Providing free civil legal services to low-income residents of Philadelphia since 1996

Lit Brothers Building

Photo credit: Maureen Olives

Welcome to Philadelphia Legal Assistance

For more than 20 years, Philadelphia Legal Assistance (PLA) has provided free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals and families in Philadelphia.

About 30% of the people in Philadelphia live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. For those who are low-income, elderly, or disabled, our legal assistance is often crucial for them to protect their homes, their children, their safety, and their livelihood. PLA is dedicated to helping those who cannot afford legal counsel navigate the legal system and understand and safeguard their rights.

On our web site you can learn about PLA, our advocates, our departments, the types of legal problems we handle, and how to get legal assistance.

COVID-19 Updates

Walk-in intake is closed because of the COVID-19 virus. PLA is continuing to provide services, but staff are working remotely. There are two ways you can apply for assistance:

Call us during our telephone intake hours; or
Fill out an on-line intake application.

Closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic are impacting access to unemployment compensation benefits. PLA is tracking developments in this area. Visit the Unemployment and COVID-19 page for more information.

Philadelphia’s Domestic Relations Court is physically closed, but filings can be made and proceedings are taking place remotely. Visit the Family Law during COVID-19 page for how to get help during court closures.

How do I apply for legal help?

Before you can become a client of PLA, you need to go through the "intake" process. Intake can take place in person or over the phone, during the designated intake hours. See our telephone intake hours for more information. You can also apply on-line using our on-line intake system:

News

Friday, November 20, 2020 — Community Resources during COVID-19

Wednesday, November 18, 2020 — Annual Report 2018-2019

Friday, October 30, 2020 — #RethinkCredibilty in Family Court

News from the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network

News from PALawHelp.org

Resources from other web sites

General legal information is available from PALawHelp.org.

Information about Utilities, Landlord-Tenant law, Language Access, and other areas of law is available from Community Legal Services.

Donate Now

As a non-profit, we rely on grants and gifts to fund our work. There are several ways you can donate to PLA. To make a donation right now, click:

Medical-Legal-Community Partnership

Since 2013, PLA has operated a Medical-Legal-Community Partnership (MLCP) in collaboration with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The MLCP is located at Health Center #3 and at Health Center #4 in West Philadelphia. The MLCP is an innovative service delivery model that brings together health care providers, legal advocates, social workers, and other healthcare staff to help individuals, families, and communities improve their health and quality of life. On the cutting edge of service delivery, the MLCP has many committed stakeholders across the City of Philadelphia, including leaders in the fields of public health, legal services, academia, and the private bar.

The MLCP is the recipient of grants from the Legal Services Corporation's Pro Bono Innovation Fund and the Philadelphia Health Partnership.

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