Legal Aid in Orlando: Where to Get Free or Low-Cost Legal Help

If you live in Orlando or Orange County and can’t afford a private lawyer, you’re not alone. Several nonprofit and volunteer-lawyer organizations serve low-income and vulnerable residents, offering free or low-cost civil-legal help. This guide shows where to turn, what issues are covered, and how to prepare when you call.

Major Legal Aid Organizations in Orlando

Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association (O-CBA)

• Who they help: Low-income individuals and families, including children, seniors, and people with special needs across Orange County. (legalaidocba.org)
• What cases they take: Civil-law matters such as housing and eviction defense, landlord/tenant disputes, family law (divorce, custody, domestic violence), consumer issues, immigration-related services, and other civil legal problems.
• How to contact: Office at 100 E. Robinson St., Orlando, FL 32801. Phone: 407-841-8310. New-client/intake calls accepted, plus limited walk-in hours.

(CLSMF)

• Who they help: Low-income and vulnerable residents in Central Florida, including Orlando and Orange County. (clsmf.org)
• What cases they take: Wide range of civil issues — housing (eviction defense, tenant/landlord issues), public benefits, consumer/debt, family law (including domestic violence), veteran services, elder law, disability, tax/controversy, education/children’s law, and more.
• How to contact: Main office at 122 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando, FL 32801. Helpline phone: 407-841-7777.

Free or Low-Cost Clinics & Self-Help Resources in Orlando / Orange County

• (Virtual Advice Clinic) — Allows qualifying users statewide (including Orlando) to submit civil-law questions (housing, family, benefits, debt, consumer, etc.) online and receive free answers from volunteer attorneys.
• Clerk’s Self-Help Center (Orange County Court) — For people representing themselves (pro se): provides document review, printing, notary help, access to court forms for eviction, small claims, family law (divorce, custody), and more. Attorney consultations available for a small fee.
• Referral / Modest-Means & Pro Bono Services — If you don’t qualify for full-service aid, you may get connected to volunteer or reduced-fee attorneys via local bar-association networks or statewide programs supported by (FFLA).

What Legal Aid in Orlando Usually Doesn’t Handle

• Criminal defense for felonies or serious criminal charges — These aid providers focus on civil-law issues (housing, benefits, family law, consumer, etc.), not criminal cases.
• Large-scale business/commercial litigation or complex corporate cases — Services are aimed at individuals, families, and vulnerable people, not businesses.
• Because of demand and limited resources — you may get advice, document help, or referral instead of full legal representation, especially for non-urgent or complex matters.

Emergency & Urgent Legal Help in Orlando

If you face urgent civil-legal issues — eviction or risk of losing housing, domestic violence, unsafe housing, denial of benefits, consumer scams or debt collection — act quickly. These resources may be more likely to respond fast:

• Contact Legal Aid Society or CLSMF ASAP — Both take on urgent housing-, family-, and safety-related civil matters for eligible callers.
• Use Florida Free Legal Answers for quick advice online — helpful for initial guidance while you gather documents or await full intake.
• Visit or call the Self-Help Center at Orange County Court — especially if you need immediate help with filings: eviction responses, protection orders, small claims, or family-law pleadings.

How to Prepare Before You Call or Seek Help

• Have proof of income / financial need ready — pay stubs, benefit letters, public-assistance documentation, or any proof of limited resources. Legal aid eligibility is often income-based.
• Gather relevant documents depending on your problem — e.g. lease/rental agreement, eviction or landlord notices, benefit letters or denial notices, debt or collection letters, medical or insurance letters, court papers if any, correspondence, photos if housing is unsafe, etc.
• Have household info ready: number of people, ages, any dependents, disability status, veteran status (if relevant), addresses, and contact info — helps screening and eligibility checks.
• If there’s an upcoming deadline — eviction date, court hearing, benefit-termination, utility shut-off — write it down and mention it when you contact aid — urgency can make a difference.
• Be ready with a simple, clear explanation of what happened: timeline, who’s involved, what you need (housing, benefits, custody, debt relief, etc.). Clear, direct info helps legal-aid staff understand whether they can help.

Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Full Free Legal Aid

• Volunteer or Modest-Means Attorneys (via referrals) — Use bar-association referral networks or statewide referral services (supported by FFLA) to find lower-cost or pro bono representation.
• Self-help with court forms & Self-Help Center — If you must represent yourself, the Clerk’s Self-Help Center and online resources can help you file and navigate civil procedures (housing, eviction response, small claims, family law, etc.).
• Online legal-advice clinics (Florida Free Legal Answers) — Good for initial questions, guidance, or document review even if you can’t get full representation.

Key Takeaways

• Orlando and Orange County have a solid civil-legal aid infrastructure — especially through Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association and Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida — to help low-income and vulnerable residents with housing, family law, consumer, benefits, and other civil-legal problems.
• If you face urgent civil-legal issues — eviction, unsafe housing, domestic violence, benefit denial, debt collection — you may qualify for free legal aid or at least free advice or self-help support.
• If full representation isn’t available — self-help resources, volunteer/modest-fee attorneys, online clinics, or court self-help centers remain viable ways to get legal support or guidance.
• Before calling: gather income information, relevant documents, household info, any deadlines, and a clear summary of your problem. That helps intake staff respond more effectively and quickly.