CONSUMER AND LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Many of our members volunteer their time and legal services to the community. The following organizations offer legal aid and other consumer services to those in need.

Are You Safe is a nonprofit organization that helps victims of domestic violence. It provides legal assistance such as help obtaining restraining orders and injunctions. For information, call (813) 997-7432 or visit their website.

Aging Solutions Inc. provides assistance to guardians for indigent wards of the state. The organization offers information on health care law as well as assistance to individuals who do not have an advocate. For information, call (813) 949-1888 or visit their website.

The Bankruptcy Court Legal Assistance Program helps low-income litigants in certain proceedings. For information, visit their website.

Bay Area Legal Services offers assistance with many legal issues such as foreclosures, family law and taxes. For information, call (813) 232-1343 or visit their website.

Consumer Protection Services of Hillsborough County gives free assistance for cases involving fraud, theft, deceptive business practices, and wage recovery. Note: no legal advice/assistance is dispensed. More information at (813) 635-8316 or click here.

The Family Forms Clinic is a free program offered by Bay Area Legal Services that uses volunteer attorneys to help people complete the paperwork involved in family law cases. For information, call (813) 864-2280.

The Federal Forms Litigation Project.  Call the Clerk's office of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida at (813) 301-5400 to set an appointment for a consultation with the legal information clinic.

Florida Rural Legal Services serves individuals in Polk County with landlord-tenant issues, evictions, social security overpayment, foreclosures and power of attorney. For information, call (863) 688-7376.

Guardiam ad Litem is a group of volunteers who are appointed by the Court to speak up for children who are victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment and are without legal representation. For information, call (813) 272-5110 or visit their website.

Gulf Coast Legal Services provides free legal assistance in areas such as foreclosure, elder law and immigration. For information, call (813) 490-9412 or visit their website.

The Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral & Information Service offers free 30-minute consultations on legal matters involving Social Security, disability, workers’ compensation, bankruptcy, foreclosure, labor law, personal injury and active-duty military. It also offers reduced-cost consultations in all other legal matters. For information, click here.

The Lemon Law Arbitration Division of the Attorney General’s Office hosts a hotline to help individuals with “Lemon Law” cases. For information, call 1-800-321-5366 or visit their website.

The Military & Veterans Affairs Committee Legal Assistance Registry includes attorneys who may be available to assist veterans and active-duty personnel. Attorney’s fee options may include a full fee arrangement, a sliding fee scale, a reduced rate, or a pro bono or no charge basis.

The Pro Bono Bankruptcy Clinic led by the Tampa Bay Bankruptcy Bar Association provides information and prepares documents for people who are representing themselves in bankruptcy court. For additional pro se assistance information, click here.

Project H.E.L.P. (Homeless Experience Legal Protection) provides free legal advice to Hillsborough County’s homeless. Legal consultations are available every Tuesday night. For information, call (813) 209-1200.

The Spring of Tampa Bay is the local domestic violence center. The Spring's services are confidential and free of charge. The 24-hour domestic violence hotline number is (813) 247-SAFE (7233).

St. Michael’s Legal Center helps low-income women and men who need assistance with family law cases. The center’s primary service is in the collection of child support for those who cannot afford to hire an attorney. For information, call (813) 289-5385.

St. Paul’s Catholic Legal Clinic offers free consultations on family law cases. For information, call (813) 961-3023.

Veterans Services of Hillsborough County provides accredited consultation and claim assistance for VA benefits to Veterans of all eras and their families at no charge. More information at (813) 635-8316 or click here.

The Victim Assistance Program of the State Attorney’s Office offers counseling to victims of crime. Counselors may also serve as liaisons between victims and law enforcement agencies. For information, call (813) 272-6472 or visit their website.

Wills for Heroes, a program supported by the Hillsborough County Bar Foundation, provides essential legal documents such as wills, health care advance directives and durable powers of attorney to Hillsborough County’s first responders and their spouses or domestic partners. For information, call (727) 471-0675.