If you are facing or going through financial hardship, each of our state pages provides you with local links to a host of helpful resources. Our maps make it easy for you to find nearby legal aid offices, as well as other valuable services such as local food banks, public housing, and low-cost community health centers.
Legal Assistance by State
Legal aid provides free and low-cost legal advice and services to people who cannot afford to pay for legal representation.
The primary goal of legal aid services is to preserve our national goal of providing equal access to justice, regardless of financial status, and to assist and protect the vulnerable members of our society through caring guidance and affordable legal services.
Types of Legal Troubles Served
- Eviction
- Veterans Issues
- Landlord-Tenant Disputes
- Public Housing Issues
- Uncontested Divorce
- Visitation Rights
- Immigration
- Victims of Identity Theft
- Small Claims Assistance
- Foreclosure
- Criminal Defense
- Victims of Discrimination
- Victims of Crimes
- Elder Law Issues
- Warranty-Consumer Disputes
Common Eligibility Criteria
- You have legitimate legal trouble
- Legal aid can assist you with this trouble
- Your income is low enough to qualify for such assistance
Legal Aid & Pro Bono Services by State
| AL | GA | MA | NM | SD |
Types of Organizations That Fund and Deliver Free and Low-Cost Legal Services:
- Federal, state, and local governments help fund and provide free and low-cost resources to those needing legal representation.
- Charitable organizations that contribute their time and money to assist people needing legal services.
- Law Firm Pro-Bono Programs. The two primary reasons law firms perform pro bono work are that it is a real and tangible way to give back to the community they serve. Performing pro bono services tends to attract top lawyers to their firms.
State Lawyer Referral Services (LRS)
Most states distinguish between state-certified Referral Services and private for-profit referral services. Most state-certified referral services can be identified by their State Bar identification number.
Certified Lawyer Referral Service
Lawyer referral services will help you find a local lawyer that practices your type of legal issue.
Lawyers referred to you are usually required to be in good standing with their State Bar and are required to have professional liability insurance.
Contact your state bar or local bar association to find a local certified lawyer referral service.
National Organizations
Legal Services Corporation (LSC)
The LSC is a national organization that helps low-income people find legal aid resources in their community.
LawHelp.org
This non-profit organization helps people legal aid centers and resources. These services are mostly for people with low to moderate incomes.
Law School Pro Bono Clinics
The American Bar Association (ABA) offers a state directory of law schools with clinical and pro-bono programs. Each of our above Legal Aid state pages links to law school clinics and pro bono programs in your state.
Legal Self-Help Learning Resources
Most legal assistance programs serving those with low income organize educational workshops on legal topics such as consumer legal rights and legal issues affecting the elderly.
Self-Help Publications
These resources include books, pamphlets, and websites that provide information on filing legal documents, attending court hearings, and negotiating with opposing parties.
More Helpful Services…
There are valuable services through private, non-profit, and government assistance programs such as:
- Local shelters
- Home vouchers (section 8 housing)
- Cash assistance
- Access to local food banks
- Applying for food stamps
- Discount online pharmacy
- Mental health counseling
Trouble-Shooter Social Impact Program
In response to these growing needs, we feature local, regional, and national organizations that are making a positive social impact in the fight against life-changing trouble, such as in the areas of financial hardship, addiction, and homelessness, while also demonstrating innovative ideas and practices.
We call these successful organizations Trouble-Shooters, and depending on the area of need they serve, we will include such organizations on our public donation platform.
Trouble-Shooter Program
We regularly showcase like-minded organizations that have made a positive social impact while being innovative in their organizational practices. We call these remarkable organizations Trouble-Shooters.
If you would like to know more about our Trouble-Shooter program, or should you know of such an organization, please let us know by emailing us at: trouble-shooters@gottrouble.org.
