Self Help
This section gives you information about the various types of legal help available to people in Los Angeles County who do not have a lawyer, whether you are representing yourself, looking for low cost legal help or trying to hire a lawyer. Below you will find information about services available at the Law Library, court-based self-help centers, legal aid and non-profit agencies, lawyer referral services, limited scope representation, and dispute resolution programs.
LA Law Library Services
LA Law Library Reference librarians assist with legal research questions and locating legal resources (including samples, court forms and instructions) in person, by phone or email. At LA Law Library, you can do research, take how-to classes, attend workshops and clinics or even get a free consultation with an attorney at Lawyers in the Library or Talk to a Lawyer Online. Click here to see our calendar for more information about classes, services and drop-in assistance at LA Law Library.
Los Angeles Superior Court Self Help Resource Centers
Self-Help Resource Centers are available in many court locations to provide free legal help to litigants who do not have lawyers. For specific case types, they give you legal information, provide instructions about how to complete court forms, make referrals to other legal resources, and explain the court rules and process. Self-Help Resource Centers do not cover all areas of law. For hours and locations of the Los Angeles Superior Court’s self-help centers and to find information on which centers have clinics and drop-in assistance for divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic violence, civil harassment, elder abuse, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes and evictions, click here.
Legal Aid and Non-Profit Agencies
Legal aid agencies are non-profit organizations that provide free legal services to people below a certain income level. Before you can get help from a legal aid agency, you usually have to qualify for their help based on your income. Many legal services focus on problems that affect basic needs such as housing, government benefits and family safety. Find legal aid and non-profit agencies at LawHelpCA.org (You will need to provide your location and the legal topic and question. Feel free to ask a reference librarian at the Law Library for assistance identifying the topic and question.) For a list of legal aid and non-profit agencies by legal topic, click here.
Lawyer Referral Services
Lawyer referral services help people find lawyers. Most lawyers practice in distinct areas of law, such as personal injury, family law, or criminal law. Finding the right lawyer for your specific legal issue is important. Many of the local bar associations throughout Los Angeles County have lawyer referral services which help you connect with lawyers knowledgeable in particular areas of law. For a list of Los Angeles County lawyer referral services certified by the State Bar of California, click here.
Reduced Fee Lawyers
Some lawyer referral services have "modest means panels" which are designed for people who have some ability to pay for a lawyer, but who cannot afford the standard cost of a private lawyer's services. Lawyers on modest means panels have agreed to perform services at a reduced cost to moderate income clients. You must meet specific income and asset guidelines in order to be eligible for these programs. For a list of Los Angeles County lawyer referral services with modest means panels, click here.
Community Lawyers
LA Law Library is a participant in the Los Angeles Incubator Consortium (LAIC), which is a program that supports and assists lawyers in starting their own solo practice so they can serve the community’s legal needs at an affordable cost. Lawyers in LAIC represent clients of modest means in a wide variety of practice areas such as immigration, family, criminal, housing, small business, employment, civil rights, consumer, and probate. LAIC is a collaboration between various law schools and legal aid organizations. For more information about LAIC or to get assistance, click here.
Limited-Scope Representation
Limited scope representation is when you and a lawyer agree that the lawyer will handle some parts of your case and you will handle others. This is different from more traditional arrangements between lawyers and clients in which a lawyer is hired to provide legal services on all aspects of a case, from start to finish. You can contact your local lawyer referral service to find out where you can find a lawyer who will provide unbundled services. For a list of Los Angeles County lawyer referral services certified by the State Bar of California, click here.
Online Lawyer Directories
Online lawyer directories provide attorney listings. Check out Martindale.com, FindLaw.com, Avvo.com, Justia.com and Nolo.com to identify attorneys who specialize in your area of law.
Dispute Resolution Programs
Many communities have "dispute resolution" programs. These programs try to help "mediate" or work out problems instead of going to court, so you may not need a lawyer. For more information about resolving your dispute out of court, click here. The Los Angeles Superior Court provides settlement programs for civil cases (http://www.lacourt.org/division/civil/CI0109.aspx) and a Pro Bono Probate Settlement Program (http://www.lacourt.org/division/probate/PR0104.aspx) for cases involving probate, trusts, estates, guardianship and conservatorships.
This section gives you information about the various types of legal help available to people in Los Angeles County who do not have a lawyer, whether you are representing yourself, looking for low cost legal help or trying to hire a lawyer. Below you will find information about services available at the Law Library, court-based self-help centers, legal aid and non-profit agencies, lawyer referral services, limited scope representation, and dispute resolution programs.
LA Law Library Services
LA Law Library Reference librarians assist with legal research questions and locating legal resources (including samples, court forms and instructions) in person, by phone or email. At LA Law Library, you can do research, take how-to classes, attend workshops and clinics or even get a free consultation with an attorney at Lawyers in the Library or Talk to a Lawyer Online. Click here to see our calendar for more information about classes, services and drop-in assistance at LA Law Library.
Los Angeles Superior Court Self Help Resource Centers
Self-Help Resource Centers are available in many court locations to provide free legal help to litigants who do not have lawyers. For specific case types, they give you legal information, provide instructions about how to complete court forms, make referrals to other legal resources, and explain the court rules and process. Self-Help Resource Centers do not cover all areas of law. For hours and locations of the Los Angeles Superior Court’s self-help centers and to find information on which centers have clinics and drop-in assistance for divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, domestic violence, civil harassment, elder abuse, guardianships, conservatorships, name changes and evictions, click here.
Legal Aid and Non-Profit Agencies
Legal aid agencies are non-profit organizations that provide free legal services to people below a certain income level. Before you can get help from a legal aid agency, you usually have to qualify for their help based on your income. Many legal services focus on problems that affect basic needs such as housing, government benefits and family safety. Find legal aid and non-profit agencies at LawHelpCA.org. (You will need to provide your location and the legal topic and question. Feel free to ask a reference librarian at the Law Library for assistance identifying the topic and question.) For a list of legal aid and non-profit agencies by legal topic, click here.
Lawyer Referral Services
Lawyer referral services help people find lawyers. Most lawyers practice in distinct areas of law, such as personal injury, family law, or criminal law. Finding the right lawyer for your specific legal issue is important. Many of the local bar associations throughout Los Angeles County have lawyer referral services which help you connect with lawyers knowledgeable in particular areas of law. For a list of Los Angeles County lawyer referral services certified by the State Bar of California, click here.
Reduced Fee Lawyers
Some lawyer referral services have "modest means panels" which are designed for people who have some ability to pay for a lawyer, but who cannot afford the standard cost of a private lawyer's services. Lawyers on modest means panels have agreed to perform services at a reduced cost to moderate income clients. You must meet specific income and asset guidelines in order to be eligible for these programs. For a list of Los Angeles County lawyer referral services with modest means panels, click here.
Community Lawyers
LA Law Library is a participant in the Los Angeles Incubator Consortium (LAIC), which is a program that supports and assists lawyers in starting their own solo practice so they can serve the community’s legal needs at an affordable cost. Lawyers in LAIC represent clients of modest means in a wide variety of practice areas such as immigration, family, criminal, housing, small business, employment, civil rights, consumer, and probate. LAIC is a collaboration between various law schools and legal aid organizations. For more information about LAIC or to get assistance, click here.
Limited-Scope Representation
Limited scope representation is when you and a lawyer agree that the lawyer will handle some parts of your case and you will handle others. This is different from more traditional arrangements between lawyers and clients in which a lawyer is hired to provide legal services on all aspects of a case, from start to finish. You can contact your local lawyer referral service to find out where you can find a lawyer who will provide unbundled services. For a list of Los Angeles County lawyer referral services certified by the State Bar of California, click here.
Online Lawyer Directories
Online lawyer directories provide attorney listings. Check out Martindale.com, FindLaw.com, Avvo.com, Justia.com and Nolo.com to identify attorneys who specialize in your area of law.
Dispute Resolution Programs
Many communities have "dispute resolution" programs. These programs try to help "mediate" or work out problems instead of going to court, so you may not need a lawyer. For more information about resolving your dispute out of court, click here. The Los Angeles Superior Court provides settlement programs for civil cases and a Pro Bono Probate Settlement Program for cases involving probate, trusts, estates, guardianship and conservatorships.
Adoption
Appeal Your Case
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic
- Public Counsel - Appellate Self-Help Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Appellate Litigation Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Appellate Litigation Clinic for Veterans
Bankruptcy
Car Crashes / Accidents
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)- Small Claims Advisors
- Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution
California Food Stamps
Cancer Legal Services
Child Abuse & Neglect
- LA County Child Abuse Hotline
- Find the Children
- For the Child
- Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office- Child Abduction Unit
- Los Angeles County Office of Child Protection- Child Abuse Hotline
Child Custody
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Custody & Child Support: Where You Begin at LA Library
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center
- Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Southwestern Law School- Family Law Clinic
Children's Rights
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Public Counsel - Children's Rights Project
- Southwestern Law School - Children's Rights Clinic
- UCLA School of Law - Teen Court Clinic
Child Support
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- California Department of Child Support Services
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Custody & Child Support: Where You Begin at LA Library
- Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center
- Los Angeles County Child Support Services
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles (NLSLA)
- Southwestern Law School- Family Law Clinic
Civil Rights
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- Civil Rights: Where You Begin at LA Law Library
- Disability Rights California
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
- National Lawyers Guild
- Public Counsel- Federal Pro Se Clinic
Clearing Criminal Records
- A New Way of Life Reentry Project
- Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST)- Clearing Criminal Records
- Free Help with Clearing Criminal Records at LA Law Library
Conservatorship
Consumer Complaints
Consumer Debt Help
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Dealing with Debt: Where You Begin at LA Law Library
- East LA Community Corporation (ELACC)
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)
- Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution
- Public Counsel-Debtor Assistance Project
- UC Irvine School of Law- Consumer Law Clinic
Criminal Law
- A New Way of Life- Reentry Legal Clinics
- Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST)- Clearing Criminal Records
- County of Los Angeles Alternate Public Defender
- Free Help with Clearing Criminal Records at LA Law Library
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office
- UC Irvine School of Law- Criminal Justice Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Criminal Defense Clinic
- Victim Compensation and Government Claims Bureau (State of California)
Disability Rights
- County of Los Angeles Department of Public Social Services (DPSS)
- Disabled Resources Center
- Disability Rights California
- Disability Rights Legal Center (DRLC)
- Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS)
- University of La Verne College of Law- Disability Rights Legal Center Clinic
Disaster Legal Services
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Pepperdine Caruso School of Law- Disaster Recovery Clinic
Divorce and Families
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Divorce & Separation: Where You Begin at LA Law Library
- Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
- Jewish Divorce Assistance Center of Los Angeles
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center
- Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice (LACLJ)
- Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Southwestern Law School- Family Law Clinic
Domestic Violence
- Center for the Pacific Asian Family
- East Los Angeles Women's Center
- For the Child
- Jewish Family & Children's Service of Long Beach & West Orange County
- Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles
- Talk to a Lawyer Online! at LA Law Library
- Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice (LACLJ)
- Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center- Anti-Violence Project & Legal Advocacy Project for Survivors
- Peace Over Violence
- The United States Attorney's Office, Central District of California- Victim Witness Assistance Program
Domestic Violence - Batterers' Treatment Programs
Domestic Violence - Hotlines
- Didi Hirsh Mental Health Services- Suicide Crisis Line
- Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Hotline
- National Domestic Violence Hotline
Domestic Violence - Legal Clinic
- Break the Cycle
- Pasadena Bar Association Free Legal Clinic at the Jackie Robinson Community Center
- UC Irvine School of Law- Domestic Violence Clinic
Domestic Violence Restraining Orders
- Break the Cycle
- Chapman University- Bette and Wylie Aitken Family Protection Clinic
- Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
- Jackie Robinson Community Center
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)- Domestic Violence Clinics
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)- Domestic Violence Legal Services Project
- Long Beach Police Department Domestic Violence Unit
Domestic Violence - Shelters
- 1736 Family Crisis Center
- Haven House
- House of Ruth
- Interval House
- Jenesse Center, Inc.
- Rainbow Services
- Su Casa
- WomenShelter Long Beach
Education Law
Elder Abuse
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services- Self-Help Elder Abuse Restraining Order Clinic
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- The Alona Cortese Elder Law Center
- Elder Abuse Hotline
- LA County Adult Protective Services
Emergency & Social Services
- 211 LA County
- American Red Cross
- Boys & Girls Town of Southern California
- Catholic Charities
- Karsh Center at Wilshire Boulevard Temple
- Long Beach Rescue Mission
- Los Angeles County Health and Human Services Information
- Lutheran Social Services
- St. Joseph Center
- The Salvation Army Family Service & Bell Shelter
Emergency Shelters
- 1736 Family Crisis Center
- Animal Safety Net
- Center for Pacific Asian Family
- Haven House
- House of Ruth
- Interval House
- Jenesse Center
- Long Beach Rescue Mission
- Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) Hotline
- New Image Emergency Shelter
- Rainbow Services
- Salvation Army-Bell Shelter
- Su Casa
- Union Rescue Mission
- WomenShelter Long Beach
Employment Discrimination
- California Department on Fair Employment & Housing
- California Labor Commissioner's Office
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Public Counsel- Federal Pro Se Clinic
Employment Rights
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services- Employment Rights Project- Walk-In Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- California Department of Fair Employment and Housing Civil Rights Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- CRS Race, Work and Economic Justice Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Labor and Economic Justice Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Workers Rights Clinic
Entertainment Law
- California Lawyers for the Arts
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- Entertainment Law Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Entertainment & the Arts Legal Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Music Industry Clinic
Environment Law
- UC Irvine School of Law- Environmental Law Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic
Evictions (Unlawful Detainer)
- Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)
- Ask a Lawyer: Landlord/Tenant Law and Evictions at LA Law Library
- BASTA INC.
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services
- Coalition for Economic Survival (CES) Tenants' Rights Clinic
- California Women’s Law Center (CWLC) Free Legal Housing Clinic
- Eviction Defense Network
- FAME Church Free Legal Clinic
- Housing, Equality & Advocacy Resource Team (HEART L.A.)
- Inner City Law Center
- Inquilinos Unidos (United Tenants)
- LA Court’s Online Dispute Resolution, Unlawful Detainer (Evictions)
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs, Mediation Services
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Public Counsel Free Community Legal Clinic
- Santa Monicans for Renters' Rights
- Shriver Housing Project Los Angeles
- Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)
- Stay Housed L.A.
- Tenant Power ToolKit
- Tenants Together
- Union de Vecinos
Foreclosure
- Basta, Inc.
- California Homeowner Bill of Rights Collaborative
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- East LA Community Corporation (ELACC)
- Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino- Free Tenant Rights & Foreclosure Prevention Workshops
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs (DCBA)
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)- Foreclosure Prevention Project
- Public Counsel- Consumer Law Project
- Public Counsel- Federal Pro Se Clinic
- West Angeles Community Development Corporation- Foreclosure Prevention Clinic
Foster Care
- Advokids
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Children's Law Center
- Los Angeles County Department of Children and Familiy Services (DCFS)
- United Friends of the Children
Free Legal Clinics
- Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers- Monthly Pro Bono Legal Clinic (Monthly; 1st Saturdays)
- California Women's Law Center and Venice Community Housing Free Legal Clinic (Monthly; 3rd Saturdays)
- Christian Legal Aid- Free Legal Clinic (Alternating Dates/Times)
- FAME Church Free Legal Clinic (Bi-weekly Sundays)
- Free Small Claims Workshop
- Karsh Center at Wilshire Boulevard Temple Legal Clinics (Alternating Dates/Times)
- Karsh Center at Wilshire Boulevard Temple/Korean American Bar Association (Monthly; 2nd Tuesdays)
- Lawyers in the Library at LA Law Library (Monthly; 3rd Fridays)
- Pasadena Bar Association Free Legal Clinic at the Jackie Robinson Community Center (Monthly; 2nd Saturdays)
- Public Counsel- Lawyers in the Library (Bi-weekly Tuesdays)
- Trans Legal Clinic Calendar (Legal Clinics for Name and Gender Change)- Transgender Law Center (Alternating Dates/Times)
Free Legal Clinics (Law Schools)
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law - The Alona Cortese Elder Law Center
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- Bette and Wylie Aitken Family Protection Clinic
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- Entertainment Law Clinic
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- Mediation Clinic Programs
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- Tax Law Clinic
- Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution
- Loyola Law School- Collateral Consequences of Conviction Justice Project
- Loyola Law School- The Fashion Law Project
- Loyola Law School- Juvenile Innocence and Fair Sentencing Clinic
- Loyola Law School- The Juvenile Justice Clinic
- Loyola Law School- Pro Se Mediation Advocacy Clinic
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Disaster Recovery Clinic
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Faith and Family Mediation Clinic
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Legal Aid Clinic at Union Rescue Mission
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy Clinic
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Restoration and Justice Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Children's Rights Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Community Lawyering Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Entertainment & the Arts Legal Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Family Law Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Immigration Law Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Removal Defense Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Street Law Clinic
- Southwestern Law School- Youth Offender Parole Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Appellate Litigation Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Appellate Litigation Clinic for Veterans
- UC Irvine School of Law- California Department of Fair Employment and Housing Civil Rights Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Community & Economic Development Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Consumer Law Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Criminal Justice Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Domestic Violence Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law - Environmental Law Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Immigrant Rights Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Reproductive Justice Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Startup and Small Business Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Criminal Defense Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- CRS Race, Work and Economic Justice Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Documentary Film Legal Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Education Rights Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- First Amendment Amicus Brief Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Homelessness Prevention Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Immigrant Family Legal Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Labor and Economic Justice Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Landlord-Tenant Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- LetsGo! Liberation
- UCLA School of Law- Music Industry Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Naturalization Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Patent and Trademark Law Clinics
- UCLA School of Law- Skid Row Housing Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Teen Court Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- The Immigration Clinic: Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) & U-Visa Project
- UCLA School of Law- Tribal Legal Development Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Veterans Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Veterans Legal Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Workers Rights Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Youth Deportation Clinic
- University of La Verne College of Law- Disability Rights Legal Center Clinic
- University of La Verne College of Law- Justice and Immigration Clinic
- USC Gould School of Law- Immigration Clinic
- USC Gould School of Law- Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic (IPTLC)
- USC Gould School of Law- Mediation Clinic
- USC Gould School of Law- Post-Conviction Justice Project
- USC Gould School of Law- Small Business Clinic
Gender Change
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Center OC- Name and Gender Change Services
- The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer (LGBTQ) Center of Long Beach- Free Legal Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic
- Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center- Trans* Lounge
- Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center- Transgender Economic Empowerment Project
- St. John's Well Child & Family Center- Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic
- Transgender Law Center
- UCLA School of Law- LetsGo! Liberation
Government Benefits
- Inner City Law Center
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice (LACLJ)
- Public Counsel CARES
Guardianship
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Immigration Center for Women & Children
- Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center
- Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice (LACLJ)
- Our Children First
- Public Counsel- Pro Per Guardianship Clinic
HIV / AIDS Legal Services
- Alliance for Housing and Healing
- Comprehensive Housing Information and Referrals for People Living with HIV/AIDS (CHIRP LA)
- Inner City Law Center
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)- AIDS Legal Services Project
- Los Angeles Family AIDS Network
- Public Law Center- HIV/AIDS Legal Assistance
Homeless Services
- Chrysalis- The Bin
- Community's Child
- Inner City Law Center
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services- Homeless Services
- Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA)
- Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center- Homeless Youth Project
- Los Angeles Poverty Department (LAPD)
- Los Angeles Public Library- The Source
- Our Children LA (OCLA)
- People Assisting the Homeless (PATH)
- Piece by Piece
- Public Counsel Cares
- Safe Parking L.A.
- UCLA School of Law- Homelessness Prevention Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Skid Row Housing Clinic
Homeowners Assistance
- East LA Community Corporation (ELACC)
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)
Housing & Landlord / Tenants
- Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE)
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- BASTA INC.
- City of Los Angeles Housing Resource Center
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Inner City Law Center
- Inquilinos Unidos (United Tenants)
- Koreatown Tenants Defense Network
- Landlord-Tenant: Where You Begin at LA Law Library
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino- Free Tenant Rights & Foreclosure Prevention Workshops
- Los Angeles Community Action Network (LA CAN)
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)
- Los Angeles Housing Authority
- Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department (HCIDLA)
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)
- Talk to a Lawyer Online! at LA Law Library
- UCLA School of Law- Landlord-Tenant Clinic
- Union de Vecinos
Housing / Living Conditions / Habitability
- Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles (AAGLA)
- County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health
- Disabled Resources Center
- Fair Housing Foundation
- Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach
- Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles
- Inquilinos Unidos (United Tenants)
- L.A. County Health Department- Environmental Health Division
- Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services
- Long Beach Development Services
- Los Angeles Department of Building & Safety (LADBS)
- Los Angeles Health Department
- Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department (HCIDLA)
Housing Discrimination
- California Department of Fair Employment & Housing
- Fair Housing Council of the San Fernando Valley
- Fair Housing Foundation
- Housing Rights Center
- Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS)
- UC Irvine School of Law- California Department of Fair Employment and Housing Civil Rights Clinic
Human Trafficking
Identity Theft
Immigration
- Al Otro Lado
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
- American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Association of Salvadorans in Los Angeles (ASOSAL)
- California Courts Immigration Resource Directory
- California-Pacific Neighborhood Immigration Clinics (CAL-PAC-NIC)
- Casa Cornelia Law Center
- Catholic Charities of Los Angeles
- Central American Resource Center (CARECEN)
- Centro CHA
- CitizenshipWorks
- Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA)
- Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST)- Immigration Assistance
- Community Lawyers, Inc.
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Council of Mexican Federations (COFEM)
- Covered California
- El Rescate Legal Services
- Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project
- Freedom for Immigrants
- Glendale Community College- Dream Resource Center
- Immigrant Defenders Law Center
- Immigration Center for Women & Children
- ImmigrationLawHelp.org
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center- Citizens and Noncitizens Constitutional Rights Red Card
- Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. (ICLS)
- Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Service (IRIS)
- International Rescue Committee
- Karsh Center at Wilshire Boulevard Temple- Immigration Services
- Kids in Need of Defense (KIND)
- Korean Resource Center
- LA County Library- Citizenship Resource Centers
- LA County of Immigrant Affairs- LAC4YOU
- Orientación General Y Taller de Asilo para los Inmigrantes que Enfrentan la Deportación at LA Law Library
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles Center for Law & Justice
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)- Immigration Legal Assistance Project
- Los Angeles Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Center- Immigration Law Project
- Los Angeles Public Library- New Americans Initiative
- Mexican American Legal, Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)
- Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF)
- NALEO Educational Fund
- National Immigration Law Center
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Office of Mayor Eric Garcetti, Immigrant Affairs
- Office of Refugee Resettlement- Resettlement Agencies
- Public Counsel
- Public Law Center
- Pueblo Sin Frontera
- United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights
Immigration Clinics (Law Schools)
- Southwestern Law School- Immigration Law Clinic
- Southwestern Law Clinic- Removal Defense Clinic
- The Loyola Immigrant Justice Clinic
- UC Irvine School of Law- Immigrant Rights Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Immigrant Family Legal Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Naturalization Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- The Immigration Clinic: Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) & U-Visa Project
- UCLA School of Law- Youth Deportation Clinic
- University of La Verne College of Law- Justice and Immigration Clinic
- USC Gould School of Law- Immigration Clinic
Legal Aid Organizations
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. (ICLS)
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice (LACLJ)
- Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County (NLSLA)
- Public Counsel
- Public Law Center
Mediation
- Asian Pacific American Dispute Resolution Center
- Beverly Hills Bar Association- Mediator Referral Service
- California Lawyers for the Arts
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law- Mediation Clinic
- Los Angeles City Attorney's Dispute Resolution Program
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
- Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution
- Loyola Law School- Pro Se Mediation Advocacy Clinic
- Pepperdine Caruso School of Law- Faith and Family Mediation Clinic
- Superior Court of California- County of Los Angeles- Mediation Services for Civil Cases
- USC Gould School of Law- Mediation Clinic
Medicare
Mental Health Services
- Bienestar
- Braswell Rehabilitation Institute for Development of Growth and Educational Services, Inc. (BRIDGES, INC.)
- California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA)
- Edelman Westside Mental Health Center
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health- Mental Health Centers Locator
- Los Angeles Department of Mental Health
- Los Angeles Gender Center
- Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS)
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- Pacific Clinics
Misconduct (Attorneys)
Misconduct (Doctors)
Name Change
- Adult Name Change Workshop at LA Law Library
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services- Free Legal Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic
- Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Center OC- Name and Gender Change Services
- St. John's Well Child & Family Center- Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic
- The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer (LGBTQ) Center of Long Beach- Free Legal Name and Gender Marker Change Clinic
- Trans Legal Clinic Calendar (Legal Clinics for Name and Gender Change)- Transgender Law Center
- UCLA School of Law- LetsGo! Liberation
Police Misconduct
Real Estate
- Bixel Exchange
- California Department of General Services
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
- City of Los Angeles Business Resource Center- Hollywood Region
- Community Legal Aid SoCal
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
- East LA Community Corporation (ELACC)
- L.A. City Department of General Services
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer & Business Affairs
- Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) Business Development Center
Rent Control Enforcement
- Beverly Hills Rent Stabilization Division
- Los Angeles Housing + Community Investment Department (HCIDLA)- Rent Stabilization Ordinance
- Los Angeles Rent Stabilization Board
- Santa Monica Rent Control Board
- West Hollywood Rent Stabilization & Housing Department
Sexual Assault
- Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) Sexual Assault Hotline
- YWCA/Greater LA- Sexual Assault Crisis Program
Small Business
- Bixel Exchange
- Business Series at LA Law Library
- California Department of General Services
- California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
- City of Los Angeles Business Resource Center- Hollywood Region
- L.A. City Department of General Services
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)
- Los Angeles Office of Finance
- Pacific Asian Consortium in Employment (PACE) Business Development Center
- Port of Los Angeles Trade Connect
- USC Gould School of Law- Small Business Clinic
Small Claims
- Free Small Claims Workshop
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)
- Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA)- Small Claims Advisors
- Small Claims: Where You Begin at LA Law Library
- Southwestern Law School- Small Claims Workshop and Clinic
Social Security
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA)
- Los Angeles Social Security Office
- Public Counsel - Federal Pro Se Clinic
Special Education Law
- Alliance for Children's Rights
- Learning Rights Law Center
- Mental Health Advocacy Services (MHAS)
- Public Counsel - Children's Rights Project
Student Loans
Tax Disputes
- Bet Tzedek Legal Services
- Chapman University Fowler School of Law - Tax Law Clinic
- Koreatown Youth+ Community Center
- Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law- Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Unemployment Insurance Appeals
Utility Assistance Programs
- California Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
- Southern California Edison Energy Savings Assistance Program
- The Gas Company
Veterans
- Bob Hope Patriotic Hall- Legal Clinics
- Cal Vet (California Department of Veterans Affairs)
- Inner City Law Center
- Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles' (LAFLA)- Veterans Justice Center
- Legal Programs for Military Families (LAMP)
- Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center
- Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
- Department of Military & Veterans Affairs, County of Los Angeles
- Public Counsel- Center for Veterans' Advancement
- UCLA School of Law- Veterans Clinic
- UCLA School of Law- Veterans Legal Clinic
Victims of Crime
- Los Angeles County District Attorney's Bureau of Victim Services
- Victim Compensation and Government Claims Bureau (State of California)
- Victims of Crime Resource Center- Pacific McGeorge School of Law
Workers' Compensation
- County of Los Angeles, Chief Executive Office (CEO)- Workers' Compensation
- State of California Department of Industrial Relations- Division of Workers' Compensation
- State of California Department of Industrial Relations- Los Angeles District Office
The self-help collection is designed for people doing their own legal research without the assistance of an attorney. It is an excellent starting point for people involved in lawsuits who don’t have attorneys (also called self-represented litigants) as well as people who are facing common legal problems and seeking answers to everyday legal questions.
Many of the books in the self-help collection are published by Nolo Press, a publisher of books for non-attorneys. The majority of the Library’s Nolo books are also available electronically at the LA Law Library through the Legal Information Reference Center database. The self-help collection is an excellent starting point for landlords and tenants, homeowners, small business owners, employees, pet owners, and those doing their own divorce, among others. The self-help collection also has books for those who are suing or being sued in small claims, California state courts or the federal courts. The self-help collection also includes a wide variety of pamphlets, referral sheets and publications provided by the California and Federal Courts, legal aid providers and social services agencies.
LA Law Library provides access to legal resources and information and assistance with legal research. LA Law Library does not provide legal advice. For legal advice, you must consult an attorney. The “Get Legal Help” section suggests some ways to start looking for an attorney if you need one and also has information about finding free or low-cost legal aid services for those who qualify. Every superior court in California also makes legal help available in family law and in small claims cases. Some superior courts can also help you with other legal issues. For more information on court-based services in Los Angeles County, including hours and locations, click here.
