If you do not qualify for legal aid and you can not afford the fee for a thirty minute consultation try going to the bar association and ask if they have any of the following programs or projects:Your local bar association, which is an organization for lawyers. You can call your local bar association’s lawyer referral service to find a licensed, private lawyer who has experience with your type of legal problem and will meet with you for a reduced fee. The lawyer will meet with you for 30 minutes about your case for a fee of less than $50. It is very important to carefully review the fee agreement before you hire the lawyer to start working on your case. Sometimes there is no fee for medical malpractice, car accident or worker’s compensation cases because the lawyer will only get paid if you win your case. You can also ask your local bar association if they have any of the following free services for people needing legal help:
a volunteer lawyer project a pro bono project(another word for volunteer lawyer project) a free legal workshop a self-help clinic To contact the bar association in your area, visit the ABA's site.
Your local law school may have free legal clinics where law students provide free legal help and are supervised by law professors.
Your local Area Agency on Aging helps seniors, 60 years old or over, with many types of problems. Your local Area Agency on Aging may also provide free or low-cost legal help. To find your local Area Agency on Aging, visit the AOA's website.
For More Information
Looking for more information on this topic? Visit LawHelp.org and select your state to find other self-help resources and information about free and low-cost legal aid providers in your area.
To read all of the guides in this series, visit lawhelpny.org or LawHelp.org.
Try applying for civil indigent status. If your income is mainly social security, you may qualify. The clerks of court have the forms, and the application is also available on this site. If you qualify for civil indigent status, your filing fees should be waived. As far as free legal help, you could try calling the Florida Bar, and set up a consultation. They have a program where consumers can consult with an attorney for a nominal fee, around $30-$50. for a half hour. Or you could join AARP, it costs $16. for the year, and they may be able to help. AARP has some legal services for members.
