There is a range of low-cost legal services aimed at people who are not indigent but cannot afford the
the full services of a Chicago Attorney.
Government services: California has been a national leader in putting its legal documents online and steering citizens through the courthouse labyrinths with www.courtinfo.ca.gov/selfhelp. Other states make available self-representation programs like A2J Author, developed by law school legal centers. Bar associations provide lists of attorney referral services, tutorials and lists of frequently asked questions, as on California's www.calbar.ca.gov.
How-to help from Internet and bookstores: Products from LegalZoom, Nolo and VirtualCourthouse and issue-specific guides like "Estate Planning for Dummies" provide consumers with step-by-step assistance, often for as little as $20, with alternative dispute resolution, personal finances and family law.
Legal Aid and community lawyers: Legal Aid offices offer Web-based assistance through I-CAN! Legal programs; most are free regardless of income. The L.A. County Bar Assn., along with many others, offers a free attorney referral service, including up to a 30-minute free consultation, then sets up meetings with up to three lawyers with expertise in that area who meet the client's payment capabilities. Public Counsel, the public interest law office for the L.A. County and Beverly Hills bar associations, offers free clinics to help those representing themselves in federal court. The Santa Monica Bar Assn. offers an annual Law Day street fair, and nonprofit California Lawyers for the Arts is among those offering seminars for groups bound by common interests and problems.
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