The Pro Bono Collaborative mobilizes Rhode Island law firms, law students, and community organizations to provide legal assistance within the community. This list includes organizations that provide free or low-cost legal services to victims of abuse and other eligible individuals. Even if the organization does not have a lawyer available to represent you in court, you should ask if there is a lawyer with whom you can seek advice. Please note that we list organizations by city or county where the office is located – however, many offices can likely serve multiple counties. We indicate the “counties served” where possible. You can click View All to view the full list of organizations. Learn about Rhode Island`s courts and the free legal information they provide. Good to know: This office provides free legal aid to people with disabilities. Services include individual representation to protect rights or obtain benefits and services; information on self-handling; Educational programs; and administrative and legislative advocacy. Good to know: This is a lawyer placement service. Referrals with reduced fees are available for eligible customers.
All clients are entitled to a free half-hour consultation. The Roger Williams University Legal Defense Clinic provides court services to victims of domestic violence at the Newport Courthouse on certain days. Court advocacy includes assisting clients with protection order applications, security planning, reconnaissance and removals. The clinic does NOT offer legal services. The clinic currently serves people in Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton and Jamestown. Find suppliers who can help you with a specific legal issue. These groups offer free or low-cost legal services in Rhode Island. Do you have a legal problem but can`t afford to hire a lawyer? There are many opportunities for free or low-cost legal services for residents of Providence County. The main route is through the non-profit legal aid program administered by Rhode Island Legal Services. They provide legal aid to low-income residents of Rhode Island. There may be income limits that apply to you to qualify for free assistance.
Contact the relevant agency for more information. Below is a list of several organizations available to you. To be eligible for assistance under the Volunteer Counsel Program, your income must be eligible under federal guidelines. In addition, your legal problem must fall within certain areas of law. If you are eligible for VPP support, all services provided to you by the lawyer are free of charge. You may have to pay court fees or other minor litigation costs. These can be discussed with your lawyer. Rhode Island`s legal services are offered free of charge and are free for low-income clients.
If you have a legal problem, call the Volunteer Counsel Program at 421-7758 or 1-800-339-7758. You will talk to a staff member who will ask you questions about your legal problem and financial situation. Any information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. The Program Coordinator is fluent in English and Spanish. Good to know: RILS is the leading provider of low-cost legal aid in the state. They provide free legal assistance to victims of domestic violence, regardless of income, in various civil cases, including representation of victims of domestic violence in injunction cases. The Volunteer Lawyer Program (VLP) is a public service program run by the Rhode Island Bar Association designed to help low-income people get legal help when they need it. Its objective is to provide legal assistance to those who cannot obtain legal aid, either alone or through other existing bodies. Good to know: All CMCRI mediation services are free or billed on a tiered income scale. No customer is rejected because of insolvency. The Rhode Island Bar Association Volunteer Lawyer Program (VLP), funded by a grant from Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc.
and the Rhode Island Bar Foundation, provides pro bono (free) legal services to qualified low-income Rhode Islanders. Participating lawyers provide free legal assistance. The client`s income must qualify under government-regulated guidelines to receive pro bono support, and the case must fall within one of the jurisdictions covered by the VLP. Clients may be responsible for filing fees, court fees and other expenses. For more information, call (401) 421-7758 or 1-800-339-7758 or email jellis@ribar.com. Here you will find information on specific legal topics and the laws of Rhode Island. Rhode Island Legal Services offers several specialized legal aid programs: Housing Law Center, Family Law Center, Elder Law Protection Project. Also offer assistance in obtaining injunctions in Rhode Island through their offices in Newport and Providence. Areas of law: Status adjustment, work permits, family visa applications, NACARA, naturalization/citizenship, temporary protected status and petitions on the Violence against Women Act (VAWA). Areas of law: neighbourhood, housing, family, consumers, discrimination, custody and visits. Good to know: Clinics accept a very limited number of cases. Call us for more information.
Approximately l,000 private lawyers across the state, practicing in all areas of law, sit on the VLP reference board. The committee is composed of members who are fluent in several languages and who are interested in many topics. All panel lawyers volunteer their time to assist those in need through the Volunteer Counsel Program. Case Types: Most non-criminal matters, including: bankruptcy, debt collection, consumer, employment, family law, guardianship, housing, licensing, special education, tort defence and wills. Rhode Island Legal Services encourages and supports the efforts of Rhode Island lawyers to provide pro bono support to Rhode Island`s seniors and low-income individuals through the pro bono attorney program and efforts funded by Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc. and the RI Bar Foundation. Staff at the Volunteer Lawyer Project can be contacted at (401) 421-7758. Learn more about the volunteer lawyer program and how lawyers interested in pro bono work can participate.
Good to know: This is a public service program administered by the Bar Association. Call ahead to find out if you qualify. The staff is fluent in English and Spanish. Good to know: Representatives are fluent in English, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, Spanish and Tigrinya. Areas of law: criminal justice, cyberfreedoms, discrimination, elections and voting, freedom of expression, LGBT rights, immigrant rights, national security, police practices, poverty rights, prisons, privacy, reproductive freedom and youth rights.