Civil Legal Aid Providers

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) helps low-income immigrants improve their legal status and works for more just and humane laws and policies affecting immigrants through direct legal services, community education, and systemic advocacy. Whether through self-help education or full legal representation in complex cases, ILAP helps people receive fair treatment under the law. With ILAP’s assistance, every year more than 3,000 individuals in all 16 counties find safety from violence and persecution, keep their families together, and fully participate in our communities and economy.

Since 1974 Legal Services for Maine Elders (LSE) has existed to protect the rights of older Mainers by providing residents 60 and older with high quality legal services when their basic human needs are at stake. In addition, LSE advocates for people facing challenges accessing Medicare benefits. Last year, nearly 4,000 older Mainers relied on LSE for free legal assistance in approximately 4,800 cases involving a broad range of civil problems.

The mission of Maine Law Clinical Programs is to train the next generation of lawyers by promoting access to justice while meeting the acute needs of vulnerable communities. The Clinics provide free legal aid services to over 600 low-income individuals and families annually through its six programs, which include the General Practice Clinic, the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, the Rural Practice Clinic, the Prisoner Assistance Clinic, the Protection from Abuse Program, and the Youth Justice Clinic.

Maine Equal Justice (MEJ) aims to ensure economic security for all by advocating for fair public policies, providing direct legal services, and partnering with low-income communities and agencies through outreach, organizing, and education. MEJ focuses its work on many of the issues that affect people’s daily lives–access to adequate health care, housing, transportation and childcare; food and income security; and higher education and training.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance (PTLA) provides free civil legal assistance in cases where it can make a difference in one’s ability to meet one’s basic human needs or in enforcing one’s basic human rights, including access to housing, food, income, safety, education, and healthcare. The legal staff at PTLA serves approximately 18,000 clients per year statewide, including nearly 6,500 children. A pioneer in online legal information and self-help tools, the PTLA website averages more than 1.5 million pageviews annually.

The Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) connects dedicated volunteer attorneys with individuals needing legal assistance with civil matters, ensuring equal access to justice. VLP attorneys provide free legal information, advice, and representation to Mainers with low incomes who have civil legal problems. VLP recruits, trains, manages, and supports the volunteer attorney and community members who provide help to more than 2,000 individuals across Maine.