Military Legal Assistance Offices
Visit the U.S. Armed Forces Legal Assistance Locator to locate the nearest military legal assistance office (click on "Advanced" and "Accept"). Servicemembers and their families may access free legal assistance at these offices. See our Working with a Lawyer publication for more details on eligibility.
Legal Aid and Pro Bono Programs
Visit FindLegalHelp.org to locate programs that provide free civil legal assistance. These organizations may or may not have military-specific services. Contact these programs for more details on eligibility.
Lawyer Referral Programs
Visit the Lawyer Referral Directory to locate programs that can connect you to a lawyer who charges for legal services. In the search box, type your state, county, or city to find local programs. Some attorneys with these programs, however, may offer discounted initial consultations or may charge reduced fees based on your income. Contact these programs for more information.
Military/Veteran Specific Programs
If programs are listed below, they are designed to assist military members and/or veterans with legal matters. See the specific details and contact these programs for more information. Also visit nationwide programs.
ABA Free Legal Answers
If you can't afford a lawyer, ABA Free Legal Answers may be able to help. For most civil (non-criminal) legal questions, if your state participates, click on "Select the state where you live" and click on your state to ask a question.
For VA benefits, discharge upgrades, or other veteran-related legal questions: Choose "ABA Federal" in the "Select the state where you live" dropdown menu to ask a discharge upgrade or VA-related question, and receive an answer from an attorney.
Maryland Bar Association Special Committee on Veterans' Affairs and Military Law
Maryland Legal Aid "Joining Forces" Project
Address: 500 E. Lexington St., Baltimore, MD 21202
Hotline number: 443-863-4040
Operates Tuesdays 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. and Thursdays 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Visit Maryland Legal Aid Website
They assist in the following areas: Veterans benefits, public benefits, consumer, housing, family (i.e. custody), and foreclosure issues. In instances where more extensive legal representation is needed, they have qualified volunteer lawyers that may be available to provide full representation.