The Importance of Legal Aid

Legal aid clinics are programs throughout the country that provide legal assistance to those who need legal representation but are unable to afford it. In most cases, these programs provide pro bono legal services meaning they are free or no cost to the client seeking legal help.

Legal aid clinics work on a variety of law cases. The types of law practiced at legal aid clinics can vary and span from immigration law, environmental law, intellectual property, housing, criminal defense, criminal prosecution, family law and more. Some legal aid clinics are student led where it is comprised of law students trying to gain experience but are supervised by actual lawyers with bar credentials. 

Why People Choose Legal Aid?

Most legal aid cases are free of charges or come at a discounted price. Civil matters and family court cases like domestic violence, etc. are efficiently handled by legal aid services. Legal aid services also provide expert criminal legal aid services. Other services that legal aid clinics offer include cases in the following areas:

  • Matrimonial or relationship property disputes

  • Child care

  • Adoption

  • Mental health

  • Breach of contract

  • Defamation lawsuit

Sometimes, you may wonder how these services are free of cost. In most cases, the government hires the attorneys to represent the people who cannot afford costly legal advisors. However, one must remember that availing legal aid services may require them to wait for a long time as the attorneys working with legal aid represent a large number of people and have a heavy workload.


Locating A Legal Aid Clinic

Most state courts have legal aid clinics available to give legal help available to those who don't have a laywer and are unable to pay for one. Due to the many types of law cases involved, make sure you choose a legal aid clinic that has the resources or lawyers with experience in the type of law you will need legal representation for. Legal aid clinics work as non-profit organizations that provide legal help to clients below a certain income level.

Legal aid agencies specialize mostly in cases dealing with domestic violence, family law, evictions, public benefits, immigration, employment issues, and and many other types of cases. Unsure where to find a legal aid clinic? Check out these helpful resources below to search for a legal aid near you.

Government Agencies Providing Legal Help

Still unsure if these legal aid agencies can help, you might also be able to find government funded legal help as well. Some government agencies actually provide legal help depending on the type of law case. One quick way to check is to look up the type of law your case is involved with and your zip code to see if there are government agencies near you that could assist you with your case. In cases where you're the one charged with the crime, you might be given a court appointed public defender if you're unable to cover the legal costs. You can also search public defenders by your state by doing a quick search here.