All clients must meet the eligibility criteria for financial and legal status. Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas (vlsoct.org) – VLS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that facilitates access to the civil justice system for low-income community members by providing pro bono attorneys who provide free legal advice and representation, and by supporting and training these lawyers in Travis Counties, Hays and Bastrop. Those eligible for assistance are matched with Texas attorneys who can provide free legal aid. Callers should be aware that there are certain limitations to the legal services available. This service is a partnership between the Texas State Bar, state legal aid agencies, voluntary organizations, and access to justice organizations. A full list of partners can be found below. For a Texas directory of legal aid providers listed by county, see texasbar.com/referraldirectory. Texas Access to Justice Foundation (teajf.org) – Established by the Texas Supreme Court in 1984, the Texas Access to Justice Foundation is the state`s primary source of funding for providing civil legal assistance in Texas. The organization is committed to the vision that all Texans have equal access to justice, regardless of income. The foundation manages a variety of funding sources that help nonprofits provide legal aid to more than 150,000 Texas families each year. Texas Advocacy Project (texasadvocacyproject.org) – The project provides free virtual legal services to people experiencing domestic violence and associates, sexual assault, and harassment. Support includes free advice, advice on do-it-yourself sign-up processes, and full customer advocacy.
Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas (lanwt.org) – Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas is a non-profit organization that strives to meet the legal needs of more than 1.5 million eligible clients in its 114-county service area. LANWT is the fifth largest legal aid program in the United States and provides a wide range of legal services to a wide range of low-income and disadvantaged clients, including family law, landlord/tenant matters, public benefits, wills, foreclosure prevention, consumer issues, and community reconstitution issues. Our mission is to ensure equal justice for all Texans by educating, empowering and representing vulnerable people while reshaping the broader legal system that affects us all. As the coronavirus pandemic shakes the lives of Texans and creates uncertainty about their health care and economic future, state legal departments and access to justice providers are partnering to help in this time of crisis. Texas State Bar (texasbar.com) – The Texas State Bar is an administrative agency of the Supreme Court of Texas that provides educational programs for the legal profession and the public, administers the minimum legal education program for lawyers, and administers the disciplinary system for lawyers. Clarissa AyalaDirector of CommunicationsLone Star Legal Aid713-652-0077cayala@lonestarlegal.org Houston Volunteer Lawyers (makejusticehappen.org) – Houston Volunteer Lawyers is a non-profit service of the Houston Bar Association. Houston Volunteer Lawyers` mission is to provide free civilian services to low-income Harris County and to encourage volunteer among lawyers. We help eligible Texans access health care, security, stability, housing, government benefits and employment. All TLSC services are free of charge.
Lone Star Legal Aid (lonestarlegal.org) – Lone Star Legal Aid is the fourth largest provider of free legal aid services in the United States. LSLA serves 72 counties in Texas and four in Arkansas, from Texarkana to Matagorda Bay, an area of more than 2 million Texans eligible for free legal advice. LSLA has 14 offices in Eastern, Southeastern and Northeastern Texas; Consumers, housing, environmental justice, disaster relief, tax relief, family law, family violence, sexual assault, victims` rights, veterans` benefits, and more. Texas Legal Services Center (tlsc.org) – The Texas Legal Services Center is a statewide nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide free legal representation, advice, advocacy, and education to underserved people throughout the state. With more than a dozen areas of practice, our work touches on almost every aspect of civil law that affects low-income Texans. Texas Access to Justice Commission (texasatj.org) – The Texas Access to Justice Commission was established by the Texas Supreme Court in 2001 to develop and implement policy initiatives to expand and improve access and quality of civil justice for low-income Texans. The Commission has launched several initiatives to increase resources and awareness of legal aid. We serve 72 counties in Texas and 4 in Arkansas by offering free advocacy, legal advocacy, and community building services that ensure equal access to justice. We`re here to see how we can help you deal with legal issues. Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program (dallasvolunteerattorneyprogram.org) – DVAP is a joint venture between the Dallas Bar Association and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. DVAP recruits, trains, and supports volunteer attorneys to provide free civil legal assistance to low-income Dallas County individuals.
A free legal help line is available for low-income individuals and families in Texas facing civil law issues due to the pandemic. People can call toll-free 800-504-7030 to contact legal service providers in their area. If you observe something that you believe is inappropriate solicitation or barraterie, please obtain the name and phone number of the person contacting you and report it to your local law enforcement agency or the Office of the Chief Disciplinary Council of the Texas State Bar at the toll-free number 866-224-5999. Disability Rights Texas (disabilityrightstx.org) – Disability Rights Texas (formerly Advocacy Inc.) is the federal agency for legal protection and disability advocacy in Texas. Its mission is to help persons with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law and to ensure their full and equal participation in society. Special programs, legal options and other COVID-specific housing considerations. The Texas Legal Services Center has created a webpage on the website with COVID-19 — texaslawhelp.org — resources including information on eviction and tenant rights, forced quarantines, unemployment benefits, and others. The site also has a LiveChat feature to help low-income people with their legal problems. Amy StarnesDirector of Public Information TexasAmy.Starnes@texasbar.com State Bar (800) 204-2222 ext. 1706 or (512) 427-1706 Barratry or prohibited advertisingThe Texas Bar reminds the public that in many cases in Texas, it is a crime for an attorney or a person representing an attorney to contact a person for legal representation if the person has not first requested the call or personal visit.
The contact is not illegal if the lawyer does not require payment or has a pre-existing professional or family relationship with the person contacted. Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (trla.org) – Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc. provides free legal advice to approximately 23,000 low-income Texans in 68 southwestern counties, including the entire Texas-Mexico border. TRLA`s lawyers specialize in more than 45 practice areas, including disaster relief, family, employment, foreclosure, bankruptcy, subsidized housing, education, immigration, farm labor, civil rights, and environmental law. Free assistance for low-income individuals struggling with civil law issues due to the coronavirus pandemic Shelby AlexanderActing Director of CommunicationsTexas RioGrande Legal Aid, Inc.512-374-2717salexander@trla.org Legal information and resources that can help you and your family overcome COVID-19 issues. Shelby JeanDirector of CommunicationsNorthwest Texas Legal Aid817-339-5384 or 806-281-8235jeans@lanwt.org While thousands of migrants continue to be arrested and detained along the border. The TRLA continues to fight for justice. You can also call us. Here you will find the LSLA office that serves the county where you live. TRLA serves the people of Texas to ensure that a fair chance at justice for those who need it most is never out of reach. **This is a copy of a joint press release issued on April 1, 2020 by the Texas State Bar and partner organizations on the Texas State Bar blog (see contact information below)** Instructional videos on topics commonly involving veterans and their families.
Learn about some of the most common worker rights in Texas.