Should the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau be unable to assist you with your legal issue, the following organizations offer assistance for Phone Information and Advice, Private Lawyer Referral, Free Civil Legal Services, Non-Legal Advocacy, Criminal and Prisoner Issues, and Other Information.

Phone Information and Advice

Legal Advocacy and Resource Center

(617) 371-1234
(617) 603-1700
(617) 603-1815

Phone info/advice, pro se help, referrals for civil law issues (housing, family, employment, consumer, public benefits, health, estate planning, bankruptcy).

MA Bar Dial-a-Lawyer

(617) 338-0610

5:30 – 7:30 p.m. on the First Wednesday of the month, lawyers answer basic legal questions and provide brief advice.

Trial Court Law Libraries

(617) 878-0339
(800) 445-8989

Librarians will assist with legal research.

Private Lawyer Referral

National Lawyer’s Guild

(617) 227-7008

9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Referrals to private attorneys in most areas (including criminal, civil rights, disability, domestic, and employment). 30-min. phone consultations for $15. Sliding scale fee agreements may be available.

Boston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service

(617) 742-0625

Referrals to private attorneys for all types of cases. Income eligible callers get reduced fee referrals ($0-$25 for 1st 30-min. consultation).

Middlesex County Bar Association

(617) 494-4150

Free self-help advice and referrals to private lawyers on any type of case.

Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral Panel

(617) 654-0400
(866) 627-7577

9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Referrals to private attorneys for all types of cases, including contingency fee cases. Income eligible callers get reduced fee referrals (no more than $75/hr). No phone advice.

Free Civil Legal Services

Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS)

(617) 371-1234
(617) 603-1700

Representation/advice for family (custodial parents only, pro se divorce clinic), housing (evictions, pro se clinics, some subsidy and shelter issues), public benefits, wage and hour (immigrants only), immigration (political asylum, battered women, unaccompanied minors, language access issues), and tax help.

Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services (CASLS)

(617) 603-1776
(617) 603-2700 (Elder Unit)

Disability rights, special ed, benefits, housing (tenants only), and elder issues (benefits, housing, nursing, and protective services issues, guardianship defense, access to health care). Covers Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, and Belmont. Can also take some cases with higher income limits.

Community Legal Services and Counseling Center

(617) 661-1010

Housing (evictions and grievance hearings, pre-Notice to Quit), SSI/SSDI, family (custodial parents or domestic violence victims), immigration (political asylum, battered women, unaccompanied minors), and mediation on a sliding-scale fee basis.

Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP)

(617) 371-1234
(617) 603-1700
(617) 603-1815

Bankruptcy, consumer, family law (no domestic violence emergencies), guardianship of adults, housing (landlords and tenants – tenant intake through LARC), employment, and tort defense.

Disability Law Center

(800) 872-9992
(617) 732-8455

Information, advice, referral, and representation for disability-related civil legal issues (persons with disabilities only, no income limit).

Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP)

(617) 495-4394

Denial or termination of public or subsidized housing, Section 8 termination, and housing grievance hearings.

Wilmer Hale Legal Services Center (LSC)

(617) 522-3003

Bankruptcy, government benefits, employment, evictions (tenants only), family (custodial parents only), small business, and predatory lending.

Small Claims Advisory Services

(617) 497-5690

Public service organization run by Harvard undergraduates that provides free legal infromation regarding Massachusetts small claims law and procedure (amounts less than $2000).

Non-Legal Advocacy

Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC)

(617) 868-2900

Non-legal advocacy for food stamps, MassHealth, and housing (pre-Notice to Quit, informal conferences, negotiation). Income not mandated by funding. Serves Cambridge and surrounding areas.

Criminal and Prisoner Issues

Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS)

(617) 482-6212

Public defenders.

Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services

(800) 882-1413
(617) 482-2773

Civil Legal Services for Inmates

Harvard Defenders

(617) 495-3127

Show-cause hearings for clients facing upcoming criminal proceedings.

Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project (PLAP)

(617) 878-0339
(800) 445-8989

Legal services for inmates.

Other Useful Resources

Self-help

Mass Legal Help

Basic information about Massachusetts legal rights and pro se forms organized by topic for most major practice areas including benefits, consumer, disability, domestic violence, special education, elder, housing, and immigration.

Massachusetts Lawyers Diary (Red Book)

Telephone numbers for Massachusetts courts.

Out of Area

Mass Legal Services

General legal services providers for all of Massachusetts with city name search and interactive map.

Directory of Legal Aid and Defenders Offices (Blue Book)

Out of state service providers.

Non-legal Services

Boston Resource Net

Database of human services providers searchable by location and practice area.

Human Service Referral Directory of Massachusetts (Yellow Book)

Directory of human service offices in Massachusetts.