Programs offer free legal advice to qualifying low-income clients
The information in this column is intended to provide a general understanding of the law, not as legal advice. Readers with legal problems, including those whose questions are addressed here, should consult attorneys for advice on their particular circumstances.
Q: You are always telling your readers to hire a lawyer. What about someone like me who can’t afford a lawyer? What can I do?
A: Options are available.
Lone Star Legal Aid is a nonprofit organization that provides a range of free legal services to residents of Texas who fall below certain income and asset levels. You can reach Lone Star Legal Aid at 713-652-0077 (800-7338394 outside the Houston area) to find out what it does, but if you have access to a computer it would be better to visit its website, www.lonestarlegal.org, to learn about the types of legal services it offers.
The Houston Bar Association has a program called Houston Volunteer Lawyers that also provides free legal representation to persons with limited assets and incomes. Its phone number is 713-228- 0732, but as with Lone Star Legal Aid, you should if possible start by checking out the website, www.makejusticehappen.org.
The Houston Volunteer Lawyers hold clinics and legal lines where you can call in and ask an attorney questions for free. For instance, next week is National Pro Bono Week, and the volunteer lawyers are offering a number of programs covering different areas of the law. They are offering a family law call-in on Oct. 28 and a self-help divorce clinic on Oct. 30.
They also cover tax law and veterans’ affairs. Some of these programs can be accessed simply by making a call during specified call-in times, but others require you to apply beforehand so that you can be screened in advance to determine whether you qualify.
Q: My problem is with a lawyer I hired. I paid $2,500 to fix a mistake on two approved immigration applications, but so far he has done nothing, and he has refused to refund my money and return the file with all my information. What can I do?
A: You should contact the State Bar of Texas, which oversees and regulates lawyers in Texas, and explore the possibility of filing a grievance against the attorney.
You can call the State Bar at 800-932-1900 or visit its website, www.texasbar.com — click on “For the public” and then on “Problems with an attorney.” You will then reach a screen that discusses the process of filing a griev- ance against an attorney.
The State Bar may not be able to help you resolve a fee dispute with the lawyer, but it does provide a link to local bar associations that might be able to help you get some of your money back.