How to Find Legal Help When You Cannot Afford a Lawyer

Engaging an attorney can be costly, whether you require assistance in drafting a will or a contract, or if you are confronted with a legal issue or predicament. Most lawyers today charge anywhere between $200 and $400 an hour. Fortunately, many different programs and organizations provide free or low-cost legal advice, as well as assistance in finding an affordable attorney. Here is where to look for help in your area.

Legal Aid: Directed by the Legal Services Corporation, Legal Aid provides free legal assistance to low-income individuals. Each community program will differ slightly in the services they offer and income qualifications. Visit LSC.gov/find-legal-aid to locate a program near you.

LawHelp: Powered by Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit organization, LawHelp.org is a resource that will help you locate free legal aid near you, find answers to your legal questions or assist in filling out legal documents. These free services are for people with low to moderate incomes.

Free Legal Answers: This is an online program created by the American Bar Association that connects low-income clients with volunteer lawyers who agree to provide free legal advice online. This service does not answer criminal law questions and is not available in every state. See ABAfreelegalanswers.org to look for a program in your state.

Senior Legal Hotlines: There are approximately 30 states that offer legal hotlines for those over age 60 to access free legal advice over the telephone. To find out if this service is available in your state, go to ProSeniors.org and click on “Resources,” followed by “U.S. Senior Legal Hotline Directory.”

Senior Legal Services: Coordinated by the Administration on Aging, this service may offer free or low-cost legal advice, legal assistance or access to legal representation for people over the age of 60. Your Area Agency on Aging can tell you what is available in your community. Call the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 to get your local number.

Local Law Schools: More than 200 law schools across the country have pro bono programs that offer free legal assistance provided by law students, who are supervised by law professors. See AmericanBar.org/groups/center-pro-bono – scroll down and click on “Directory of Law School Public Interest and Pro Bono Programs” to locate a program near you.

Pension Rights Center: This is a nonprofit consumer organization that provides free legal assistance for problems with a pension, 401(k) or other retirement plan. Visit PensionRights.org/find-help to search for help in your state.

Stateside Legal: For military members, veterans, and their families, StatesideLegal.org provides access to free legal information and legal assistance in your area.

National Disability Rights Network: This is a nonprofit membership organization that provides legal assistance to people with disabilities through their Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance Program. If you are disabled, visit NDRN.org to find help in your state.

Other Options: If you cannot get help from one of these programs, or find that you are not eligible, another option is to contact your state or local bar association to ask if there are any volunteer lawyer projects in your area or if they can refer you to an affordable lawyer. To contact your state or local bar association, go to FindLegalHelp.org.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.