Legal Advice Line Free to qualified low-income residents living in the Bay Area
The Legal Advice Line provides counsel and advice in all languages on a range of civil legal issues. Attorneys and advocates may give a caller legal advice, schedule eligible clients for an appointment in a neighborhood office, or provide the caller with general information and a helpful referral to other social services organizations, when appropriate.
When you call, please have any relevant paperwork (documents, notices, and letters) on hand as the accuracy of the advice we can provide is dependent on how much information and detail one provides our staff about their situation.
Please note that before we can speak to callers in-depth about their legal issues, we must first quickly determine whether the legal issues are within one of the legal practice areas that Bay Area Legal Aid handles; and if so, we must then conduct a short confidential intake to determine whether the caller is eligible for our services. We ask for your patience during this process.
Our hotline staff strive to serve all of our callers and clients with respect and courtesy and expect to receive the same from our callers and clients. Please note that our staff reserve the right to terminate calls should they be subjected to yelling, swearing, or disrespect.
Please Note: Bay Area Legal Aid helps people with civil legal problems. We do not provide help with criminal matters.
For help with a criminal matter, contact your local Public Defender’s office or bar association.
Legal Advice Line Schedule:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 9:30 am – 3:00 pm or until capacity is reached |
| Tuesday | 9:30 am – 1:00 pm or until capacity is reached |
| Wednesday | 9:30 am – 1:00 pm or until capacity is reached |
| Thursday | 9:30 am – 3:00 pm or until capacity is reached |
| Friday | CLOSED |
| Saturday | CLOSED |
| Sunday | CLOSED |
Local Phone Numbers:
| County | Number |
|---|---|
| Alameda County | (510) 250-5270 |
| Contra Costa County West | (510) 250-5270 |
| Contra Costa County East | (925) 219-3325 |
| Marin County | (415) 354-6360 |
| Napa County | (707) 320-6348 |
| San Francisco County | (415) 354-6360 |
| San Mateo County | (650) 472-2666 |
| Santa Clara County | (408) 850-7066 |
Additional Information:
Other Legal Assistance Lines
Health Consumer Center Mon-Thu | 9AM – 1 PM
Please call our Health Consumer Center if you are having problems related to health care access and coverage. For additional information about our health care-related legal services, please visit the Health Care Access page.
Survivors' Legal Advice Line
If you are a survivor of domestic violence or sexual assault, you will need to be referred to our dedicated line by a local domestic violence or sexual assault agency, police department, or court. You may also contact the numbers listed above for housing, public benefits, consumer rights, or health access issues.
Tenants' Rights Line: Alameda County Mon-Thu | 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Are you an Alameda County resident currently experiencing a housing-related legal issue? Call the Tenant’s Rights Line for free legal advice and referrals in all languages.
Tenants' Rights Line: Contra Costa County Mon & Thu | 9:30 AM – 3:00 PM; Tue & Wed 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Are you a Contra Costa County resident currently experiencing a housing-related legal issue? Call the Tenant’s Rights Line for free legal advice and referrals in all languages.
Disaster Relief Legal Hotline
BayLegal operates the Disaster Relief Legal Hotline as a partnership with the Disaster Legal Assistance Collaborative (DLAC). Individuals can call (888) 382-3406 to connect to legal services during periods of ongoing emergency related to fires, storms, earthquakes and other disasters. This hotline is part of our Legal Advice Line, and we will be providing advice and counsel for eligible clients during LAL hours.
In addition to partnering in the Disaster Relief Legal Hotline, DLAC also maintains informational resources for disaster-related legal issues on its website: https://disasterlegalservicesca.org/.