Note: The Unemployment Law Project (ULP) provides free legal aid to Washington State residents who have been denied unemployment benefits or whose benefits are disputed. Its main services are the representation of individuals at administrative hearings and advice and information via the hotline. Note: The Northwest Justice Project (“NJP”) is the legal aid program funded by the State of Washington. They maintain a free legal resource website that provides printable self-help kits, legal information, forms, and instructions. If you need to speak to a lawyer, NJP also operates the Coordinated Legal Education Advice and Referral (CLEAR) hotline, which “serves as a nationwide one-stop shop for clients seeking free legal aid, including advice, training, limited legal services, self-help materials and, where appropriate, recommendations for further representation.” In King County, dial 211 Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to access CLEAR services. For more information on how to get legal help through the NJP Northwest Justice Project`s YouTube channel, click here and provide legal information on a range of topics. The Moderate Means program is a referral program that connects middle-income clients who may not be eligible for free legal aid. but who cannot afford to pay full price for legal services. The Moderate Means programme helps to solve problems related to family, housing, consumption and unemployment. Kinship Care Solutions Project Provides free legal representation to parents and other caregivers seeking custody (also known as third-party custody) of one or more children.
For family law matters, consider a paralegal with a limited license. Washington is the first state in the country to offer this new low-cost legal representation option. Seattle University Pro Bono Program Access to the law.seattleu.edu/centers-and-institutes/access-to-justice-instit Justice Institute. 901 12th Avenue, Sullivan Hall 115 Seattle, WA 98122-1090 Telephone: (206) 398-4173 Fax: (206) 398-4261 Email: atji@seattleu.edu The Pro Bono Services Division of the King County Bar Association works with over 1400 volunteer lawyers, paralegals, law students and community members to provide free legal assistance to low-income residents of King County. Click on a link below to learn more. Trying to find legal help when you`re just trying to make ends meet can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are many agencies in Seattle that can help you for free or at little cost, especially if you meet the income eligibility criteria. Whether you need help with a homeowner/tenant issue, restoring your unemployment benefits, filing for bankruptcy, or any other matter, we`ve compiled a list of agencies and organizations that might be able to help.
Keep in mind that most nonprofit legal aid centers can help with civil (but not criminal) cases. If you have been charged with a felony, you must first contact the King County Department of Public Defense. Apply online or call 855-741-6930 to request a referral to a lawyer who offers reduced fees to middle-income clients If you are outside King County, call CLEAR toll-free at 888-201-1014 Monday to Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Free legal aid in Seattle is offered by many different organizations, including pro bono legal aid through law schools, agencies, and nonprofits. Freelegalaid.com offers many resources for free legal help in Seattle. Below are some links to get you started. Be sure to browse to our resources where you can search for all Washington State legal aid. University of Washington School of Law Legal Clinics UW Law School offers free legal representation to underrepresented clients. Many clinics can only accept clients on referral from other organizations due to limited resources. These clinics take cases from the public without referrals: Columbia Legal Services 101 Yesler Way, Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 464-5933 www.columbialegal.org CLEAR (Coordinated Legal Education, Advice and Referral) helps low-income Washington residents with civil law matters. Apply for free legal aid online or call one of the following toll-free numbers: Note: Columbia Legal Services (CLS) notes that it “focuses primarily on critical legal issues affecting a large number of low-income individuals,” but “represents certain clients on individual legal issues.” Areas of law in which CLS operates include employment, housing, consumer abuse, education, disability and older persons` rights.
Most customers are referred to CLS by other organizations – they recommend calling 211 first to access their services. Washington Law Help provides forms, tools, and basic information on a range of legal issues. They may also provide information on how to represent yourself in court on certain legal issues. The Legal Links page contains links to online legal resources, government and judicial resources, and more. The Records Project provides free legal services to overturn eligible King County criminal convictions for individuals who are at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. A conviction overturned is removed from the public background research available to employers and potential owners. Our goal is to remove barriers to employment and housing created by creeds. Note: This organization cannot help you with direct representation, but offers many self-help publications that you can access for free on their website in the areas of family law, violence against women, consumer and debt, labor rights, litigation and lawyers, LGBT rights, criminal rights, civil rights, health and reproductive justice, and wills and estates.
Washington State Resources on Freelegalaid.com www.freelegalaid.com/nav/washington best resources on Freelegalaid.com Many Washington counties have programs that can connect people with civil law issues with a pro bono attorney. Click here for a list of pro bono lawyer programs. www.bflegalaid.org/tenantsevictions-assistance.html Note: The Pro Bono Association of the King County Bar Association (KCBA) offers a variety of options to help you with your civil law issues. They also have neighborhood legal clinics, they provide free half-hour legal advice to King County residents regarding civil law matters. To make an appointment at one of the general clinics, call 206-267-7070 Tuesday to Thursday between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. They also have specialized legal clinics that focus on issues such as civil rights, domestic violence, immigration, and more. To make an appointment for these clinics, refer to the numbers and instructions listed here. In addition to clinics, KBBA`s pro bono legal services program provides direct representation to low-income individuals in a variety of jurisdictions.
Neighborhood Legal Clinics offers FREE 30-minute consultations with a lawyer at 34 locations in King County, including locations specializing in debt, bankruptcy, and family law. Lawyers determine if the client has a legal problem, suggest possible options, and make appropriate recommendations. NLC lawyers will not represent you in court. NLC is a limited legal service and should not be considered a substitute for representation. Note: The Legal Action Center provides free legal aid to low-income residents of King County who face housing issues such as eviction, landlord/tenant issues, and debtor/creditor issues related to previous tenancies.