Free or Low Cost Legal Services
Bar Association of San Francisco Programs:
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Twice a month, on Saturdays, at different locations in San Francisco, the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) offers a free Legal Advice and Referral Clinic. You may meet with a volunteer attorney for legal issues including landlord/tenant, family law, criminal, domestic violence, employment, personal injury, estate planning, consumer, contracts, business issues and other areas of the law. Contact BASF for more information at (415) 989-1616. |
Low Income ClinicsBASF also offers several specialized clinics for low-income San Francisco residents, including a Bankruptcy Clinic, and a Collections Defense clinic, and a low-income Taxpayer Clinic. Clients must be pre-qualified to use these services. For the Collections Defense Clinic, residents who have been threatened with a lawsuit or are being sued by a creditor or collection agency may call to request a screening for eligibility. For more information, call the BASF Lawyer Referral Clinic at (415) 989-1616. |
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Also sponsored by the Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF), provides a way to meet and evaluate an attorney specializing in your legal issues for $35.00 for an initial one-half hour consultation. No fee for personal injury and workers compensation cases. Spanish and Chinese language interviewers are available. Brochures about this program are available at the Law Library. Contact BASF at (415) 989-1616, www.sfbar.org or on the direct link above. |
The Bar Association of San Francisco’s Volunteer Legal Services Program sponsors an online WIKI listing of a wide range of legal service providers in the Bay Area.
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San Francisco Superior Court Legal Help Programs:
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The Courts website provides a listing of court provided self-help programs, including assistance with family law, small claims, civil harassment, probate-guardianships, traffic workshops, and ACCESS Center information at the link above. |
The Family Law Facilitator provides free assistance to people who do not have private attorneys with information about many family law issues. The facilitators are neutral and available to either party who has questions about their family law case. The Facilitator does not represent clients; it provides valuable information about how to handle your family law matter. |
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The Access Center is a multilingual court program for people who do not have a lawyer and need legal information regarding issues such as guardianships, conservatorships, small claims, name changes, restraining orders and evictions. The Center does not represent clients, they provide advice. |
The Small Claims Advisor is part of the Superior Court ACCESS Center. They will help you through the entire small claims case: preparing your claim, serving a defendant, preparing for court, and collecting a judgment after you have won. Assistance is also available by telephone at (415) 292-2124 in both English and Spanish. The webpage has valuable information including forms. |
Small Claims WorkshopsFree classes on “How to Present a Case in Small Claims Court” are held once a month at the Phelan Building, 760 Market St., Suite 1042 (10th floor), San Francisco 94102. Notices for workshops are posted at the Law Library, or call the Law Library at (415) 554-6821 for the current schedule. |
Other Free or Low Cost Legal Resources:
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Bay Area Legal Aid is the largest provider of free civil legal services in the Bay Area. Their seven regional offices work together to provide legal assistance to low-income people regardless of their location, language or disability. They assist people in the area of housing, public benefits, health access and domestic violence. |
This online service to help Californians find legal aid referrals and self-help resources, provides legal information on a variety of topics in an easy to use format, including listings and links to free and low-cost service programs and state agencies. |
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This tenant’s rights organization provides a drop-in Counseling Clinic, daytime, evening and weekend hours. Call (415) 282-6622 for the schedule. Their publication, Tenants Rights Handbook is available at the Law Library. Their website also provides extensive information about San Francisco tenants rights issues. |
This California organization provides links and information about renters' rights, foreclosure and other information useful for renters.
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Find a Lawyer
In addition to the resources above, you may use the following organizations to help locate an attorney.
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BASF provides lawyer information and referral services. Contact (415) 989-1616 or request a lawyer through this link. |
The State Bar provides information about lawyers, how to find an attorney, understanding the law & legal system, as well as legal information on many topics, legal forms, and legal guides such as Seniors & The Law, Make a Simple Will and more. |
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This website links to various state and local legal organizations. |
publishes a print and online directory of those attorneys and law firms who paid to be listed. The print version is available at the Law Library. |
