You may be able to obtain free or low-cost legal assistance through a variety of sources, depending on the issue and your circumstances. Or you may not need legal assistance by using the appropriate agency or a mediation service. Below find sections on General Legal and Mediation Services, Employment Discrimination and Legal Issues, Family Law Issues, Housing Discrimination Complaints, Immigration Law and Services, Violence and Abuse Issues, Senior Legal Assistance, and Other Legal Resources.
General Legal and Mediation Services
Bay Area Legal Aid
2287 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo
http://www.baylegal.org
800-551-5554 or 650-472-2666 (San Mateo office)
Bay Area Legal Aid provides free legal help for low-income people on issues relating to housing, domestic violence, public benefits and health care access. Does not provide help with criminal matters. Call to see if you meet their qualifications for service.
Bay Area Legal Aid Legal Assistance Line (LAL): 650-472-2666 The Legal Advice Line provides a range of services depending on the caller's legal problem. Attorneys may give a caller legal advice, schedule eligible clients for an appointment in a neighborhood office, or provide the caller with a helpful referral to other social services organizations, when appropriate. Bay Area Legal Aid's Legal Advice Line is a free legal hotline available to qualified low-income residents.
Legal Aid Society
521 E. 5th Ave., San Mateo
http://www.legalaidsmc.org
800-381-8898 or 558-0915
Free legal advice and counsel on civil matters for low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, seniors, and survivors of domestic abuse in San Mateo County. Call to see if you meet their qualifications for service.
San Mateo County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service
333 Bradford St., 2nd Fl., Redwood City
http://www.smcba.org
650-369-4149
For a $30 fee, they will refer you for a 30 minute interview with a lawyer who practices in the field you need. You will be able to discuss the basic nature of your needs and learn about the costs of the lawyer and see if the lawyer would be interested in taking your case. The lawyer will not be able to review paperwork during the meeting or before.
YFES (Youth and Family Enrichment Services) Family Law Service
609 Price Ave., #201, Redwood City
650-366-8401
Provides information on family law and domestic violence issues. Offers private 30-minute sessions with local volunteer family law attorneys to obtain answers to procedural questions and receive family law information. Also provides a telephone assistance program that gives current information on family law and domestic violence issues and agency referrals. Offers workshops on how to fill out divorce forms (in English only).
Private Defender Program
333 Bradford St., 2nd Fl., Redwood City 94063
650-298-4000
Provides legal representation within the court system to people who have been charged with a crime and cannot afford an attorney. Eligibility is determined by the court.
Stanford Community Law Clinic
2117-A University Ave., East Palo Alto 94303
650-475-0560
http://www.law.stanford.edu/clinics/sclc/
Represents low-income clients in a variety of areas of civil law, including housing matters, workers' rights and record expungement.
La Raza Centro Legal
866-4LA RAZA
474 Valencia St. Suite 295 , San Francisco, CA 94103
http://www.lrcl.org
866-452-7292 or 415-575-3500
Provides bilingual services for tenants, workers, immigrants, youth and seniors. Satellite offices in San Mateo County. Call for more information and locations. For workers, assists with wage and hour claims, discrimination claims and other employment matters Assists seniors with consumer protection, estate planning, landlord-tenant relations, and public benefits. Assists youth with direct legal representation to stay out of the criminal justice system. One-on-one legal assistance in a variety of immigration related matters.
Peninsula Conflict Resolution Center (PCRC)
1660 S. Amphlett Blvd. #219, San Mateo, CA
http://www.pcrcweb.org
650-513-0330
Helps disputing parties communicate and understand their concerns and needs in a situation, identify and consider possible solution options, reach a mutually agreeable solution and put the agreement into a written form. Neighborhood,family, consumer, community, landlord / tenant and employee mediation service.
Multi-Option Appropriate Dispute Resolution Project (MAP)
650-599-1070
http://www.sanmateocourt.org/adr
As an alternative to traditional court litigation, provides appropriate dispute resolution (ADR) options (arbitration, mediation and neutral evaluation) to assist parties in resolving disputes.
Family Law ADR (599-1238)
General Civil ADR (363-1962)
Judicial Arbitration (363-4896)
San Mateo County Juvenile Mediation Program (312-5269)
Small Claims Mediation (573-3907)
Employment Discrimination and Legal Issues
California State Department of Fair Employment and Housing
1515 Clay St., #701, Oakland 94612
http://www.dfeh.ca.gov
800-884-1684
Investigates complaints of discrimination and harassment in employment, housing and public accommodation, and threats or acts of hate violence.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
http://www.eeoc.gov
866-408-8075
350 The Embarcadero, #500, San Francisco 94105
Investigates cases of employment discrimination because of race or national origin, sex, religion, pregnancy, age discrimination for persons age 40 or over, or disability.
Equal Rights Advocates
1663 Mission St., #250, San Francisco 94103
http://www.equalrights.org
800-839-4372
Provides legal services for women and girls in cases of sex discrimination in employment and education. Provides assistance and counseling regarding family leave laws.
Labor Standards Enforcement
http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse
408-277-1266
Handles complaints regarding unpaid wages.
Legal Aid Society Employment Law Center
600 Harrison St., #120, San Francisco 94107
http://www.las-elc.org
415-864-8848
Information, advocacy, counseling and legal services primarily to low-income individuals.
Multicultural Institute
http://www.mionline.org
650-339-2794
Provides laborers with legal, medical and educational services and job placement assistance.
Family Law Issues
Family Law Facilitators
Information Line (650) 363-4191
400 County Center, 2nd. Fl., Redwood City 94063 (650) 363-4590
1050 Mission Rd. South San Francisco 94080
Assists those who do not have attorneys in matters such as child support, custody and visitation, paternity, divorce, legal separation and domestic violence.
San Mateo County Department of Child Support Services
555 County Center, 2nd Fl., Redwood City 94063
http://www.smcdcss.com
866-366-8221
Handles problems related to child support, paternity, and medical insurance from an absent parent.
Family Court Services
400 County Center, 6th Fl., Redwood City 94063
1050 Mission Rd., South San Francisco 94080
650-363-4561
Provides mediation and limited evaluation services to parents or other appropriate parties who are in dispute about child custody and / or child visitation and have a court action pending in Family Court. Provides information and referral on child custody and visitation matters, parenting plans and related issues.
For Housing Discrimination Complaints
State law protects people from housing discrimination if based on race, religion, national origin or ancestry,sex, marital status, physical handicap or retaliation.
Midpeninsula Citizens for Fair Housing
457 Kingsley Avenue, Palo Alto 94301
www.echofairhousing.org
650-327-1718
Investigates charges of housing discrimination in Redwood City and Menlo Park, including unincorporated areas. Provides counseling and refers clients for legal action when appropriate.
Project Sentinel
430 Sherman Avenue, Suite 308, Palo Alto 94306
www.housing.org
650-321-6291
Investigates cases of discrimination in cities north of Redwood City and on the Coastside. The Fair Housing Center offers education, counseling, investigation and, when necessary, legal referrals to persons who believe they have experienced housing discrimination.
California State Department of Fair Employment and Housing
1515 Clay St., #701, Oakland 94612
http://www.dfeh.ca.gov
800-233-3212
Investigates complaints of housing discrimination.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
600 Harrison St., 3rd Fl., San Francisco 94107
http://www.hud.gov
415-489-6400
(TTY) 415-489-6564
Investigates housing discrimination complaints regarding sales or rentals, advertising, and brokerage services.
Immigration Law and Services
Immigrant Assistance Line
Spanish / English
415-543-6767
Chinese
415-543-6769
International Institute of the Bay Area
2600 Middlefield Rd., Redwood City 94063
http://www.iisf.org
650-780-7530
Provides immigration information and referral, assists clients with family-based immigration issues, and completes paperwork for low-income clients.
La Raza Centro Legal (see information in first section)
For Senior Legal Assistance
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
http://www.canhr.org
1-800-474-1116
Medi-Cal eligibility, pre-placement counseling, a lawyer referral service and advocacy for long term care issues.
Family Caregiver Alliance
1-800-445-8106 or 1-415-434-3388
http://www.caregiver.org
Services for families and friends who are concerned with, or caring for, brain-impaired adults, including legal assistance.
San Mateo County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service (see contact information in first section)
Legal Aid Society Senior Advocates
1-800-381-8898
http://www.legalaidsmc.org
Provides free legal counsel and assistance to seniors age 60 or over, regardless of income.
Violence and Abuse Issues
Community Overcoming Relationship Abuse (CORA)
P.O. Box 5090, San Mateo 94402
www.CORAsupport.org
650-312-8515 or 800-300-1080
Bilingual (English/Spanish) hotline, emergency response program, emergency housing for victims/survivors of domestic violence, individual and group counseling, support groups, legal assistance.
Bay Area Legal Aid (see contact info. in first section)
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County (see contact info. in first section)
San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office / Victim Center
400 County Center, Third Floor, Redwood City 94063
650-599-7479
Information and referral for victims of crime, emergency assistance, crisis intervention and counseling.
Domestic Violence Restraining Order Clinic
707 Bradford St., Redwood City 94063
650- 701-0850
Provides free assistance to self-represented litigants requesting restraining orders.
Other Law-Related Services
San Mateo County Law Library
710 Hamilton St.,
Redwood City, CA 94063
650-363-4160
www.smcll.org
Great links and resources in the self-help section of their website, as well as links for legal referral and research guides.
Sacramento County Law Library
http://www.saclaw.lib.ca.us/pages/everyday-law.aspx
This series of guides covers California law relevant to gift cards, returns and exchanges, online shopping, health clubs, swimming pools, rental security deposits, foreclosures, property taxes, choosing a tax preparer, voting, and other topics of interest to the general public.
San Mateo County Courts
www.EZLegalFile.org
http://www.sanmateocourt.org
Electronic services available for filling out legal forms, checking jury duty status, and information on traffic-related issues and court records.
Small Claims Advisory Workshop
800 N. Humboldt St., San Mateo 94401
Workshop and consultation held Tue., 5-7 pm.
Sign up Tue. at 4 pm for a free consultation with an attorney.
