knowing which one fits your situation determines where to start. For the full overview of federally funded civil legal aid programs — including LSC-funded offices that serve people below the income threshold — see the guide to free legal services for civil cases.
State bar volunteer lawyer programs
Every state bar association organizes some form of volunteer legal program. The structure varies — some states run a centralized Volunteer Lawyers Program, others coordinate through local bar associations or a network of legal aid partner organizations. In most cases, a private attorney agrees to take an income-eligible client's civil case at no charge, with the bar handling intake and case matching.
These programs often serve people above the LSC income threshold — households that earn enough to be turned away from federally funded legal aid but not enough to hire private counsel. Some programs cap eligibility at a percentage of the federal poverty level; others set their own income guidelines based on local cost of living.
Common case types include family law, housing disputes, consumer debt, estate planning for seniors, and domestic violence protective orders. Coverage varies by what attorney volunteers are enrolled and what cases they are willing to accept.
To find your state bar's volunteer program, FindLaw maintains a directory of state bar associations with links to each state's website at https://www.findlaw.com/hirealawyer/choosing-the-right-lawyer/state-bar-associations.html. From the state bar website, look for a "volunteer lawyers," "pro bono," or "public service" section. Local county bar associations often run their own programs alongside the statewide one — worth checking both.
Law school clinics
Law schools at accredited institutions operate supervised legal clinics in which advanced students handle real civil cases. A licensed attorney on faculty directs every matter — the student does the work, but the supervising attorney is responsible for the outcome and is the person professionally accountable for the representation.
Clinic specialties are wide-ranging: housing and eviction defense, family law, immigration, elder law, consumer protection, criminal record expungement, small business formation, and veterans' benefits are among the most common. Some schools run general civil clinics that take a broader mix. Available specialties depend on which clinics are funded and staffed in any given semester, and capacity is tied to the academic calendar.
To find clinics in your area, search for accredited law schools within a reasonable distance — the American Bar Association accredits law schools and its website lists them by state. Contact each school's clinical programs office directly and ask what civil legal clinics are currently open to the public, what income guidelines apply if any, and when the next intake period opens. Clinics often fill quickly at the start of each semester.
IRS Low Income Taxpayer Clinics
This is a category of free legal help that many people do not know exists: federally funded clinics that represent low-income taxpayers in disputes with the IRS. These are not run by the IRS — they are independent nonprofit organizations and law school clinics that receive IRS grants to provide this service.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinics handle cases including the following:
- IRS audit disputes, collection actions, tax liens and levies, innocent spouse relief, identity theft tax issues, and Tax Court proceedings.
- They also assist taxpayers who speak English as a second language.
Representation is free or available at minimal cost to people whose income falls below a specified level. A family that has received a threatening letter from the IRS, had a bank account levied, or received an audit notice and cannot afford a tax attorney should contact an LITC before assuming they have to respond alone. The stakes in IRS disputes can be significant — back taxes, penalties, and collection actions can accumulate quickly — and representation by an LITC clinic attorney can resolve disputes that a taxpayer could not navigate independently.
The Taxpayer Advocate Service maintains the complete list of LITC programs with contact information by state at https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/about-us/low-income-taxpayer-clinics-litc/. The IRS also maintains a directory at https://www.irs.gov/advocate/low-income-taxpayer-clinics.
Ask a volunteer attorney online
Posting a civil legal question online and receiving a written response from a licensed volunteer attorney is an option for people who need basic legal guidance but cannot access in-person help. Income-eligible users describe their situation, submit it to a secure state-based portal, and receive a written answer — usually within a few days — from an attorney licensed in their state.
The program covers civil questions only. It does not provide full representation and the attorney does not appear in court on your behalf. For someone who needs to understand what a notice means, whether they have a valid claim, or what their options are before making a decision, a written answer from a licensed attorney is more reliable than a general internet search. Submit a question at https://www.abafreelegalanswers.org.
What to ask before you apply to any program
When you first contact a pro bono program, bar referral service, or law school clinic, a few questions make a real difference in what help you can access.
- Ask whether the program provides full representation or advice-only consultations for your type of case.
- Ask what the income eligibility requirements are — if you are above the threshold, ask whether the program knows of others that might apply.
- Ask how long the intake process typically takes and whether any upcoming deadline in your case affects how quickly they can help.
- And ask what documents to bring or have ready, since intake appointments typically move faster when you come prepared.
This page provides general information about pro bono legal resources. Program availability, income thresholds, case types accepted, and clinic schedules change frequently. Contact each program directly to confirm current eligibility and capacity.
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