The United States District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana is not affiliated with and does not endorse the groups listed on this page. The Court also makes no assurances that the groups listed will be able to assist any particular litigant with any particular legal matter. The Court provides this list only to assist the public by identifying potential resources.
LOCAL RESOURCES
State chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Access to Justice Program – Louisiana State Bar
The Access to Justice Program states that their mission is to assure that every Louisiana citizen has access to competent civil legal representation by promoting and support a broad based and effective justice community through collaboration between the Louisiana State Bar Association, the Louisiana Bar Foundation, Louisiana Law Schools, private practitioners, local bar associations, pro bono programs and legal aid providers.
Catholic Charities of New Orleans – Immigration Services
Catholic Charities of New Orleans - Immigration Legal Services summarizes their work as the provision of immigration legal services to crime survivors and education of the community and statewide stakeholders on the unique challenges faced by immigrant survivors generally and, in particular, in accessing help from law enforcement. (New Orleans)
Catholic Charities of New Orleans – Project SAVE
Catholic Charities of New Orleans - Project SAVE states that it provides free, emergency legal representation to survivors of domestic violence in Orleans Parish through staff attorneys that help with legal orders to keep survivors safe and to protect their legal rights. Project SAVE lists some of its legal services as assistance with temporary restraining and protection orders, temporary child support, custody and use of property.
Civil Pro Bono Program
The Eastern District of Louisiana has a Civil Pro Bono Program that includes a Civil Pro Bono Counsel Panel. When the Court has an eligible case requiring civil pro bono counsel, a member of the panel will be appointed to the case. The goal is to furnish pro bono service to eligible litigants who request counsel but lack the financial resources to hire a lawyer.
CrescentCare’s Legal Services program describes its services as free legal assistance to people living with HIV throughout Louisiana at the intersection of health and social determinants of health, such as discrimination (housing and access to healthcare), public benefits, rights to privacy, and permanency/estate planning.
Disability Rights Louisiana (DRLA) presents its work as protection and advocacy for the human and legal rights of people with disabilities of all ages across the state.
IPNO frees innocent people sentenced to life in prison and those serving unjust sentences.
Loyola Law Clinic & Center for Social Justice
The Loyola Law Clinic states that it provides legal services for the indigent of New Orleans that meet federal poverty guidelines and other criteria. The Law Clinic states that it does not have the resources to do research for people who are not clients or give legal advice to people who are not clients. The Law Clinic can be reached at (504) 561-5590.
Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights
This organization states that it provides holistic legal defense to address children’s needs both inside and outside the courtroom to help kids thrive.
This program explains that it utilizes volunteer attorneys from across southeast Louisiana to provide free civil legal services to the poor in Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard, St. Tammany and Washington parishes in areas of law ranging from employment, housing, public benefits, family and consumer law (New Orleans)
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services (SLLS) states that it provides free legal assistance in civil cases to low-income individuals in southeast Louisiana in a variety of areas of law, including consumer, education, family, juvenile, health, housing, wills and public benefits. (Covington, Hammond, Marrero and New Orleans)
Tulane Civil Rights and Federal Practice Clinic
The Tulane Civil Rights and Federal Practice Clinic states that the clinic provides third-year students the opportunity to represent plaintiffs in civil rights cases and focuses on problems related to prisons, police, education, and housing. Referrals and appointments are required. No walk-ins are accepted. Case Assessment Appointments can be made by contacting the Tulane Law Clinic at (504) 865-5153.
NATIONAL RESOURCES
The After Innocence organization states that its mission is to assist individuals released after wrongful imprisonment and provide them with reliable post-release assistance.
The National Women’s Law Center describes that it fights for gender justice, in the courts, in public policy, and in our society – working across the issues that are central to the lives of women and girls.
HELPFUL LINKS
Free legal information and resources, plus a statewide directory of programs that offer free legal help that you can search by parish.
Louisiana Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic in which qualifying users post civil legal questions at no costs to be answered by pro bono attorneys licensed in their state.
The Law Library of Louisiana provides services and resources for the judiciary, the bar, and the public. The Law Library of Louisiana is located in the Supreme Court Building in New Orleans. The librarians may be available to help you locate legal information, but cannot interpret the law or in any other way act as a personal attorney.