Find a Lawyer

Use the Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder if you are looking for a free lawyer for a civil (non-criminal) case. You must live or have a legal problem in Massachusetts to use this tool.

The Legal Resource Finder will give you contact information for places that can give you legal information and help, including:

• legal aid programs and nonprofits, 
• court and government services,
• phone helplines, 
• in-person legal clinics, and
• private lawyer referral services.

If you are low-income and live or have a civil legal problem in Massachusetts, you can get free legal advice from a volunteer lawyer online through a secure and private website. 

Go to Mass Legal Answers Online to learn more.

Not everyone is financially eligible for a free lawyer from legal aid. Also, legal aid doesn’t have enough lawyers to take every case.

If you have some money to hire a lawyer, you can contact a Lawyer Referral Service to get a referral to specific lawyers who handle your type of legal issue.

• Some lawyers have lower rates for people with lower income. 
• There are some kinds of cases where you only have to pay the lawyer if you win, such as personal injury, workers’ compensation, and discrimination cases.
• Other times, the other side might have to pay your lawyer's fees if you win.
• Sometimes, you can hire a lawyer for part of your case and handle the other parts yourself. This is called Limited Assistance.

If you cannot afford a lawyer, the court may appoint you one from the Committee for Public Counsel Services in certain types of cases. These include: criminal, delinquency, youthful offender, child welfare, mental health, sexually dangerous person, and sex offender registry cases.

If you are not eligible for a court appointed lawyer, you can use a Lawyer Referral Service to find a private lawyer to hire.

The Massachusetts Trial Court law librarians can help all Massachusetts residents find legal information. You can reach them by email, phone, chat, and Zoom.

If you need someone to help you make a decision or tell you the best way to solve your legal problem, you need a lawyer. Law librarians cannot advise you about what you should do. But they can help you find the laws you need.

Court Service Centers help people fill out legal forms, learn about court procedures, and find other resources. They are open in-person at 7 courthouses, by phone, and online. They help with issues like:

• Family Court matters (except joint petitions for divorce and adoptions)
• Landlord/Tenant problems
• Restraining Orders
• Voluntary Administration
• Guardianships
• and more.

Learn more on the Court Service Center website.

On the first Wednesday of the month, between 5:30 and 7:30 PM, you can call volunteer lawyers and get free legal information and advice. Learn more at the Mass Bar Association.