Resources - Legal Assistance to the Elderly

Legal Aid Organizations in San Francisco

AIDS Legal Referral Panel (ALRP)

ALRP provides free and low-cost legal services to Bay Area residents living with HIV/AIDS. Services include housing, employment, immigration, insurance, confidentiality matters, credit, government benefits or public accommodations, wills, power of attorney and guardianship contracts.

Asian Law Caucus: Asian Americans Advancing Justice

ALC provides counseling, advocacy, and legal services in different areas including housing, immigration, and worker’s rights.

Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO, API Legal Outreach)

APILO provides legal, social, and educational services targeted at the Asian Pacific-Islander community and other marginalized communities. Program areas include housing, immigration, and domestic violence.

Bay Area Legal Aid

Non-profit organization which provides free civil legal services for low-income bay area residents. Site provides information on accessing services.

Eviction Defense Collaborative (EDC)

The EDC provides legal assistance to people who are in legal proceedings for eviction in San Francisco.

Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) - Bar Association of San Francisco

The Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) provides legal and supporting social services to individuals and families who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. HAP specializes in federal disability benefit advocacy, eviction defense, and immigration documentation, but may provide brief advice or referrals in other areas. HAP prioritizes individuals who have mental health disabilities and families.

Jubilee Immigration Advocates

Immigration lawyers provide affordable legal representation on a wide range of matters, including relief for victims of abuse and violence, deportation defense, family-based immigration, and citizenship.

Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) - Bar Association of San Francisco

The Justice & Diversity Center provides free legal help, and related social services to low-income and homeless San Francisco residents in the areas of tenant advocacy, family law, consumer advocacy, tax law. JDC also conducts a monthly drop-in legal clinic (Legal Advice and Referral Clinic) where low-income San Francisco residents can discuss their legal issue with a volunteer attorney.

La Raza Centro Legal

La Raza Centro Legal is a community-based legal organization dedicated to empowering Latino, immigrant and low-income communities of San Francisco to advocate for their civil and human rights.

Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights (LCCR)

As one of the oldest civil rights institutions on the West Coast, LCCRSF’s goal is to dismantle systems of oppression and racism, and to build an equitable and just society. By providing direct services to our communities, taking on important litigation, and advocating for legislative change, they address issues of inequality and injustice that the moment and the movement demands.

Legal Aid at Work

Open Door Legal

Open Door Legal provides free legal services to residents of southeast San Francisco and the Western Addition. Practice areas include: family law, consumer law, wills/probate, and torts.

Other ways to get a lawyer

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR)

CANHR’s long term care advocates assist consumers with long term care options; pre–placement counseling; guidance with Medi–Cal eligibility and estate recovery; resident rights complaints; elder financial abuse problems; and community education on various long term care issues, including alternatives.

CANHR’s web site includes the most comprehensive information available about California’s Community Care Retirement Community industry,

CANHR has the only State Bar certified, statewide Lawyer Referral Service specifically designed to refer consumers to attorneys who specialize in estate planning for long term care, elder abuse and elder financial abuse issues.

CANHR develops corrective legislation and works with advocates and administrative agencies on clarification of current regulations and public policies related to funding and long term care issues.

Lawyer Referral & Information Service (Bar Association of San Francisco)

Professional organization providing referrals to private attorneys. Not a free service, but nominal referral fee will get client a 30 minute consultation on a variety of legal issues.

Legal Self-Help Resources

ACCESS Center

Self-help services for family law matters and certain civil cases are available for self-represented Court customers who seek legal information and resources. ACCESS can assist you in completing judicial council forms and filing court paperwork correctly. ACCESS does not provide legal advice.

San Francisco Law Library

The library staff provides reference assistance to all patrons for their legal research needs. The library collections and in-house databases are open to all. Public access computers are available up to two hours per day for free use of Westlaw, Lexis, Fastcase, CEB OnLaw, HeinOnline and other databases at the library for legal research. (Due to COVID-19, the library is closed until at least 6/1/2020. The public can access limited library reference services and resources via email to [email protected].)

Mediation Services

Community Boards

Founded in 1976, Community Boards is the oldest nonprofit conflict resolution center in the US. Services include mediation, conflict coaching, facilitation, and training. Neighborhood mediations are provided citywide in English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Cantonese.

Conflict Intervention Service

Mediators with diverse backgrounds in landlord-tenant law, psychology, addiction, mental health and housing conflict resolve disputes in affordable housing that can lead to eviction or homelessness.