If you live in Cambridge and can’t afford a private lawyer, there are several nonprofit and volunteer-based legal aid and support organizations ready to help with civil legal issues. This guide shows where to go, what kinds of cases they handle, and how best to prepare when you contact them.
Major Legal Aid Organizations Serving Cambridge
Greater Boston Legal Services — Cambridge / Somerville (CASLS) Office
- Who they help: Low-income individuals and families in Cambridge, Somerville, and surrounding areas.
- What cases they take: Civil-law matters such as housing (eviction defense, tenant/landlord disputes, unsafe housing), public benefits, emergency assistance, and other basic-needs legal help.
- How to contact: Cambridge/Somerville office at 60 Gore Street, Suite 203, Cambridge, MA 02141. Phone (intake): 617-603-2700.
De Novo Center for Justice and Healing
- Who they help: Low-income tenants, immigrants, survivors of domestic violence or abuse, people with disabilities — in Cambridge and Greater Boston.
- What cases they handle: Housing and eviction prevention, family law and domestic violence, immigration law/support, disability benefits, and other civil-law matters.
- How to contact: Office at 47 Thorndike Street, Suite SB-LL-1, Cambridge, MA 02141. Phone: 617-661-1010.
Other Helpful Legal Aid, Referral & Support Options
- Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP – Greater Boston) — Provides free civil-law assistance for eligible low-income individuals who can’t get full legal aid services. Helps with housing, family law, debt/consumer issues, and more.
- Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB — Student-Run Clinic) — While based in Cambridge, HLAB provides free legal services to low-income clients in Greater Boston including Cambridge. Handles housing, family law, benefits, and other civil-law matters.
- Statewide resources for self-help & referrals: MassLegalHelp and Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder — for free legal information, court forms, guides, and directory of other legal aid providers across Massachusetts.
- Local immigrant-support: Cambridge Commission on Immigrant Rights & Citizenship (CIRC) — Offers help, referrals, and “Know Your Rights” clinics for immigrants and refugees, in partnership with legal aid and nonprofit organizations.
Common Issues Cambridge Legal Aid Services Often Cover
- Eviction defense and tenant/landlord disputes (rent, lease, unsafe housing)
- Housing instability, homelessness prevention, public-benefits access (MassHealth, SNAP, SSI/SSDI, etc.)
- Family law matters: custody, child support, protective orders, domestic-violence cases
- Immigration law and support (status questions, asylum, work permits, immigrant rights) for eligible individuals
- Disability-benefits issues, disability-rights advocacy, accommodations
- Debt/consumer law and basic civil-law representation for low-income clients
What Legal Aid in Cambridge Usually Doesn’t Handle
- Serious criminal defense cases: Most of these legal aid orgs focus on civil-law issues — housing, benefits, family law, immigration, consumer issues — not criminal defense.
- Large corporate or complex business litigation: Legal-aid services are aimed at individuals, tenants, immigrants, low-income households — not corporations or high-value commercial matters.
- No guarantee of full representation for every case: Because resources are limited and demand high, eligible clients may receive brief advice, referrals, or limited-scope assistance rather than full representation.
How to Prepare Before You Call or Request Legal Aid
- Have proof of income or financial hardship ready: pay stubs, benefit letters, tax documents, disability/benefit paperwork — many aid programs use income/assets to screen clients.
- Gather relevant documents related to your issue: e.g. lease or rental agreement, eviction/notice letters, rent receipts or payment history (for housing); benefit denial letters or agency correspondence; immigration paperwork; identification; any court or agency notices; any documentation of disability, domestic-violence history, or other relevant records.
- Note any urgent deadlines — eviction hearing dates, court filings, benefit termination dates, rent due dates, utility shut-off dates, etc. Urgency can affect whether the case gets prioritized.
- Prepare a clear summary of your situation: what happened, who’s involved, when it started, what changed, and what outcome you hope for (e.g. stable housing, benefits, protection, debt relief, immigration status). A clear and honest explanation helps intake staff assess quickly whether they can help.
Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Full Legal Aid
- Volunteer-attorney programs (like VLP) — May accept cases when full-service legal-aid providers are at capacity or when income is just above thresholds.
- Law-student clinics (HLAB, De Novo) — Provide limited-scope representation, advice, or paperwork support even when full aid isn’t possible.
- Self-help & referral tools via MassLegalHelp / Massachusetts Legal Resource Finder — For information, forms, and help identifying other pro bono or low-cost providers statewide.
- Immigrant-support & community groups — Organizations like the Cambridge Commission on Immigrant Rights & Citizenship may help with referrals, support, or legal-services connections, especially for housing, benefits, immigrant, or tenant-rights issues.
Key Takeaways
- Cambridge has a robust civil-legal aid ecosystem — with major providers like GBLS (via CASLS), nonprofit clinics like De Novo, volunteer-attorney services, law-student clinics, and statewide referral resources — serving low-income, immigrant, disabled, and other vulnerable residents.
- If you face urgent civil-legal problems — eviction, unsafe housing, benefits denial, domestic violence, immigration issues — don’t wait. Contact one of these legal aid providers as soon as possible. Early outreach and preparation matter.
- If full representation isn’t available — there are still options: limited-scope help, self-help resources, volunteer-attorney referrals, pro bono clinics, and community support networks. Taking action is better than going it alone.
- Before contacting anyone — gather income info, relevant paperwork, deadline dates, and a clear summary of the problem. Being organized helps legal-aid staff respond faster and understand your case clearly.