If you live in Houston and you can’t afford a private lawyer, you’re not alone. Many Houston-area residents rely on legal-aid and pro bono programs to handle important civil problems. This guide shows where to turn — fast — for legal help in Houston, what kinds of cases these organizations handle, how to contact them, and what to know if you reach out.

Major Legal Aid Organizations in Houston

Lone Star Legal Aid (Houston office)

Lone Star Legal Aid is one of the main providers of free civil-legal services for low-income people in Houston and throughout its service area.

• Who they help: Low-income individuals and families. Their Houston office serves Harris County residents.
• What cases they take: Civil matters — including housing issues (eviction, tenant rights, foreclosure defense), family law, public benefits, employment or income-stability issues, and other civil legal needs.
• How to contact: Visit their office at 1415 Fannin St., Houston, TX 77002; phone: (713) 652-0077 or toll-free 800-733-8394 for intake.
• Eligibility: Clients must meet financial/low-income eligibility criteria; typically civil (not criminal) matters.

Houston Volunteer Lawyers (HVL)

HVL is a large pro bono-lawyer network that connects eligible low-income residents of Harris County with volunteer private attorneys who handle civil matters for free or at reduced cost.

• Who they help: Low-income individuals and families in Houston/Harris County — sometimes including people who don’t qualify for other legal-aid programs.
• What cases they consider: Civil law matters — including housing (eviction, tenant-landlord disputes), family law, wills and estate planning, veterans’ issues, consumer or debt issues, and more.
• How to contact: Main contact number 713-228-0735; HVL uses an online questionnaire for intake.
• Eligibility & notes: Income eligibility is reviewed case-by-case. Volunteer attorneys may accept or decline cases; there is no guarantee — if after a few months no volunteer is found, the file may close.

Free or Low-Cost Clinics & Legal-Aid Hotlines in Houston

• Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) / TexasLawHelp — Provides free legal information, self-help guides, and form-assistance to eligible Texans. Good fallback if other programs are full or you need to start on your own.
• LegalLine, via Houston Volunteer Lawyers & the Houston Bar Association (HBA) — A free legal-advice hotline on certain evenings (first & third Wednesday each month), where callers can get answers and referrals from volunteer attorneys.
• Law-school legal clinics — e.g. South Texas College of Law Houston (STCL) Legal Clinics — These offer free or reduced-cost services by law students under licensed supervision, often handling family law, probate/estate, immigration, and tenant/landlord issues.
• Community-based and social-service partner programs — Some nonprofits partner with legal-aid groups to offer legal help to people facing homelessness, eviction, or benefit issues (e.g. programs appearing on county-legal-aid directories).

What Legal Aid in Houston Usually Doesn’t Handle

Even with these resources, there are common limits to what free or low-cost legal aid covers in Houston:

• Most legal aid & pro bono programs focus on **civil matters** — not criminal defense.
• Complex commercial lawsuits or high-value business litigation are usually not handled. Legal-aid organizations aim to support individuals and families, not corporations.
• Because demand is high and volunteers limited, many eligible people receive only partial help — advice, referrals, or self-help tools — rather than full representation. Especially through pro bono networks like HVL.
• Even accepted cases can take time — pro bono depends on volunteer availability, so there’s no guarantee.

Emergency & Urgent Legal Help in Houston

If you’re facing an urgent problem — eviction, unsafe housing, loss of income or benefits, or family-law emergencies — some services are more likely to help quickly:

• Call Lone Star Legal Aid or HVL immediately — for housing, eviction, or urgent civil-legal problems. They sometimes prioritize urgent matters.
• Use TLSC / TexasLawHelp.org for legal-information and self-help tools — if you need forms or guidance quickly and can’t wait for representation.
• Contact law-school clinics or hotlines — sometimes they offer quick intake or advice for family, eviction, or benefits-related emergencies.
• Explore community-based partner programs — such as homeless-services or social-service nonprofits that work with legal-aid groups to help people with eviction, benefit loss, or other urgent civil-legal issues.

How to Prepare Before You Call for Legal Aid in Houston

Gathering some documents and information ahead of time will help speed up your intake and improve your chance of getting help fast:

• Proof of income or benefits (pay stubs, tax forms, benefit award letters, unemployment or public-assistance documents)
• Housing or tenancy documents — lease agreements, eviction or notice letters, utility shut-off or water/heat code-violation notices
• Identification and household info — names of everyone living with you, ages, relationship, contact details, address
• Any relevant legal or administrative paperwork — debt-collection letters, benefit-denial letters, court or hearing notices, foreclosure or eviction filings, etc.
• Clear description of your problem and why you need help — deadlines, urgency, risk to housing, safety, income, or family stability

Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Free Legal Aid

• Self-help resources and legal-information websites — such as TexasLawHelp.org or TLSC, which provide free forms, guidance, and help materials.
• Reduced-cost or sliding-scale attorneys via referral services — contact the Houston Bar Association or use the Lawyer Referral Service when you don’t qualify for free aid.
• Law-school legal clinics — such as at South Texas College of Law Houston; law students supervised by licensed attorneys sometimes take cases for reduced or no cost.
• Nonprofit community organizations and social-service groups — some provide legal-help referrals, document assistance, or support for people facing housing, income, or benefit issues.

Key Takeaways

• Houston has several strong legal-aid and pro bono providers — including Lone Star Legal Aid and Houston Volunteer Lawyers — offering free or low-cost civil legal help to low-income residents.
• If you face serious issues like eviction, housing problems, benefits denial, debt, family law problems, or threats to your stability — there’s a real chance to get help.
• Even if you don’t qualify for full representation, you can often get legal advice, self-help tools, or referrals to limited-scope or reduced-cost lawyers.
• Be ready with documents, income information, and a clear description of your issue when you call — that helps legal-aid offices respond faster.