Legal Assistance When You Can’t Afford a Lawyer (Civil Matters)

Download PDF

What Legal Assistance is Available in Connecticut? There are several options for legal assistance in civil matters for people who cannot afford a lawyer. These include the Legal Services Network, law clinics associated with Connecticut’s three law schools, and a variety of other agencies offering legal assistance, often to special populations. What is the Legal Services Network? The Legal Services Network in Connecticut is a collaborative of five non-profit legal aid agencies which provide legal assistance in civil matters to low-income individuals and families. Some of the funding for these programs comes from the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), an agency established by the federal government to provide funding to state legal aid agencies. Other funding for the Legal Services Network comes from local agencies like United Ways and from special trusts established by local bar associations. The members of this network in Connecticut are:

What are Legal Clinics? Each of Connecticut’s three law schools has a legal clinic, which provides legal assistance to people who cannot afford a lawyer. Under Connecticut’s student practice rules, law students are permitted to represent clients in civil and criminal cases in all courts and administrative agencies in the jurisdiction. The clinics are:

Additional Legal Service Agencies Other agencies offering legal assistance in civil matters, for special populations, are:

To Find Application Sites in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:

—————————————–

SOURCES: Legal Services Corporation; Jerome N. Frank Legal Services Organization; Quinnipiac University School of Law; University of Connecticut School of Law
PREPARED BY: 211/ch
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: January2024