Free Legal Aid in Long Island

Last updated: September 27, 2013

Long Island is about more than just iced tea, parkways, and the characters we inspire on television. It's not the reluctant home of the "bridge and tunnel" crowd: it's a community, and a thriving one at that. As such, Long Island has many organizations and attorneys whose mission is to help our fellow citizens by providing free or low cost legal services. Whether in Nassau or Suffolk county, there are plenty of resources to help you with your legal fight. Here is a guide on how to get started and how to find the various forms of aid available to you.

Starting Out

When you're just starting out looking for assistance with your legal issues, there are several places you can begin. For the best use of your time, it might be helpful to begin your quest with either the courts or the Nassau-Suffolk Law Services Committee.

The courts on Long Island have many resources in place to help pro se litigants--people representing themselves. Information for all New York sate courts is available online at www.nycourts.gov/courthelp/. You'll find do-it-yourself forms, answers to law questions, and more. Visit FindLaw for a description of Nassau County courthouses and Suffolk County courthouses.

Nassau-Suffolk Law Services Committee is another great resource for starting out because its a large organization. This group features a wide range of legal services including direct representation (where a lawyer is assigned to your case), counseling and information, self-help materials, and referrals to other support agencies. NSLS covers many areas of the law including landlord-tenant, domestic violence, disability rights, foreclosures, and more. Visit the NSLS website for more informaiton