MLAC does not provide legal advice or representation. If you need help with a legal issue in Massachusetts, there are several ways to find it.
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Legal Information
Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder gives you referrals for free and low-cost programs at legal services organizations, nonprofits, courts and self–help materials.
MassLegalHelp is a website to help you find practical information about your legal rights in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts Legal Answers Online is a free service that allows you to ask a volunteer attorney a question over the internet. This is a good option if you have one or two legal questions.
These websites are a collaborative effort of the Massachusetts civil legal aid community and funded by MLAC. MassLegalHelp and the Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder are maintained by lawyers at Massachusetts Law Reform Institute; Mass Legal Answers Online is administered by MLRI with help from the Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Association, and is part of the national American Bar Association Free Legal Answers Project.
Find a Legal Aid Lawyer
You may be eligible for free legal help in Massachusetts through civil legal aid organizations if your annual income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. That is currently $37,500 per year for a family of four and $18,255 for an individual. There are different criteria for older adults and crime victims.
MLAC funds organizations that help people resolve civil (non-criminal) legal issues. If you need help with a criminal matter, contact the Committee for Public Counsel Services at 617-482-6212.
Information and help are available through the legal aid organizations listed below.
Regional Legal Aid Organizations
MLAC funds these regional legal aid organizations that provide advice and representation to low-income people facing civil legal issues. Some examples of civil legal issues are housing, health care, public benefits, immigration, and domestic violence. For a complete list of towns served by each organization, see the map and list below.
Community Legal Aid
370 Main Street, Suite 200
Worcester, MA 01608
855-252-5342
Central and Western Massachusetts.
De Novo Center for Justice and Healing (formerly CLSACC)
47 Thorndike Street, Suite SB-LL-1
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-661-1010
Cambridge, Boston, and interior suburbs.
Greater Boston Legal Services
197 Friend Street
Boston, MA 02114
617-371-1234
Greater Boston area.
MetroWest Legal Services
63 Fountain Street, Suite 304
Framingham, MA 01702
508-620-1830
MetroWest region.
Northeast Legal Aid
50 Island Street, Suite 203A
Lawrence, MA 01840
800-336-2262
North Shore, Merrimack Valley, and other parts of Essex and Northern Middlesex Counties.
South Coastal Counties Legal Services
22 Bedford Street
Fall River, MA 02722-2507
508-676-5022
Southeastern part of the state: Bristol County and South Coast to Cape Cod and the Islands.
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Community Legal Aid
405 Main Street, 4th Floor
Worcester, MA 01608
855-252-5342
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Community Legal Aid
515 Main Street
Fitchburg, MA 01420
855-252-5342
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Community Legal Aid
20 Hampton Avenue, #100
Northampton, MA 01060
855-252-5342
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Community Legal Aid
152 North Street, E155
Pittsfield, MA 01201
855-252-5342
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Community Legal Aid
One Monarch Place, Suite 400
Springfield, MA 01144
855-252-5342
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MetroWest Legal Services
63 Fountain Street, Suite 304
Framingham, MA 01702
508-620-1830
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197 Friend Street
Boston, MA 02114
617-371-1234
60 Gore Street, Suite 203
Cambridge, MA 02141
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De Novo Center for Justice and Healing (formerly CLSACC)
47 Thorndike Street, Suite SB-LL-1
Cambridge, MA 02141
617-661-1010
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Northeast Legal Aid
50 Island Street, Suite 203A
Lawrence, MA 01840
800-336-2262
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Northeast Legal Aid
35 John Street, Suite 302
Lowell, MA 01852
800-336-2262
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Northeast Legal Aid
181 Union Street, Suite 201
Lynn, MA 01901
800-336-2262
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South Coastal Counties Legal Services
22 Bedford Street
Fall River, MA 02722-2507
800-244-9023
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South Coastal Counties Legal Services
62 Main Street, Suite 302
Brockton, MA 02301
800-244-9023
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South Coastal Counties Legal Services
21 S. Sixth Street
New Bedford, MA 02740
800-244-9023
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South Coastal Counties Legal Services
460 W. Main Street
Hyannis, MA 02601
800-244-9023
Additional Legal Aid Organizations by Subject
In addition to regional legal aid organizations, MLAC funds legal aid organizations that specialize in a specific subject or type of law. This includes education, immigration, prisoners’ rights, disability, consumer law, and more.
Center for Law and Education
105 Chauncy Street, 6th Floor, Suite 3
Boston, MA 02111
617-451-0855
Statewide organization based in Boston that provides expertise on education-related cases.
Center for Public Representation
22 Green Street
Northampton, MA 01060
413-587-6265
Dedicated to enforcing and expanding the rights of people with disabilities and others who are in segregated settings.
Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts
P.O. Box 710
2 State Street
Lynn, MA 01903
781-581-1977
Advocates for the rights of young people across Massachusetts, but primarily on the North Shore.
Disability Law Center
11 Beacon Street, Suite 925
Boston, MA 02108
617-723-8455
Massachusetts’ Protection and Advocacy agency, DLC protects the rights of people with disabilities.
Massachusetts Advocates for Children
25 Kingston Street, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02111
617-357-8431
Advocates for children, students, and youth who face significant barriers because of their economic status, disability, race, ethnicity/culture, immigration status, language, and/or traumatic life experiences.
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute
40 Court Street, Suite 700
Boston, MA 02108
617-357-0700
Provides statewide advocacy and leadership in advancing laws, policies, and practices that secure economic, racial, and social justice for low-income people and communities.
National Consumer Law Center
7 Winthrop Square, 4th floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-542-8010
National experts on a variety of consumer law issues including: student loans, debt collection, disaster protection, mortgages, consumer protection, etc.
Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project
98 North Washington Street, Suite 106
Boston MA 02114
617-742-9296
Provides free legal services to asylum seekers and promotes the rights of detained immigrants.
Prisoners’ Legal Services
50 Federal Street, 4th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-482-2773
Protects the health and civil rights of people who are incarcerated in Massachusetts.
Veterans Legal Services
P.O. Box 8457
Boston, MA 02114
857-317-4474
Veterans Legal Services’ mission is to promote the self-sufficiency, stability, and financial security of homeless and low-income veterans through free and accessible legal services.
Victim Rights Law Center
115 Broad Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-399-6720
Provides free legal services for sexual assault victims with legal issues in the areas of privacy, safety, housing, education, employment, immigration, LGBTQ-specific issues, criminal justice advocacy, and financial stability.
Volunteer Lawyers Project
7 Winthrop Square, 2nd Floor
Boston, MA 02110
617-603-1700
Volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and law students–led by staff attorneys–strive to give equal access to representation to the people of Greater Boston.
COVID-19 Legal Information and Resources
MassLegalHelp’s COVID-19 section contains comprehensive information about your legal rights in areas including housing, benefits, discrimination, healthcare, and more.
Court Website – Updates on courts and emergency orders
National Consumer Law Center – Information on consumer protections
Massachusetts Advocates for Children – COVID-19 information clearinghouse
MassLegalServices.org – Information on specific types of law, by category
Attorney General’s Office – Employees’ rights, protecting against fraud and several other resources
National Employment Law Project – Resources to support workers during the pandemic