Lawyer Referral/Do I need a lawyer?

You asked if there are free or low-cost attorneys in your area to help you with your case. You can find free and low-cost attorneys on our STATE Finding a Lawyer page. Legal aid organizations generally take cases from people who are considered “low-income.” However, each organization may have a different standard for what they consider “low-income,” so you would need to reach out to an individual organization to find out their requirements. Lawyer referral services are generally run by state and local bar associations. Referral services match clients with private attorneys for a short consult. Referral services also generally charge a fee, which is set by the service, and is typically somewhere from $15 to $50. The attorney and client then generally speak by phone, where a client can explain their issues and may be able to negotiate the attorney’s fees for representation.