If you don’t qualify for a public defender due to financial eligibility or if you’re facing a legal issue that the Department of Public Defense doesn’t handle, several other legal resources and options are available to you.

Find these resources in Spanish.

Do you need to speak to an attorney? If so, call 2-1-1.

King County 2-1-1 provides the most comprehensive information on health and human services available to King County residents. The information and referral specialists at 2-1-1 can direct callers to appropriate legal services available to low-income residents. They can also direct callers to other needed services, including food, shelter, housing, rent and utility assistance, health care, family support, financial assistance and more.

The referral line is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

What will happen when people call 2-1-1 for legal help? 2-1-1 specialists are not lawyers and cannot provide legal advice. However, callers can expect to speak with a trained information and referral specialist who will collect demographic and income information, discuss their legal issue, and, if an appropriate legal resource is available, provide a referral.

People may also access the Crisis Center 211 website (external) for information on legal services and service providers.

Do you want to visit a free legal clinic? If so, attend a KCBA Neighborhood Legal Clinic.

The King County Bar Association Neighborhood Legal Clinics sponsors free Neighborhood Legal Clinics. Volunteer attorneys provide up to 30 minutes of free legal advice and consultation to King County residents at a variety of locations. Please see the website for details, times and locations.

Do you need legal information or self-help packets? If so, visit www.WashingtonLawhelp.org.

This site provides a wealth of information, suggested resources, printable self-help packets, videos and more on the following issues:

• Family law
• Housing
• Consumer issues and debt
• Protection from abuse
• Public benefits
• Senior issues

Other agencies that provide legal services

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)

Provides information, coaching, resource referrals and more.

(206) 624-2184 | www.aclu-wa.org

Attorney General’s Office

Offers help on consumer protection issues.

(800) 551-4636 (in-state) or (800) 833-6388 (hearing impaired). Call centers are open M-F, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

King County Dispute Resolution Center

Offers affordable mediation and conflict resolution services for individuals, families and businesses.

(206) 443-9603 (King County) or (888) 803-4696 (statewide) | www.kcdrc.org

Disability Rights Washington

Provides legal information for people with disabilities.

(206) 324-1521 (Local) or (800) 562-2702 (statewide) | www.disabilityrightswa.org

Innocence Project Northwest Clinic

Frees innocent people using DNA and other new evidence.

(206) 543-4550 | http://www.law.washington.edu/Clinics/IPNW/clients.aspx

King County Bar Association

Provides legal services to people facing evictions, landlord-tenant disputes, contested divorce, SSI issues and more.

(206) 267-7100 | www.kcba.org/pbs/

Legal Action Center (Catholic Community Services)

Provides free legal assistance to low-income people facing evictions, subsidy terminations, debtor/creditor issues and more.

(206) 324-6890 or (888) 649-6850 | www.ccsww.org

Legal Voice

Provides information and self-help materials for women facing family law issues, employment issues, violence, consumer debt and more.

(206) 682-9552 | www.legalvoice.org

Northwest Immigration Rights Project

Provides direct legal services to immigrants.

(206) 587-4009 or (800) 445-5771 (statewide) | www.nwirp.org

Northwest Justice Project

The state’s publicly funded legal aid program, it maintains WashingtonLawHelp (see above) and provides legal services in housing, health care, education and more.

(206) 464-1519 | www.nwjustice.org

Open Door Legal Services (Seattle Union Gospel Mission)

Provides legal services on criminal warrants, debts, court fines and relicensing, child support and visitation.

David Mace at (206) 682-4642 or dmace@ugm.org

Street Youth Legal Advocates of Washington

Provides information to homeless and at-risk youth in areas of housing, education, family law and more. It is volunteer-run and has no paid staff.

Email info@sylaw.org for information or help

TeamChild

Provides legal services for youth in need of help with housing, education, health care and more.

(206) 322-2444 | www.teamchild.org

The Unemployment Law Project

Provides legal services to people who have been denied unemployment benefits.

(206) 441-9178 or (888) 441-9178 | www.unemploymentlawproject.org

University of Washington Client Services

Free legal representation provided via several clinics, including a Federal Tax Clinic, a Mediation Clinic and more.

http://www.law.washington.edu/clinics/clients.aspx 

Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle

Provides information on housing, education, employment.

(206) 461-3792 | www.urbanleague.org

WSBA Moderate Means Program

Provides clients of moderate means facing family, consumer or housing law issue with lawyers at reduced fees. Offered by Washington State Bar Association.

Apply online: moderatemeans-intake.legalserver.org. Or call 855-741-6930