Organizations Providing Topic-Specific or Group-Specific Civil Legal Assistance
The following organizations specialize in a particular area of the law (like landlord/tenant or consumer) or serve a particular type of client (like people with HIV/AIDS or immigrants). Each organization makes its own choices about the types of cases it handles and its eligibility requirements, and these can change over time.
1. AIDS/HIV
AIDS Action Committee
294 Washington Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
617-437-6200
617-437-1394 (TTY)
HIV Hotline: 800-235-2331/617-437-1672 (TTY)
HEP-C Hotline: 888-443-4372/617-437-1672 (TTY)
E-mail/web: www.aac.org
Service Area: Greater Boston
Cases Handled:
> Estate planning, guardianship, bankruptcy
> Advice on applying for public benefits and health coverage
> Social services for people with HIV/AIDS
Hale and Dorr Legal Services Center AIDS Law Clinic
(Formerly known as Legal Services Center)
122 Boylston Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
617-390-2500
617-522-0715 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.law.harvard.edu/academics/clinica/lsc
Cases Handled:
> General civil legal services for people with HIV/AIDS
> Bankruptcy, estate planning, wills and trusts
2. ARTISTS
Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts of Massachusetts, Inc.
249 A Street, Studio 14, Boston, MA 02210
617-350-7600 or 1-800-864-0476
617-350-7610 (fax)
617-350-7600 (TTY)
E-mail/web: www.mail@vlama.org Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Handles arts-related legal problems for artists and arts organizations, including contracts, copyright law, trademark, first amendment, not-for-profit corporations, consignment of fine art, live/work space
3. CHILDREN
Children’s Law Center of Massachusetts
298 Union Street, 2nd Floor, P.O. Box 710, Lynn, MA 01903
781-581-1977 or 888-KIDLAW8
Service Area: Essex, Middlesex and N. Suffolk Counties
Cases Handled:
> DSS custody
> Guardianship
> School and special education issues
> Abuse and neglect
> CHINS
> Mental health
> Delinquency
> SSI for disabled children
Disability Law Center Educational Services for Institutionalized Youth Project
11 Beacon Street, Suite 925, Boston, MA 02108
617-723-8455
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Access to education for youth in mental health, DYS and correctional facilities
Massachusetts Advocates for Children
100 Boylston Street, Suite 200, Boston, MA 02116-4610
617-357-8431 ext 224 or 0
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Special education and school expulsion and suspension
4. FAMILY LAW
Casa Myrna Vazquez, Inc.
P.O. Box 180019, Boston, MA 02118
800-992-2600 or Safelink at 877-785-2020
Both lines are accessible 24 hours a day.
617-521-0146 (Legal Department)
877-521-2601 (TTY)
E-mail/web: www.casamyrna.org
Service Area: Greater Boston
Cases Handled: 209A and family law issues for victims of domestic violence
Child Support Enforcement Division/Massachusetts Department of Revenue
800-332-2733
800-255-5587 (TDD)
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Obtaining and enforcing child support orders and establishing paternity for custodial parents of minor children
Help for Abused Women and Their Children (HAWC)
27 Congress Street, Salem, MA 01970
978-744-8552
978-745-6886 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.helpabusedwomen.org
Cases Handled: Referrals to Neighborhood Legal Services panel and to HAWC’s own panel for victims of domestic violence in divorce, custody and abuse cases
Independence House
160 Bassett Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601
508-771-6507
508-778-0143 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.indhouse@indhouse.net
Cases Handled: Family law cases for victims of domestic violence
New England Learning Center for Women in Transition
10 Park Street, Greenfield, MA 01301
413-772-0871
413-772-2743 (fax)
413-772-0806 (hotline)
Cases Handled: Legal, housing and welfare advocacy for victims of domestic violence
RESPOND, Inc.
P.O. Box 555, Somerville, MA 02143
617-623-5900 781-324-2221
617-623-4377 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.respondinc.org; info@respondinc.org
Cases Handled: Paralegals provide legal and social service advocacy for victims of domestic violence
Women’s Bar Foundation/Family Law Project for Battered Women
18 Tremont Street, Suite 730, Boston, MA 02108
617-589-9420
617-973-6663 (fax)
Service Area: Statewide, including non-residents of Massachusetts who have family law issues in Massachusetts
Cases Handled: Referrals and/or limited legal advice or assistance for victims of domestic violence in family law matters, including restraining orders, divorce, custody, support, modifications, contempts and visitation
Women’s Crisis Center, Inc.
2 Harris Street, Newburyport, MA 01950
978-465-0999
978-465-7158 (fax)
5 Market Sq., Amesbury, MA 01913
978-834-9710
978-834-0825 (fax)
Service Area: Northern Essex County
Cases Handled: Domestic Violence Legal Advocacy Project provides representation to victims of domestic violence in contested family law and restraining order cases
Y.M.C.A./Daybreak Resources for Women & Children
P.O. Box 3093, Worcester, MA 01613-3093
508-755-5371
508-767-1301 (fax)
Cases Handled: Advocates provide assistance to victims of domestic violence in 209A restraining order cases.
5. CIVIL RIGHTS/CIVIL LIBERTIES
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Massachusetts (ACLUFM)
99 Chauncy Street, Suite 310, Boston, MA 02111
617-482-3170
617-451-0009 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.aclu-mass.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Civil rights and civil liberties, including issues such as free speech, privacy, due process, reproductive rights, police misconduct
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL) of the Boston Bar Assn.
294 Washington Street, Suite 443, Boston, MA 02108
617-482-1145
617-482-4392 (fax)
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Legal assistance to people whose rights may have been violated based on ethnic or racial discrimination
Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, Inc.
8 Winter Street, Suite 402, Boston, MA 02108
617-482-8686
617-482-9111 (fax)
E-mail/web: Massachusetts@appleseeds.net Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Matters involving equal access to educational, economic and health services and equal access to the courts
6. CONSUMER
Attorney General’s Elder Hotline
888-AG-ELDER (888-243-5337)
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information and referrals for elders regarding health insurance, Medicare, telemarketing fraud and home improvement scams
Attorney General’s Insurance Hotline
888-830-6277
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information regarding health, dental, disability, death, property, travel and credit insurance, including referrals to government agencies and mediation where appropriate
Attorney General’s Wage Hotline
617-727-3465
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Investigates and resolves cases related to wage and hour violations and minimum wage violations
Bentley Consumer Action Line
800-273-9494
781-891-2153 (Out of State)
Service Area: Attleboro, Brockton, Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, Easton, Mansfield, Norton, Raynham, Taunton and West Bridgewater
Cases Handled: Help negotiating a settlement in consumer disputes
Consumer Credit Counseling Service
800-208-2227
Boston: 617-426-6644
Springfield: 413-788-6106
Worcester: 508-795-1444
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Advice, referral and counseling on debt management, mortgage defaults and pre-purchase housing counseling
Consumer Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General
617-727-8400
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Investigates and resolves complaints regarding consumer fraud
Massachusetts Executive Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation
617-973-8700 or 888-283-3757
E-mail/web: www.state.ma.us/consumer
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information and self-help material on lemon law, tenant’s rights and other consumer issues; lemon law arbitration; home improvement contractor arbitration; wireless mediation; Do Not Call Registry
Small Claims Advisory Service
617-467-5690 (main line)
E-mail/web: www.massmallclaims.org; scas@hcs.harvard.edu
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information and assistance on small claims cases.
State Government Citizen Information Service
617-727-7030 or 800-382-6090
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information on consumer affairs, employment, environment, legislation, taxes, how to reach elected officials, starting a small business, obtaining a license
7. DISABILITIES/MENTAL HEALTH/HEALTH
Center for Public Representation
246 Walnut Street, Newton, MA 02160
617-965-0776
617-928-0971 (fax)
22 Green Street, Northampton, MA 01060
413-587-6265
413-586-5711 (fax)
413-586-6024 (TTY)
E-mail/web: www.centerforpublicrep.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Inpatient and outpatient mental health and retardation services, conditions of confinement, discrimination, access to disability support services, civil commitment, nursing facilities, juvenile justice and children’s mental health services
Department of Justice-ADA Information Line
800-514-0301
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information on how to file complaints under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Disability Advocacy Clinic
Suffolk University Law School
120 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108
617-573-8100
Service Area: Middlesex and Suffolk counties
Cases Handled: Disability and health law; social security, MassHealth, special education, discrimination
Disability Law Center
Boston: 617-723-8455, 800-872-9992, 800-381-0577
617-227-9464 (TTY)
Northampton: 413-584-6337 or 800-222-5619
413-582-6919 (TTY)
E-mail/web: mail@dlc-ma.org; www.dlc-ma.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information and referral, advice and legal representation for people with disabilities who have disability-related legal issues
Executive Office of Elder Affairs
800-AGE-INFO (800/243/4636)
800-872-0166 (TTY)
E-mail/web: www.800ageinfo.com
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Counseling and information on heath insurance for Medicare beneficiaries
Health Care for All
Help line: 800-272-4232
617-350-7279
617-350-0974 (TTY)
617-451-5838 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.hcfama.org
Service Area: Nationwide
Cases Handled: Advice on health care options and health insurance rights, information and referrals for appropriate health care programs
Health Law Advocates
617-338-5241
E-mail/web: www.hla-inc.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Legal advice and representation for legal problems with physical and mental health care and/or health insurance. Affiliated with Health Care for All
Medicare Advocacy Project (MAP)
800-323-3205
Service Area: Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk and Suffolk counties
Cases Handled: Medicare issues for Medicare-eligible clients
Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee
617-338-2345, ext. 20 or 800-342-9092
617-338-2347 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.state.ma.us/mhlac
Cases Handled: Advice, referrals and direct representation regarding treatment issues at facilities; insurance issues; custody, visitation, guardianship and paternity; public disability benefits; housing; legal rights of mental health patients and their families
Statewide Head Injury Program
617-204-3852 or 800-223-2559
E-mail/web: www.mass.gov/mrc/ship/
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information and referral for Massachusetts residents with documented traumatic brain injury and their families
8. DISCRIMINATION
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
30 Winter Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02108
617-426-1350 or 800-455-GLAD
E-mail/web: www.glad.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Legal information and referrals to private attorney; representation on civil rights issues related to sexual orientation, HIV/AIDS, gender identity and expression
Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD)
1 Ashburton Place, Sixth Floor, Room 601, Boston, MA 02108
617-994-6000
E-mail/web: www.state.ma.us/mcad
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Investigates complaints of discrimination in credit, housing, public accommodation, employment and education.
9. ELDERS
Attorney General’s Elder-Hotline
888-AG-ELDER (888-243-5337)
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Information and referrals on health insurance, Medicare, telemarketing fraud and home improvement scams
Executive Office of Elder Affairs Elder Abuse Hotline:
800-922-2275
Nationwide: 800-243-4636
Boston: 617-727-7750
800-872-0166 (TTY)
E-mail/web: www.ma-elderaffairs.org
Service Area: Nationwide
Cases Handled: Information on prescription drug assistance, care giving, community resources, homecare, housing/assisted living facilities, legal issues
Homeowner Options for Massachusetts Elders (H.O.M.E.)
617-451-0680
800-583-5337
E-mail/web: www.home-ma.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Provides counseling on financial and homeownership issues for successful aging in place to low and moderate income homeowners.
Medicare Advocacy Project
800-323-3205
See listing in Disability section
Elder Abuse Reporting
Elder Protective Services: 800-922-2275
ETHOS: 617-522-6700 (please ask for Elders at Risk)
Somerville/Cambridge Area Elder Services: 617-628-2601
Service Area: Statewide
10. HOUSING
Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee
617-868-2900
Service Area: Cambridge Residents Only
Cases Handled: Representation for public housing tenants. General advice and assistance with paperwork for tenants
Community Action Agency of Somerville
66-70 Union Square, Somerville, MA 02143
617-623-7370
Service Area: Somerville only
Cases Handled: Helps tenants with eviction defense
Homeowner Options for Massachusetts Elders (H.O.M.E.)
617-451-0680
800-583-5337
See listing in Elders section.
Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing and Homelessness
16 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108
617-723-0885
617-778-1981 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.lawyersclearinghouse.org
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Legal services to individual guests of the Pine Street Inn, St. Francis House and the Shattuck Shelter in Boston as well as a range of legal services for non-profit organizations
Mass Executive Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation
617-727-7780
See listing in Consumer section.
Somerville Community Corporation
617-776-5931
Service Area: Somerville only
Cases Handled: Housing search and mediation of landlord/tenant dispute
Tenant Advocacy Project
Austin Hall 009, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA 02138
617-495-4394
617-496-2294 (fax)
Service Area: Arlington, Belmont, Boston, Braintree, Brighton, Brookline, Cambridge, Charlestown, Chelsea, Dorchester, Everett, Hyde Park, Jamaica Plain, Lexington, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Milton, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Roxbury, Somerville, South Boston, Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Winchester, Winthrop and Woburn
Cases Handled: General advice and representation for public housing tenants in evictions, application denials, reasonable accommodation requests, transfer denials, subsidy terminations for subsidies administered by housing authorities
11. IMMIGRATION
Catholic Charitable Bureau of Boston
617-451-7979 (ask for Immigration Dept)
Service Area: Greater Boston area
Cases Handled: Immigration applications and representation in Immigration Court. Walk-in clinic for consultations and advice
Centro Presente
54 Essex Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
617-497-9080
E-mail/web: www.cpresente.org
Cases Handled: Legal representation and referrals
International Institute of Boston
1 Milk Street, Boston, MA 02109
617-695-9990
E-mail/web: www.iiboston.org
Cases Handled: Legal clinic for citizenship and permanent residence applications
12. PRISONERS’ RIGHTS
Aid to Incarcerated Mothers (AIM)
434 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 503, P.O. Box 180476, Boston, MA 02118
617.536.0058
617.536.0279 (fax)
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Provides legal assistance to women incarcerated at MCI Framingham and their children in custody, divorce, guardianship and Chapter 210 cases, living wills for women with HIV/AIDS
Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services (MCLS)
8 Winter Street, 11th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
617.482.2773
617.451.6383 (fax)
617.482.4124 (collect)
800.882.1413 (WATS)
Service Area: Statewide
Cases Handled: Legal services in the areas of health and mental health care, guard-onprisoner violence, physical conditions of confinement, and segregation and isolation for people in Massachusetts prisons and jails
13. TAXES
Bentley Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
781-891-2083
E-mail/web: www.ecampus.bentley.edu/dept/bslc.blitc.index.html
Service Area: Greater Boston and surrounding areas
Cases Handled: Advice, counseling and representation before the IRS for low income tax payers and tax payers with limited English proficiency
GBLS Income Tax Clinic Project
197 Friend Street, Boston, MA 02114
617-371-1234 or 800-323-3205
617-371-1228 (TTY)
617-371-1222 (fax)
E-mail/web: www.gbls.org
Service Area: See Greater Boston Legal Services
Cases Handled: Tax assistance and representation for low income taxpayers who are immigrant workers or have limited English proficiency
