Meta: A 2025 plain-language guide to free and low-cost civil legal aid in Gresham, Oregon — including verified local providers, eligibility details, common case types, and how residents can prepare before requesting help. Not legal advice.
Legal Aid in Gresham, OR: Where to Get Help If You Can’t Afford a Lawyer
If you live in Gresham and can’t afford a private attorney, several statewide and regional legal-aid organizations serve your area. These providers can help with eviction defense, housing disputes, family law and protective orders, public-benefits problems, debt collection, and other civil-legal issues. (You can also upload legal documents to LegalClarity for a plain-English explanation — informational only, not legal advice.)
Major Legal Aid Providers Serving Gresham
Legal Aid Services of Oregon (LASO) — Portland Regional Office
What they do: LASO’s Portland office provides civil-legal help to low-income residents of Multnomah County, including Gresham. Services include housing issues (evictions, repairs, unsafe housing, housing discrimination), family law (custody, child support, domestic-violence restraining orders), consumer/debt cases, elder-law assistance, and benefits problems (Oregon Health Plan, SNAP, disability, unemployment).
Who they help: Residents with low income, seniors, people with disabilities, and survivors of abuse who qualify for free civil legal services.
Contact: 621 SW Morrison Street, Suite 900, Portland, OR 97205. Phone: (503) 224-4086. Website: lasoregon.org.
Oregon Law Center (OLC) — Portland Office
What they do: OLC works alongside LASO to provide legal help for tenants, workers, and low-income families. They handle cases involving evictions, unsafe housing, wage theft, discrimination, domestic violence, public-benefits disputes, and civil-rights violations.
Who they help: Low-income individuals and families facing serious civil-legal problems.
Contact: 522 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 812, Portland, OR 97204. Phone: (503) 295-2760. Website: oregonlawcenter.org.
East County Legal Clinic (ECLC)
What they do: The East County Legal Clinic provides free and low-cost limited-scope assistance for Gresham-area residents. Volunteer attorneys help with landlord-tenant problems, family-law questions, consumer-debt issues, and small-claims preparation. Clinics operate monthly in coordination with LASO and the Multnomah Bar Association.
Who they help: Low-income and moderate-income residents of East Multnomah County, including Gresham, Troutdale, and Fairview.
Contact: For schedules and appointments, visit mbabar.org or call (503) 226-3275.
St. Andrew Legal Clinic (SALC) — East County Office
What they do: SALC provides affordable family-law representation for low-income residents who do not qualify for free legal aid. Services include divorce, custody, visitation, child support, and domestic-violence protective orders.
Who they help: Individuals with limited income who need family-law help but are not eligible for LASO or OLC.
Contact: 203 SE 181st Avenue, Gresham, OR 97233. Phone: (503) 281-1500. Website: salcgroup.org.
Common Civil-Legal Issues Covered in Gresham
- Eviction defense and landlord–tenant disputes
- Unsafe or uninhabitable housing and repair issues
- Domestic violence, custody, child support, and divorce
- Debt collection, garnishment, and consumer-protection cases
- Public-benefits problems (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI/SSDI, unemployment)
- Employment issues (wage theft, discrimination, retaliation)
- Senior-law and disability-rights advocacy
What Gresham Legal Aid Usually Cannot Handle
- Criminal defense or traffic cases
- Personal-injury or malpractice lawsuits
- Business or corporate disputes
- High-asset divorce or complex property litigation
When Gresham Residents Should Seek Help Immediately
- You receive an eviction notice or housing-court summons: Call LASO or ECLC immediately — eviction deadlines are short.
- You experience domestic violence or need a restraining order: Contact SALC or LASO as soon as possible.
- You receive debt-collection or garnishment paperwork: Legal aid can help you respond before judgment.
- Your benefits were denied or terminated: Appeals usually have strict filing deadlines — contact OLC or LASO quickly.
- You are a senior or person with a disability facing housing or benefits issues: Ask about elder-law or disability-rights programs through LASO.
How to Prepare Before Contacting Legal Aid
- Gather documents: Leases, eviction notices, court papers, pay stubs, benefit letters, debt-collection notices, and ID.
- Prepare a short summary: Describe your issue in 2–3 sentences, including when it started and what outcome you want.
- List important dates: Eviction hearings, benefit-appeal deadlines, or payment due dates.
- Have income details ready: Legal aid uses income guidelines; bring recent pay stubs or benefit statements.
- Highlight urgent risks: eviction, domestic violence, loss of benefits, or health emergencies.
Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Free Legal Aid
- Low-cost attorneys: Use the Oregon State Bar’s Modest Means Program or Lawyer Referral Service for discounted consultations. (osbar.org)
- Community legal clinics: Attend East County Legal Clinic or SALC for low-cost family or housing advice.
- Self-help resources: Visit Oregon Law Help for free legal forms and plain-language guides. (oregonlawhelp.org)
- LegalClarity tools: Upload documents for plain-language explanations — informational only, not legal advice.
Conclusion: Where Gresham Residents Should Start
If you live in Gresham and need civil-legal help, begin by contacting Legal Aid Services of Oregon (503-224-4086). For housing or benefits problems, OLC can also help. If you need family-law help but don’t qualify for free aid, contact St. Andrew Legal Clinic. You can also attend the East County Legal Clinic for free guidance from volunteer attorneys. If you just need to understand your documents, use LegalClarity’s plain-English tools — informational only, not legal advice.