Legal Aid

Community Legal Services provides free legal assistance to low-income Philadelphians. CLS attorneys work on changing policy, representing individual clients, and providing community education. CLS is comprised of the follow legal units: employment, energy, family advocacy, health and independence, home ownership and consumer rights, housing, Language Access Project, Medical Legal Partnership, SSI unit, and Youth Justice Project. To see if you qualify for legal services, call 215-981-3700.

North Penn Legal Services offers free legal representation to eligible clients in the following counties: Bradford, Carbon, Clinton, Columbia, Lackawanna, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe, Montour, Northampton, Northumberland, Pike, Snyder, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Wayne, and Wyoming. In order to qualify for free legal services, your household income must meet requirements based on Federal Poverty Income Guidelines. NPLS only handles civil legal issues and does not handle criminal, personal injury, or traffic court matters. NPLS currently handles the following types of cases: assistance for seniors; children and family; education and school; housing, landlord/tenant rights; Social Security Disability (SSI & SSD) benefits; Consumer; domestic violence and protection from abuse; employment; welfare benefits; and unemployment compensation. Those who are interested in receiving services can apply on the website. After an application is completed, NPLS will inform you if your case has been accepted. Multiple Offices in Northeast Pennsylvania 877-953-4250

f) NWLS is a non-profit law firm that provides free legal aid to eligible clients in Cameron, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Mercer, McKean, Potter, Venango, and Warren counties in Northwestern Pennsylvania. They offer direct representation, private attorney involvement programs, a telephone advice program, Self-Help and Pro Se Clinics, and community education. Their services are available to low-income individuals living in the aforementioned counties. They currently handle education and employment, health law issues, family law, housing law, public benefits, social security, unemployment compensation, consumer law, and other areas such as wills and power of attorney. Those who are interested in receiving services can apply on the website. After an application is completed, NWLS will inform you if your case has been accepted. Offices located in Erie, Warren, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Forest, McKean, Cameron, and Potter Counties 814-452-6949

LCD is a non-profit organization housed within Magee that provides free legal services to low-income individuals with physical disabilities. LCD has more than 25 years of experience working with people with disabilities to help them overcome legal obstacles that might otherwise affect their health, independence, safety or quality of life. Magee partners with LCD to offer these services to eligible patients on a range of legal issues, including planning documents (powers of attorney and living wills). Patients who think they might need legal services should talk to their case manager about a referral. Legal Aid for the Disabled by Magee Rehabilitation Hospital 1513 Race Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 1-800-966-2433

LASP offers free legal aid for low income, vulnerable people who reside in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. The services offered by LASP include legal information and advice, drafting of legal documents, and negotiation and representation in administrative and judicial proceedings. The types of cases they handle include bankruptcy, consumer law and debt relief; child custody and dependency; domestic violence and protection from abuse; elder law; employment law; expungement, record-sealing, and pardons; family law; housing, including mortgage, foreclosure, landlord/tenant, evictions, public and subsidized housing; public benefits, including unemployment compensation, SSI, SSDI, TANF, SNAP, medical assistance (Medicare), and more; utilities, including LIHEAP (home heating and energy assistance), and Veterans Advocacy Project. Individuals who are interested in receiving aid can apply on their website or call for more information. Offices throughout Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties 877-429-5994

PHLP provides consultation on access to health care for PA residents with low-income, the elderly, and people with disabilities. PHLP provides free legal services and advocacy to all Pennsylvanians having trouble accessing publicly funded health care coverage or services. 1-800-274-3258 email: staff@phlp.org

This website maintains the PALawHelp website which serves as a directory of free legal resources throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Users can search the directory by entering their location and the type of legal assistance they are seeking. Each result that the directory pulls up will be accompanied by an address, phone number, and website. PA Legal Aid Network 118 Locust Street Harrisburg, PA 17101 800-322-7572

CAP is an advocacy program for people with disabilities administered by the Center for Disability Law & Policy. CAP helps people who are seeking services from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, Blindness and Visual Services, Centers for Independent Living and other programs funded under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. CAP help is provided to you at no charge, regardless of income. Pennsylvania Client Assistance Program 1515 Market Street, Suite 1300 Philadelphia, PA 19102 215-557-7112

Through this program, PBA members screen matters and handle cases in their areas of practice or expertise for Pennsylvania’s poor, free of charge. The PBA Pro Bono Office and Legal Services to the Public Committee coordinate the program. Clients interested in taking part in the program can call or fill out the form on the website. 800-932-0311 ext. 2572

f) Disability Rights Pennsylvania (DRP) is a statewide, non-profit corporation designated as the federally mandated organization to advance and protect the civil rights of adults and children with disabilities. DRP works with people with disabilities and their families, their organizations, and their advocates to ensure their right to live in their communities with the services they need, to receive a full and inclusive education, to live free of discrimination, abuse and neglect, and to have control and self-determination over their services. DRP works to ensure that people with disabilities have equal and unhindered access to employment, transportation, public accommodations, and government services; to enforce their rights to vocational, habilitative, post-secondary educational, health, and other services; and to protect them from abuse and neglect. DRP identifies systemic issues which are important to people with disabilities and seeks change and reform through litigation, administrative advocacy, and public education. Disability Rights Pennsylvania 1800 JFK Boulevard, Suite 900 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-238-8070 or (Live Intake M-F 9:00-3:00) 800-692-7443 email: drnpa-phila@drnpa.org