What does pro bono actually mean?
Understand volunteer legal services, the difference from legal aid, and the questions to ask about costs and representation.
Read the guideFree legal help, explained.
Know your options.
Find your
next step.
Understand pro bono services, prepare a clear request, and make the most of the help available.
Find your starting point10 practical guides · U.S. civil legal matters
Good preparation
starts with one question.?
starts with one question.?
A little clarity goes a long way
Where are you
in the process?
Start with the question on your mind.
Each guide ends with a short preparation checklist.
Understand
the options.
Learn what free legal help can mean and where to look.
Find a useful place to ask
Narrow your search by location, type of legal problem and the help you need, then verify the programme before applying.
Read the guidePrepare
your request.
Make the facts, documents and urgency clear.
How eligibility is assessed
Prepare for a programme’s screening questions without assuming that one income figure determines every application.
Read the guideBuild a clear application
Create a short timeline, gather the most relevant papers and explain the help you need in a focused intake request.
Read the guideAdvertisement
Sponsored resources
No sponsored listings at this time.
Use the
support.
Understand the service and what happens after it.
Make a short advice session count
Choose a focused question, prepare the essential facts and leave with a clear account of what the advice session covered.
Read the guideHelp with one part of the case
Understand how a defined legal task differs from full representation and keep responsibility for the remaining work clear.
Read the guideStart with
the issue.
Housing and family matters often need prompt attention.
When your housing is at risk
Make the notice, dates and housing records easy to review when asking a local legal aid or pro bono programme for help.
Read the guidePreparing a family-law request
Explain existing orders, children’s arrangements, safety concerns and the immediate decision when seeking family-law assistance.
Read the guideKeep the next
step clear.
Know the roles, responsibilities and follow-up.
Court help and fee waivers
Learn what to ask a court information service and why a fee-waiver request is separate from obtaining a lawyer.
Read the guideWorking together after acceptance
Set practical expectations for updates, document sharing, decisions and the end of a volunteer legal assignment.
Read the guideAbout this resource
Useful questions.
Clear expectations.
Finding help can involve more than one conversation. This collection explains the different kinds of support and helps you prepare for those conversations.
We name the public and professional sources behind each guide. State-specific examples are identified, and we do not promise a lawyer, acceptance into a programme, or a particular result.
Start with what pro bono means