Finding Help for a Legal Problem

If you have a legal problem and you cannot afford to hire an attorney, you may be eligible for free legal services.  The Volunteer Lawyers Project is one of several organizations throughout New York City that assist low-income individuals with certain types of legal matters.

 

Before calling the VLP, you can find out whether you might be eligible for our services by answering the following questions:

 

Do you live in Brooklyn?  The VLP is only able to help individuals and families who reside full-time in Brooklyn.

 

What is your annual income?  The Volunteer Lawyers Project, like other legal service agencies, uses income guidelines to determine who is eligible for free help.  The guidelines are based on a percentage of the federal poverty level.  The percentage ranges from 125% to 200% depending on the type of case you have. 

 

What type of legal problem do you have?  In order to be effective, the Volunteer Lawyers Project must limit the types of cases it can handle. 

 

We currently offer direct representation in the following areas:

 

Family law, including child support, spousal support, child custody and visitation;

 

Uncontested divorce,

 

Consumer law, including Chapter 7 bankruptcy;

 

Elder law, including wills, health care proxies and living wills;

 

Eligible Brooklyn residents may also receive assistance through one of the VLP’s special projects:

 

CLARO Consumer Debt Clinic: Assists people who are being sued for a debt in Kings County Civil Court, or who are being harassed or threatened by creditors.  CLARO volunteer attorneys give litigants the advice and guidance they need to effectively represent themselves.

 

Foreclosure intervention:  for eligible Brooklyn homeowners facing foreclosure.  For more information, call our partner organization, South Brooklyn Legal Services, at 718-246-3279

 

Other Legal Resources

If you do not live in Brooklyn, or if you have a case that is outside of the VLP’s program areas, you may be able to find assistance through another organization or agency. 

 

Visit www.lawhelp.org to search for legal services in your area that help with your type of legal problem. 

 

If you are not financially eligible for free legal services, you may need to speak with a private attorney.  Call the Brooklyn Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service at (718) 624-0843 for a referral to an appropriate attorney.