Philadelphia Legal Aid

In Philadelphia city of brotherly love, there are many free legal aid programs, legal assistance, legal help for those who cannot affort an attorney.  Some legal services are discounted based on income.  Philadelphia legal aid is provided by a host of sources, including non-profit organizations and law school clinics.

Non-Profit Philadelphia Legal Aid

Philadelphia Legal Assistance(link is external)

Community Legal Services(link is external)

 Philadelphia Legal Aid from Law School Clinics

Villanova Law Clinics

• Clinic for Asylum, Refugee and Emigrant Services (CARES)(link is external) 
• Civil Justice Clinic(link is external) 
• Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic(link is external) 
• Federal Tax Clinic(link is external) 

Penn Law Clinics

CIVIL PRACTICE CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Certified by state and federal courts to represent indigent clients in a broad range of civil litigation, students interview clients, draft legal pleadings, engage in client counseling and negotiation with opposing parties, and serve as trial counsel in court and administrative proceedings.

DETKIN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AND TECHNOLOGY LEGAL CLINIC (FORTHCOMING)(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students gain valuable insights and professional experience in the real world of IP and technology law and commercialization.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP LEGAL CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students provide direct representation to entrepreneurs, businesses, and social entrepreneurs from underserved communities on matters such as business structuring, contract drafting and review, intellectual property, managing employees, negotiating, asset acquisitions and dispositions, business strategy, and regulatory requirements.

MEDIATION CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students learn about conflict resolution, creative problem solving, and mediation theory, and then serve as court- or agency-approved mediators in a broad range of court, agency, neighborhood, and campus disputes.

LEGISLATIVE CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

After studying legislative process, statutory drafting, and legislative advocacy, students work on pending legislation and public policy issues at the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and the Pennsylvania state legislature.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CHILD ADVOCACY CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students team with medical, nursing, and social policy and practice students to represent vulnerable children in court hearings, participate in developing a plan to serve the child’s best interest, and work with parents, counsel, and relevant agencies.

SUPREME COURT CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

The only clinic that continues for a full academic year, students work on real Supreme Court cases, including conducting research, writing briefs and participating in moot court rehearsals that are held prior to oral arguments at One First Street.

TRANSNATIONAL LEGAL CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students work with clients across cultures, languages, borders and legal systems in asylum and other immigration cases. Students also engage in human rights advocacy through litigation, legislative and policy initiatives, community organizing and other written and visual legal advocacy tools.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE CLINIC(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students get firsthand criminal defense experience trying misdemeanor and felony cases in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and the Philadelphia Municipal Court under the supervision of experienced attorneys from the Defender Association of Philadelphia, one of the nation’s leading public defender organizations.

LAWYERING IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Students examine common lawyering themes that confront public interest and pro bono lawyers and participate in simulated exercises taken from actual practice that are specially designed to place students in governance roles of public interest legal advocacy organizations.

CLINICAL EXTERNSHIPS AT DIVERSE PRACTICE SETTINGS(LINK IS EXTERNAL)

Drawing upon Philadelphia’s vibrant legal community and award-winning public interest organizations, students gain academic credit while providing direct legal representation at these distinguished organizations.