Millions of people do not have access to affordable legal advice. Broad-reaching laws barring the unauthorized practice of law prevent community members from helping others with their common legal challenges.
Fortunately, there are several ways to get free legal advice for your issues. For example, you can find help from your motoring organisation or a charity.
1. 1-800-ATTORNEY
Getting legal advice is something most people will need at some point in their lives, but it can be expensive. Luckily, there are several organizations across New York City that offer free or low-cost legal help to those who need it. These organizations can help you with a variety of different legal issues, such as divorce, family law, and landlord/tenant issues.
If you are looking for an attorney in your area, try 1-800-ATTORNEY. This website has a database of attorneys that offer free phone consultations to those who need them. The website also provides information on legal aid societies in your area. The website can also help you find the best lawyer for your situation.
One of the best places to get free legal advice is through your local legal services program. These programs can help you with a variety of different issues, including housing, consumer debt, and unemployment. You can also get assistance with filing a lawsuit or dealing with a collection agency.
Another good option for finding free legal advice is to visit a community legal center. These centers are run by volunteers and can offer guidance on a variety of legal issues. They can also assist with filing for bankruptcy or defending against criminal charges.
Lastly, you can also find free legal advice online through websites like Avvo and Rocket Lawyer. These sites can give you a free consultation with an attorney, but they are not a substitute for a real-life lawyer. These websites can provide you with valuable information, but they should be used as a starting point for your search.
Finally, you can try asking your legal question on a forum or social media site. Some of these forums may be anonymous, but others are not. For example, you might try asking your question on the Reddit forum. This site is popular with lawyers and can be a great place to get answers to your questions. Just be sure to read the rules before posting, as some of these forums can be very informal.
2. NYLAG
New York Legal Assistance Group is a leading civil legal services organization that combats economic, racial and social injustice by advocating for people who are experiencing poverty or in crisis. NYLAG provides comprehensive free civil legal services, financial empowerment, impact litigation and community partnerships. Its attorneys and law students work together to serve individuals, families and communities — from low-wage workers and people with disabilities to survivors of domestic violence, Holocaust survivor families and immigrants.
Through the MFY program, NYLAG connects low-income women with an attorney who will provide legal representation on a pro bono basis. This is an invaluable service, given the fact that many of these individuals are unable to afford to hire their own attorney to take on the case. The MFY program has helped more than 300 women and their children with matters including divorce, child custody, housing issues, consumer credit counseling, employment issues and restraining orders.
The New York Immigration Protection Unit (IPU) represents immigrants in immigration proceedings, including naturalization applications, family petitions, asylum claims and deferred action cases. In addition, the IPU conducts outreach to immigrant communities throughout the City.
NYLAG’s Dispute Resolution Unit is available for free consultations for clients on matters such as tenant and homeowner rights, access to public benefits, identity theft and consumer credit concerns, retaliation from landlords, and matrimonial/family law. Additionally, the Dispute Resolution Unit handles class action lawsuits against large corporations, such as Capital One and JPMorgan Chase.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, NYLAG has deployed its Mobile Legal Help Center to locations in Council District 20 (Flushing, Mitchell-Linden, Queensboro Hill and Murray Hill). The MLHC will be at the Coffee Factory located at 718 Barton Avenue in Murray Hill on Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attorneys and paralegals will be available for free legal consultations on a variety of matters, including foreclosures, evictions, family law, credit issues, sex offenses and more. If you need a consultation, please call ahead to make an appointment. For a list of locations and other resources, click here. You can also call NYLAG’s hotline at 1-800-NYLAG-LINE (1-800-689-5529). During the pandemic, attorneys and paralegals will be available by phone for consultations in English and Spanish.
3. Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society is an organization that provides free legal help to people who cannot afford a lawyer. Its attorneys handle a wide range of civil cases, including housing, family, employment, immigration, domestic violence, consumer and public benefits. In addition, the society offers training and supervision to volunteer lawyers who assist with its work.
The society is the largest provider of legal services in New York City, and is one of the oldest and most comprehensive in the country. Its attorneys and staff members handle approximately 300,000 legal matters each year. The society’s work is divided into three areas: criminal practice, civil practice and juvenile rights representation in Family Court.
In the criminal division, attorneys are assigned to all of the district and county court parts where defendants are arraigned. In addition, the division has a special Children’s Law Bureau and Appeals Bureau. The Children’s Law Bureau represents children involved in PINS (persons in need of supervision) cases, guardianship and custody issues. The Appeals Bureau handles appeals in criminal and family law cases, as well as in other appeals cases.
During the Great Depression, contributions to the Society dropped off dramatically. As donations and appropriations increased after World War II, the Society was able to reopen some of its offices and expand its civil practice. The Civil Division currently includes 106 staff members in five offices in upstate New York and serves low-income people with a variety of civil legal needs.
In addition to providing civil legal assistance, the Legal Aid Society also has a number of programs designed to help people with medical issues. The Health Law Unit operates a statewide call center to help people navigate issues related to accessing public and private health insurance and other public benefit programs, such as Medicaid, Medicare, child care, food stamps and special education.
The Legal Aid Society is a non-profit organization that is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The society is also exempt from state income tax. As of 2016, the organization has an annual operating budget of $125 million, which is mainly used for direct client services and for fundraising and development activities.
4. Manhattan Legal Services
Manhattan Legal Services provides free civil legal assistance to low-income residents of New York City. It is the largest organization in the United States devoted exclusively to providing legal aid, and offers free legal assistance on issues such as housing, employment, consumer protection, bankruptcy and immigration. It also has several projects that target specific groups, including the Domestic Violence Helpline and the Elderly Project, as well as a general pro bono program for attorneys.
Its offices and hotlines are open Monday through Friday 9:30am to 5pm. The office is located at 225 Broadway, Suite 1150, between Chambers Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Calls to the helpline are answered by advocates and attorneys who can give information about the police, district attorney and criminal and family court, as well as social service agencies that can provide shelter, food, public assistance and housing.
The organization provides legal advice and representation in areas such as divorce, housing, family, employment and civil rights. It has a number of specialty projects, such as the Elderly Project, which assists Manhattan residents over 60 with issues related to the home, and Her Justice, which helps victims of domestic violence. Other programs include the Legal Advocacy Helpline, which connects survivors of domestic violence with a trained advocate who can answer questions about the police, the district attorney, court and social services.
In addition to its offices and programs, Manhattan Legal Services has a network of free legal clinics that serve residents throughout the five boroughs. These centers provide free legal information, advice and brief services (such as drafting petitions and answers) to individuals with civil legal problems, and also refer clients to private lawyers for representation.
Founded in 1968 as part of the War on Poverty, Manhattan Legal Services has grown from a handful of neighborhood legal aid offices to a citywide force that operates more than 150 projects. Its work is funded by the city, state and federal government, as well as local private foundations, churches and corporations. It has a staff of more than 300 paralegals, private attorneys and volunteer lawyers. Its lawyers have won landmark victories in cases that have impacted the lives of thousands of poor New Yorkers, including the 1970 case Goldberg v. Kelly, in which the US Supreme Court established due process standards for termination of government benefits.
