If you live in Miami-Dade County and can’t afford a private lawyer, there are nonprofit and volunteer-lawyer groups ready to help. This guide shows where to turn — what legal issues they handle, how to contact them, and how to get started.
Major Legal Aid Organizations in Miami
Legal Services of Greater Miami (LSGM)
- Who they help: Low-income individuals, families, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities — residents of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.
- What cases they take: A wide range of civil-law issues: housing (tenants’ rights, eviction defense), public benefits, consumer/debt problems, employment and wage-theft, elder/ disability law, veteran services, family law, small-business or nonprofit support, and others.
- How to contact: Office at 4343 West Flagler Street, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33134. Phone: (305) 576-0080. Intake by phone, online application, or limited in-person hours.
Dade Legal Aid (DLA / Put Something Back Pro Bono Project)
- Who they help: Low-income residents, children and families, foster youth, survivors of domestic violence, and others in need of civil legal help in Miami-Dade County.
- What cases they take: Family law (divorce, custody, name change), domestic-violence protective orders, child advocacy / guardianship, housing/tenant issues including eviction and mortgage foreclosure, consumer/debt, bankruptcy, probate/wills, small claims, and other civil matters.
- How to contact: Call (305) 579-5733 to begin intake or complete their online application.
Free or Low-Cost Clinics & Self-Help Resources in Miami
- Online & Virtual Help — Florida Free Legal Answers: submit civil-law questions (housing, benefits, debt, employment, consumer, etc.) online and get free answers from volunteer attorneys.
- Tenant/Housing Help & Eviction Defense Programs — Through LSGM and community partners under the local eviction-diversion efforts; useful if you’ve received an eviction notice or face displacement.
- Self-help guides & legal-forms libraries — LSGM links to statewide resources (via Florida Law Help) for fact sheets, court forms, and do-it-yourself help (eviction responses, small claims, benefit appeals, etc.).
- Pro Bono & Modest-Means Referrals — Through the Put Something Back program, volunteer-attorney networks, or bar-association referrals when full-service legal aid isn’t available.
What Legal Aid in Miami Usually Doesn’t Handle
- Criminal defense for serious criminal cases — Most of these organizations focus on civil law: housing, benefits, family law, debt, consumer protection.
- Large commercial or high-value business litigation — Free aid is intended for individuals, low-income families, seniors — not corporations or big-business disputes.
- Guaranteed representation — especially non-urgent or complex cases — Because demand is high and resources limited, some eligible clients may receive advice, self-help materials, or referrals rather than full representation.
Emergency & Urgent Legal Help in Miami
If you’re facing urgent problems — eviction, housing instability, unsafe living conditions, domestic violence, loss of benefits, wage theft, or consumer/debt emergencies — act quickly. These services may get prioritized or faster help:
- Contact Legal Services of Greater Miami or Dade Legal Aid as soon as possible — for eviction defense, protection orders, housing emergencies, benefit or debt crises, and other urgent civil matters.
- Use Florida Free Legal Answers for quick online guidance — Good for getting basic rights info, next-step guidance, or help preparing paperwork when you can’t immediately get full representation.
- Access self-help resources and eviction-response guides while you await intake — This can help you meet deadlines, file responses, or organize relevant documentation.
How to Prepare Before You Call for Legal Aid in Miami
- Gather proof of income or public benefits — pay stubs, benefit letters, social-security or unemployment records — since eligibility for free aid is often based on financial need.
- Collect documents relevant to your issue — rental agreement or lease, eviction or landlord notices, foreclosure or mortgage paperwork, utility shut-off or housing-condition letters, benefit-denial letters, debt-collection notices, employment or wage-theft documents, court papers, etc.
- Have household and personal info ready — number of people in household, dependents, ages, veteran status or disability (if relevant), contact information. This helps legal-aid staff assess eligibility and urgency.
- If there’s a deadline — court hearing date, eviction hearing, benefit cut-off, utility shut-off — note it and mention it when you call. Urgency often means higher priority.
- Prepare a clear, simple summary of your situation — what happened, when, who’s involved, and what outcome you need (housing stability, benefits, debt relief, family safety, etc.). Clear info helps intake staff decide quickly whether they can help.
Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Full Free Legal Aid
- Pro bono or modest-means attorney referrals (via Put Something Back or bar-association referral services) — Volunteer or low-fee attorneys sometimes take civil-law cases for people with modest means when legal-aid programs are full.
- Self-help tools & legal-forms libraries via Florida Law Help and LSGM — Useful if you need to represent yourself (pro se) for housing, eviction response, small claims, benefit appeals, debt, or consumer issues.
- Online legal-advice clinics — Florida Free Legal Answers offers a way to get civil-law advice from volunteer attorneys even if you don’t qualify for full representation.
- Community tenant/advocacy organizations & eviction-prevention groups — For example, tenant-rights groups or community-organizing centers may offer legal info, resources, or referrals when eviction or housing instability is involved.
Key Takeaways
- Miami-Dade County has a robust civil-legal aid infrastructure — with Legal Services of Greater Miami and Dade Legal Aid as main providers for low-income, vulnerable, and marginalized residents.
- If you face urgent civil-law issues — eviction, housing problems, benefit denial, domestic violence, wage theft, debt or consumer issues — you have viable options for free or low-cost legal help, or at least guidance and paperwork support.
- If full representation isn’t available — self-help resources, online clinics, pro bono attorneys, and community-organizing resources remain valuable alternatives to help you move forward.
- Before calling: be ready with income proof, any relevant documents, household info, deadlines, and a simple summary of your issue — that makes it easier for legal-aid staff to assess quickly and help you.