Legal Aid in Mobile, AL: How to Get Help in Mobile County

If you’re looking for legal aid in Mobile, this guide walks you through real local resources — from full civil-legal aid to limited-scope clinics — that may help you even if you can’t afford a private attorney. Whether your issue is housing, family law, debt, benefits, or other civil matters, these are among the most reliable places to start.

Major legal aid organizations serving Mobile County

Legal Services Alabama (Mobile Office)

What they do: LSA provides free civil legal aid to low-income Alabamians in Mobile County and surrounding counties. Their services include help with housing (eviction, tenant rights, foreclosures), public benefits, family law (including domestic violence, custody, support, guardianship when eligible), consumer protection, elder-law matters, estate / heir-property issues, disaster relief, and more.

Who they help: Low-income individuals and families (clients must meet LSA’s income eligibility thresholds).

How to contact: Mobile office located at 104 St. Francis Street, Suite 700, Mobile, AL 36602. Local phone: 251-433-6560. Toll-free statewide: 1-866-456-4995 (English) or 1-888-835-3505 (Español).

South Alabama Volunteer Lawyers Program (SAVLP)

What they do: SAVLP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free civil-legal services and limited-scope aid (brief advice or representation) to eligible low-income residents of Mobile County (and nearby counties). They handle cases such as landlord/tenant issues (eviction, habitability), consumer/debt disputes, family law (uncontested divorce, custody/visitation, support, adoption, paternity), small-claims, basic wills/estate in some cases, and other civil matters.

Who they help: Low-income individuals/families at or below 125% of federal poverty level in Mobile, Baldwin, Clarke, and Washington Counties.

How to contact: Office: 56 St. Joseph Street, Suite 312, Mobile, AL 36602. Main client phone: 251-438-1102 (or toll-free 1-855-997-2857). Email: info@savlp.org. For civil-legal advice clinics: drop-in at 205 Government Street, 4th Floor (Government Plaza) — typically held the second Thursday of each month from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. — but you need to sign in starting at ~12:30 p.m. Bring all related documents.

Free or low-cost clinics, hotlines & referral services in Mobile

• Monthly limited legal-advice clinics (SAVLP): As described above — a chance to meet a volunteer attorney for brief advice, even if they can’t commit to full representation. Useful for tenancy issues, debt, custody/support, small claims, basic family law, debt problems, etc.
• Statewide self-help and legal-info site: AlabamaLegalHelp.org — a project of LSA, offering plain-language legal guides, self-help forms, and a directory of local aid offices (including Mobile). Good for people who need to understand their rights or attempt a DIY filing before or instead of seeking full representation.
• Referral to private attorneys (when unpaid aid isn’t possible): The Alabama State Bar’s Volunteer Lawyers Program and referral service helps people find private attorneys willing to consult or take cases at sliding-scale or reduced cost if they don’t qualify for free aid.

What these providers typically don’t handle

LSA and SAVLP focus on civil legal issues for low-income clients. That means many matters are often excluded, such as: criminal defense (unless court-appointed), complex business or commercial litigation, high-fee personal-injury cases, and other specialized legal disputes. If your case is outside typical civil-aid scope, you may need a private attorney via referral.

When to seek emergency or urgent legal help

• Eviction, unlawful lockout, unsafe housing or landlord harassment: Contact SAVLP (251-438-1102) or LSA (251-433-6560) immediately. If it's near a court date or housing enforcement, bring your eviction notice or lease and any relevant communications when you call or go in.
• Domestic violence, unstable family-law issues, custody support, or urgent child-welfare problems: If you qualify for LSA or SAVLP, reach out right away. Even if full representation isn’t available, you may get advice or a referral. SAVLP can handle custody/visitation/support and certain family-law issues for eligible clients.
• Debt collection, garnishment threats, consumer-fraud, repossession, or relief after disaster damage (housing, insurance issues): LSA may be able to help if you meet income eligibility; contact their Mobile office and explain your urgency.

How to prepare before you call or apply

1. Gather all relevant paperwork: leases or rental agreements, eviction or notice letters, court filings, debt notices or collection letters, benefit or public-assistance letters, IDs, income documents, and anything else related to your issue.
2. Write a timeline: note key dates — when problems started, when notices were given, when hearings or deadlines are scheduled. Helps intake staff quickly understand urgency.
3. Have household and income info ready: number of people in home, monthly income, benefits status — many programs screen eligibility based on these factors.
4. Be ready to explain clearly what you need: e.g. “I need help responding to an eviction,” “I want custody support,” “I have mounting debts,” etc. Be concise and factual.
5. Bring all documents to appointments/clinics: For SAVLP clinic-style sessions, you need to bring lease, notices, judgments, notices of eviction, debt letters — anything relevant to the case.

Alternatives if you don’t qualify for free legal aid

• Private attorneys via referral: Contact the Alabama State Bar’s referral service to find attorneys willing to take your case for a fee or limited-scope help. This is especially useful for business disputes, complex litigation, or cases outside civil-aid scope.
• Self-help tools and DIY resources: Use AlabamaLegalHelp.org to access plain-language guides and free forms — helpful if you need to handle simple legal matters on your own.

Conclusion: where to start in Mobile

If you need free or low-cost legal help in Mobile County, start with SAVLP — call 251-438-1102 for intake or visit their monthly legal-advice clinic. If you qualify for full representation, call LSA Mobile office at 251-433-6560 (or toll-free 1-866-456-4995) to apply. Gather all relevant documents and information before you call to help speed up intake. And if free aid isn’t available, consider using the Alabama State Bar referral service or self-help resources on AlabamaLegalHelp.org.