How to Get Free Legal Advice
Schedule a free legal consultation with a local attorney., Look into federally funded legal aid programs., Take advantage of the free legal services offered by your local county or state courts., Find a local pro bono program.Pro bono means services...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Schedule a free legal consultation with a local attorney.
Many attorneys offer 10 to 60 minute, free of charge legal consultations.
Check your phone book or online directory for attorneys in your area.
Even if a law firm’s advertisement does not say “free consultation”,you should still call and inquire because most attorneys will give a potential client at least 10 minutes to talk without charge.
Many bar associations have a referral service that will include a free consultation with an attorney.
To find out if your local bar association has a program like this, visit the American Bar Association’s website. -
Step 2: Look into federally funded legal aid programs.
Legal aid programs employ lawyers and paralegals to offer free services to people who are eligible.Here in the U.S. there is a large network of legal aid programs that operate on federal grants.
Legal aid programs are exceptionally helpful with providing legal advice for divorce proceedings, employment issues, landlord and tenant issues, and a number of other legal problems.
In many states, your income must be below the federal poverty line in order to qualify for free legal aid.
For information on the federal poverty line, click here To find a legal aid office, look online or look up "legal aid" in your area’s phone directory. , Many courts provide free legal clinics or Friend of the Court services to those involved in certain types of lawsuits, typically when family law related.
Check your local court’s website or with the Clerk of the Courts to determine if your state or county offers legal aid assistance. , Local, state and federal bar associations, as well as non-profit organizations often conduct their pro bono programs.
Before using any pro bono legal service, a party may have to prove his or her income is below a certain annual dollar amount by submitting pay stubs, bank account statement, and/or income tax returns.
Research pro bono programs in your area by looking online or contacting a legal aid office to get a referral.There are also nonprofits dedicated to providing pro bono legal help to those in need.
Additionally, some private law firms have pro bono departments within their firms.These types of programs are usually geared towards specific issues that impact the community as a whole.
To find a private firm who has a pro bono program in your area, simply search “private law firms + pro bono work” online.
Bar associations often offer free legal assistance through pro bono programs.
Lawyers willing to work for free, or "pro bono," are matched with people who qualify for free legal advice.
Many local bar associations also offer programs that can reduce or eliminate legal fees or resources for how to find these programs.
You can find a directory of pro bono legal services on many reputable websites including:
The American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) webpage Consumer’s Guide to Legal Help.
The United States Department of Justice’s Free Legal Services Providers page.
The State Bar Associations United States Pro Bono Legal Services webpage. , Pro se litigants are those persons who appear in court and handle other legal issues without being officially represented by a licensed attorney.
Many states and local communities offer designed to provide pro se litigants with help and advice for filling out and filing court documents.Some clinics accept questions in person, while others accept questions submitted online.
The questions are typically answered by lawyers or paralegals, and in many cases the process is confidential.
Self-help clinics are good resources when you have a question or two about the process you need to undertake, or which forms to fill out.
However, they are not a substitute for actually retaining a lawyer who can help with your case.
To find a self-help program, call your local courthouse or look online.
If you find a program that accepts questions in person, arrive as early as you can to ensure that you are helped.
Most of the programs that accept questions in person are held at courthouses and handle specific legal issues, so make sure that you attend the right program to get the specific help you require. , Legal hotlines provide advice for people in specific situations, such as victims of domestic abuse.
In some cases the advice is free, and in other cases services are offered at very low costs.
Do a search for legal hotlines in your state, and find one that will give advice appropriate to your situation.
It's important to call a hotline in your state of residence.
The laws differ from state to state, so you might get the wrong advice if you call a hotline in another state. , Many law schools run legal clinics in order to give their law students relevant legal experience.
Clinics can take on all general civil or criminal matters, or may be geared towards one type of legal case, such as a foreclosure relief clinic or a domestic violence clinic.
Legal help in the clinic setting is often offered by law students who are supervised by experienced law professors.
While the law students themselves are not licensed attorneys, they are heavily supervised by experienced lawyers who will make sure that everything on your case is done correctly.
Legal clinics often help people who have low income, but the specialized clinics will usually take good cases regardless of the individual’s income in order to give the students experience.
To find a legal clinic, look on the websites of law schools in your area. , Ask a Lawyer resources allow people to ask lawyers specific questions regarding various legal issues.
These resources connect people with experienced attorneys with specialized subject matter.
Attend an Ask a Lawyer event.
Many county and state bar associations, law firms, and legal aid organizations host regular Ask a Lawyer events where anyone can talk 1-on-1 with an attorney volunteer.
To locate an Ask a Lawyer event in your area, search “YOUR COUNTY ask a lawyer” at your favorite search engine.
For example, if you live in Madison County, Ohio, you would search “Madison County Ohio ask a lawyer”.
Locate an Ask a Lawyer website.
There are 1000’s of “Ask an Expert” sites, and most cannot be trusted to provide accurate and updated information.
Therefore, you want to be sure that you choose a credible site if you intend to rely upon any advice you receive.
Some credible and free Ask a Lawyer sites include:
LawGuru.
LawGuru is run by a group of attorneys and has been answering the public’s legal questions since
1997.
Avvo.com.
Avvo.com was founded in 1996 and since that time has gathered together a wonderful group of lawyers to answer your legal questions, free of charge.
Free Advice.
Free Advice was founded in 1991 and has been providing internet users with legal information and free legal advice for over a decade. -
Step 3: Take advantage of the free legal services offered by your local county or state courts.
-
Step 4: Find a local pro bono program.Pro bono means services delivered free of charge
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Step 5: or sometimes at a greatly reduced cost.
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Step 6: Contact a self-help legal aid clinic.
-
Step 7: Call a legal aid hotline.
-
Step 8: See if a local law school has a clinic program that offers free legal services.
-
Step 9: Access “Ask a Lawyer” Resources.
Detailed Guide
Many attorneys offer 10 to 60 minute, free of charge legal consultations.
Check your phone book or online directory for attorneys in your area.
Even if a law firm’s advertisement does not say “free consultation”,you should still call and inquire because most attorneys will give a potential client at least 10 minutes to talk without charge.
Many bar associations have a referral service that will include a free consultation with an attorney.
To find out if your local bar association has a program like this, visit the American Bar Association’s website.
Legal aid programs employ lawyers and paralegals to offer free services to people who are eligible.Here in the U.S. there is a large network of legal aid programs that operate on federal grants.
Legal aid programs are exceptionally helpful with providing legal advice for divorce proceedings, employment issues, landlord and tenant issues, and a number of other legal problems.
In many states, your income must be below the federal poverty line in order to qualify for free legal aid.
For information on the federal poverty line, click here To find a legal aid office, look online or look up "legal aid" in your area’s phone directory. , Many courts provide free legal clinics or Friend of the Court services to those involved in certain types of lawsuits, typically when family law related.
Check your local court’s website or with the Clerk of the Courts to determine if your state or county offers legal aid assistance. , Local, state and federal bar associations, as well as non-profit organizations often conduct their pro bono programs.
Before using any pro bono legal service, a party may have to prove his or her income is below a certain annual dollar amount by submitting pay stubs, bank account statement, and/or income tax returns.
Research pro bono programs in your area by looking online or contacting a legal aid office to get a referral.There are also nonprofits dedicated to providing pro bono legal help to those in need.
Additionally, some private law firms have pro bono departments within their firms.These types of programs are usually geared towards specific issues that impact the community as a whole.
To find a private firm who has a pro bono program in your area, simply search “private law firms + pro bono work” online.
Bar associations often offer free legal assistance through pro bono programs.
Lawyers willing to work for free, or "pro bono," are matched with people who qualify for free legal advice.
Many local bar associations also offer programs that can reduce or eliminate legal fees or resources for how to find these programs.
You can find a directory of pro bono legal services on many reputable websites including:
The American Bar Association’s (“ABA”) webpage Consumer’s Guide to Legal Help.
The United States Department of Justice’s Free Legal Services Providers page.
The State Bar Associations United States Pro Bono Legal Services webpage. , Pro se litigants are those persons who appear in court and handle other legal issues without being officially represented by a licensed attorney.
Many states and local communities offer designed to provide pro se litigants with help and advice for filling out and filing court documents.Some clinics accept questions in person, while others accept questions submitted online.
The questions are typically answered by lawyers or paralegals, and in many cases the process is confidential.
Self-help clinics are good resources when you have a question or two about the process you need to undertake, or which forms to fill out.
However, they are not a substitute for actually retaining a lawyer who can help with your case.
To find a self-help program, call your local courthouse or look online.
If you find a program that accepts questions in person, arrive as early as you can to ensure that you are helped.
Most of the programs that accept questions in person are held at courthouses and handle specific legal issues, so make sure that you attend the right program to get the specific help you require. , Legal hotlines provide advice for people in specific situations, such as victims of domestic abuse.
In some cases the advice is free, and in other cases services are offered at very low costs.
Do a search for legal hotlines in your state, and find one that will give advice appropriate to your situation.
It's important to call a hotline in your state of residence.
The laws differ from state to state, so you might get the wrong advice if you call a hotline in another state. , Many law schools run legal clinics in order to give their law students relevant legal experience.
Clinics can take on all general civil or criminal matters, or may be geared towards one type of legal case, such as a foreclosure relief clinic or a domestic violence clinic.
Legal help in the clinic setting is often offered by law students who are supervised by experienced law professors.
While the law students themselves are not licensed attorneys, they are heavily supervised by experienced lawyers who will make sure that everything on your case is done correctly.
Legal clinics often help people who have low income, but the specialized clinics will usually take good cases regardless of the individual’s income in order to give the students experience.
To find a legal clinic, look on the websites of law schools in your area. , Ask a Lawyer resources allow people to ask lawyers specific questions regarding various legal issues.
These resources connect people with experienced attorneys with specialized subject matter.
Attend an Ask a Lawyer event.
Many county and state bar associations, law firms, and legal aid organizations host regular Ask a Lawyer events where anyone can talk 1-on-1 with an attorney volunteer.
To locate an Ask a Lawyer event in your area, search “YOUR COUNTY ask a lawyer” at your favorite search engine.
For example, if you live in Madison County, Ohio, you would search “Madison County Ohio ask a lawyer”.
Locate an Ask a Lawyer website.
There are 1000’s of “Ask an Expert” sites, and most cannot be trusted to provide accurate and updated information.
Therefore, you want to be sure that you choose a credible site if you intend to rely upon any advice you receive.
Some credible and free Ask a Lawyer sites include:
LawGuru.
LawGuru is run by a group of attorneys and has been answering the public’s legal questions since
1997.
Avvo.com.
Avvo.com was founded in 1996 and since that time has gathered together a wonderful group of lawyers to answer your legal questions, free of charge.
Free Advice.
Free Advice was founded in 1991 and has been providing internet users with legal information and free legal advice for over a decade.
About the Author
Victoria Mendoza
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