Good legal advice is always difficult to come by, but there quite a few very useful sources from which you can get valuable and, believe it or not, free legal advice. If you don’t have the money to get a lawyer, consider the following 5 ways to get free legal advice and get the answers you need:
#1 Legal aid societies
These non-profit organizations are easy to find, they’re practically in every corner of every city, and they offer free legal services to people who can’t afford them. However, they tend to people with very low incomes, so make sure you qualify for it.
#2 Legal aid hotline
These hotlines provide advice for people in specific situations, such as victims of child abuse. The advice tends to be free, although it’s possible that you need to pay a very low fee to get advice. Whichever the reason for your call is, remember to always call hotlines of your own state, the law varies too much from one state to another.
#3 Law schools
These institutions often provide advice through their clinics, and you can even retain their services for free if you have a very low income. However, as with the legal hotline, try to pick law schools within your state.
#4 Free legal consultations from local attorneys
Many law firms offer 10 to 60 minute free legal consultations. Check the phone book and if in doubt, check the local bar association’s website.
#5 Federally funded legal aid programs
Many legal aid programs have lawyers and paralegals that offer free legal services to eligible individuals. In the U.S. you can find a wide range of free legal aid programs based on federal grants. They are specially helpful when it comes to divorce, employment, tenant and landlord matters. You can find them in your phone directory.