Additional Resources
PHONE INFORMATION AND ADVICE
Legal Advocacy and Resource Center
Phone info/advice, pro se help, referrals for civil law issues (housing, family, employment, consumer, public benefits, health, estate planning, bankruptcy).
617-371-1234 (9:00am-12:00pm M-F)
617-603-1700 (1:30pm-3:00pm M-F, except Tuesday)
617-603-1815 (4:00pm-7:00pm Tuesday)
MA Bar Dial-a-Lawyer
Lawyers answer basic legal questions and provide brief advice.
5:30-7:30pm on 1st Wed. of month
PRIVATE LAWYER REFERRAL
National Lawyer’s Guild
Referrals to private attorneys in most areas (including criminal, civil rights, disability, domestic, and employment). 30-min. phone consultations for $15.
617-227-7008 (9:00am-4:00pm)
Boston Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
Referrals to private attorneys for all types of cases. Income eligible callers get reduced fee referrals ($0-$25 for 1st 30-min. consultation).
617-742-0625 (9:00am-5:30pm M-F)
Middlesex County Bar Assoc.
Free self-help advice and referrals to private lawyers on any type of case.
617-494-4150
MA Bar Assoc. Lawyer Referral Panel
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.
617-654-0400 (9am-4:45pm M-F)
866-627-7577
CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES
Greater Boston Legal Services
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), tax help.
Call the Legal Advocacy and Resource Center
Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services
Disability rights, special ed, benefits, housing (tenants only), elder issues (benefits, housing, nursing home, and protective services issues, guardianship defense, access to health care). Covers Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, Belmont. Can also take cases with higher income limits. Organization has an Elder Unit.
617-603-2700
Community Legal Services and Counseling Center Housing (evictions and grievance hearings, pre-notice to quit), SSI/SSDI, family (custodial parents or DV victims), immigration (political asylum, battered women, unaccompanied minors), provides mediation on sliding-scale fee basis.
617-661-1010
Volunteer Lawyers Project Bankruptcy, consumer, family law (no DV emergencies), guardianship of adults, housing (landlords and tenants – tenant intake through LARC), employment, tort defense.
Call the Legal Advocacy and Resource Center
Disability Law Center
Info/advice/referral/representation for disability-related civil legal issues (persons with disabilities only, no income limit).
800-872-9992 (9:00am-5:00pm)
617-227-9464
Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP)
Denial/termination of public/subsidized housing, Section 8 termination, housing authority grievance hearings.
617-495-4394
Wilmer Hale Legal Services Center
Bankruptcy, government benefits, employment, evictions (tenants only, no BHA cases), family (custodial parents only), small business, predatory lending.
617-390-2500
Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee (CEOC) Non-legal advocacy for food stamps, MassHealth, and housing (pre-NTQ, informal conferences, negotiation). Income not mandated by funding. Serves Cambridge and surrounding areas.
617-868-2900 (9:00am-5:00pm)
CRIMINAL MATTERS / PRISONER ISSUES
Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS)
Public Defenders.
617-482-6212
Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services
Civil legal services for inmates. 800-882-1413
617-482-2773
Accepts collect calls from MA prisoners on Mondays from 1-4pm on (617) 482-4124.
Harvard Defenders
Represents individuals at criminal show cause hearings
617-495-4413
Prison Legal Assistance Project
Legal services for inmates.
617-495-3127
GENERAL INFORMATION
Trial Court Law Libraries
Librarians will assist with legal research.
617-878-0339
800-445-8989
OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES
Self-Help
Masslegalhelp.org
Click “Get Basic Legal Information” Basic info about MA legal rights and pro se forms organized by topic, for most major practice areas (benefits, consumer, disability, DV, special ed, elder, housing, immigration)
Outside of Harvard Legal Aid Bureau service area
Masslegalservices.org
Click “Directory” General legal services providers for all of Massachusetts. City name search, and clickable region-map.
Non-Legal Services
Bostonresourcenet.org
Database of human services providers searchable by location and practice area (DV, counseling, shelters, etc.)
Small Claims
Small Claims Advisory Service
Public service organization run by Harvard undergraduates that provides free legal information regarding Mass small claims law and procedure (amounts less than $2000). (617) 497-5690