LawHelp NY can help you find legal information and free legal assistance where you live.  Read this Q&A for tips on how to find help on the website and other important things you should know.

LawHelp/NY provides legal information that pertains to New York State.  Generally, the information covers "civil" law -such as Family, Housing and Public Benefits, rather  than "criminal" law. The legal information you can find on our website is divided into  four different channels:

• Know Your Rights:  Includes "Know Your Rights" resources, Self-Help materials, and interactive interviews which can produce a create print-outs that you can use in a court.
• Find a Lawyer: Includes a listing of free legal offices and programs in your area.  
• Going to Court: Includes information on the different courts in New York State, their contact info, information on how to prepare for a court appearance, and other materials on your rights when in court. 
• Finding Other Help: This channel includes a listing of different community agencies and programs in your area.   

Please note LawHelp NY does not provide legal advice. You can only obtain legal advice from a lawyer.

To learn more about how to use LawHelp NY and how to access these four different channels please visit our How-to Video below available in English and Español.

Watch How-To Video Here:

English          Español

When visiting LawHelp NY you will be asked to put in your zip code or borough/county for the person who needs help.  It is better to enter the zip code because many groups do not serve all of a certain county or borough. If you search by borough or county, check the full description of each organization for the specific zip codes it serves.

All of the legal programs listed on our website include information regarding who they can serve and the services they can provide.  Most legal programs have income guidelines and other requirements that limit who they can serve: 

Information about Income guidelines

Some organizations can only serve you if you earn less than a certain amount of money.  This limit is either a percentage of the "poverty level" set by the government, or is a certain dollar amount.  LawHelp/NY cannot guarantee that an organization can help you even if you meet the income requirements.

Many legal services groups use the charts below to decide who can receive help.  The chart below can help you see if you are eligible for services.  It shows you how much money you earn to be at 125%, $187.5% or 200% of what the U.S. government considers to be the poverty level.  "Family Size" in the column on the left is the total number of people in the household.

Yearly Income as a Percentage of the 2009 Federal Poverty Level 

Some organizations may make exceptions for seniors, people who are HIV positive, or people experiencing domestic violence.

Some organizations also take into account expenses such as childcare, medical bills and debts.

If you are not eligible for free services because your income is too high, or you were injured on the job or by someone's negligence, please contact the City Bar's Legal Referral Service. Outside New York City, try the New York State Bar Association's statewide directory of lawyer referral service programs.

Some organizations only serve special groups such as:

• Children 
• Seniors 
• People who are HIV positive or related to those with HIV. 
• People experiencing domestic violence.

Be sure to look at these other requirements carefully before contacting an organization.

There are several different ways in which an organization may be able to provide help:

• Full Representation by a lawyer or a legal advocate in court or at a hearing at a government agency
• Brief Advice in person or over the telephone 
• Pro Se Legal Clinic where you are shown how to "help yourself" with a particular legal problem
• Self-Help Materials such as educational fact sheets and brochures
• Other workshops and other services

Every legal program listed on our website includes information on the types of services they provide as seen above.  Before you call a legal program for assistance make sure that they provide the service type that you need!