If you live in Nashville and can’t afford a private lawyer, you’re not alone. Many people in Nashville and surrounding counties rely on free or low-cost legal aid to deal with civil legal problems like housing, benefits, family law, and more. This guide shows where to turn — fast — for legal help, what you need to know before you call, and what to expect.
Major Legal Aid Organizations in Nashville
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LASMTC)
The LASMTC is the main nonprofit legal aid provider serving Nashville (Davidson County) and many surrounding counties.
- Who they help: Low-income individuals and families, including immigrants, seniors, survivors of domestic violence or abuse, and people seeking public-benefits or housing help.
- What cases they take: Civil legal problems — housing and eviction defense, tenant rights, landlord disputes, public benefits, family law (including domestic violence and child/family safety issues), consumer/debt issues, immigration-related help (for eligible clients, including victims of abuse/trafficking), and other basic needs.
- How to contact: Nashville office at 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Ste 400, Nashville, TN 37217. Phone: (615) 244-6610; toll-free intake line: 1-800-238-1443.
- Eligibility: Low-income or otherwise financially eligible people. LASMTC screens based on income, type of legal issue, and whether the matter is within their civil-aid scope.
Free or Low-Cost Legal Clinics & Hotlines in/near Nashville
- Tennessee Free Legal Answers (via the American Bar Association) — A free online legal-advice portal where eligible Tennesseans can submit civil-law questions (housing, benefits, family law, consumer issues, etc.) and receive answers from volunteer attorneys. A good option if you can’t get immediate in-person aid.
- Volunteer attorney help via the Nashville Bar Association (and its referral/volunteer-lawyer programs) — For low-income or moderate-income residents needing limited-scope or full-representation help when legal aid is not available.
- Additional referral through statewide support networks — Use programs like Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) or statewide helplines to find advice, senior-legal helplines, or referrals to appropriate providers.
What Legal Aid in Nashville Usually Doesn’t Handle
Even with several good providers, free legal aid has limits. In Nashville:
- Criminal cases and most criminal defense — legal aid primarily helps with civil legal issues like housing, benefits, family law, and debt, not criminal charges.
- Some types of civil cases — depending on complexity, resources, and eligibility — may be outside scope. For example, high-value business disputes or major commercial litigation are unlikely to be handled.
- Because demand is high, even eligible clients might receive only limited help (advice, referrals, or paperwork support) rather than full representation.
Emergency & Urgent Legal Help in Nashville
If you face urgent problems — eviction, risk of homelessness, sudden benefit loss, unsafe housing, or domestic violence — these resources may help faster than standard intake queues:
- Call LASMTC right away — they handle many urgent civil-legal issues including eviction defense, housing emergencies, domestic violence or safety-related family law, benefit denials, and other urgent matters.
- Use Tennessee Free Legal Answers — for quick legal advice when you can’t wait for full representation or need basic guidance on rights, forms, or next steps.
- Call the local bar referral/volunteer-lawyer service (via Nashville Bar Association) — volunteer attorneys sometimes accept urgent or emergency-related civil cases when available and appropriate.
How to Prepare Before You Call for Legal Aid in Nashville
Before you reach out, gather relevant documents and information. Having things ready can make the intake go faster and improve your chances of getting help.
- Proof of income or public-benefits status (pay stubs, benefit letters, unemployment, etc.) — many providers screen based on income.
- Housing / tenancy details if relevant — lease agreement, eviction or notice letters from landlord, rent receipts, utility bills or shut-off notices, code-violation or unsafe housing notices.
- Any court or legal documents you already have — summons, court dates, notices, correspondence (landlord, creditors, agencies), debt or collection notices, benefit-denial letters, etc.
- Personal and household info — names of household members, dependents, address, contact info, number of people in household. This helps with eligibility screening.
- Any urgent deadlines or hearings (eviction hearing, benefit termination date, court date) — mention these when calling to show the urgency of your case.
- A plain, clear summary of your problem — what happened, when, who’s involved, and what outcome you need. Being organized helps staff understand quickly and decide if they can help you.
Alternatives If You Don’t Qualify for Free Legal Aid
- Volunteer lawyers through Nashville Bar Association or similar referral services — may offer limited-scope or sliding-scale representation when legal aid isn’t available.
- Online legal-advice platforms like Tennessee Free Legal Answers — good for basic guidance, questions, or help with paperwork if full representation isn’t possible.
- Self-help resources and forms via statewide legal-aid coalitions or referral networks such as Tennessee Justice Center or the statewide portal Help4TN — helpful for benefits appeals, housing problems, or consumer issues.
Key Takeaways
- Nashville has several good civil-legal aid options for low-income people — most importantly the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands (LASMTC), as well as statewide and volunteer-lawyer resources.
- If you face housing issues, evictions, benefit problems, family law, consumer problems — or other civil issues — there’s a real chance to get free or low-cost help.
- Emergency situations (eviction, homelessness risk, domestic violence, urgent benefit-denial) may be prioritized — call as soon as possible with documentation and clear summary of your problem.
- If you don’t qualify for full representation — there are still helpful alternatives: volunteer lawyers, legal-advice hotlines, online self-help tools, and referrals via statewide networks.
- Gather your paperwork, deadlines, and a clear explanation before you call — it helps legal-aid staff determine quickly whether they can help you.