We are a law firm for poor people. We provide free assistance and representation to low income people in civil, not criminal, cases. Our staff are highly skilled, committed individuals who are experts in the practice of poverty law. In addition to general legal services, the following projects target special needs in the community.
Read the Legal Aid Society brochure in English; en Espanol.
Children’s Law Project
The Children’s Law Project helps low income children succeed so that they will have a fair chance to move out of poverty. Our legal services help children in school, in preparing for college and in the home. We help children get the educational supports and programming they need, tailored to their specific disabilities or situation. We ensure children are treated fairly, and we help children and their parents get the income and health care they need to make their home life more stable.
The Children’s Law Project attorney also serves as the Co-Chair of the Special Education Taskforce, a group comprised of over 200 parent advocates, school district staff, attorneys and other individuals who specialize in Special Education Law, and work collaboratively to ensure that children with disabilities are educated in the least restrictive setting and receive a free and appropriate education. Click here to check us out online.
Read the Children's Law Project brochure.
Community Legal Education and Training
In addition to the services we provide to individual clients, we also provide training, education and written materials to groups and organizations of low income people about their legal rights in order to prevent legal problems from occurring.
Developmentally Disabled Protection & Advocacy
 Domestic Violence Legal Assistance
Domestic violence/abuse occurs in all types of intimate relationships and former relationships. Abuse does NOT have to be physical.
We provide a broad range of free civil legal services to victims of domestic violence who cannot afford private legal counsel, including Assistance with Family Court matters, and legal problems related to public assistance, housing, consumer and employment issues, and divorce.
Read the Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Project brochure in English.
Read the Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Project brochure in Spanish.
Foreclosure Prevention Project
The Foreclosure Prevention Project helps low and moderate income homeowners at risk of foreclosure as well as with settlement conferences before a judge. The project involves partnerships with ten community agencies and serves all 16 counties in our service area. If you are notified about a possible settlement conference before a judge, or you have received a 90 day notice that your lender wants to start foreclosure proceedings, please call the Legal Aid Society. Our services are free for eligible clients. Please don’t delay if you want to save your home.
See a video on saving your home from foreclosure.
See a video on understanding the default and foreclosure process-- from The Albany County Rural Housing Alliance.
Read the Foreclosure Prevention Project brochure.
HIV/AIDS Legal Consortium
We assist people living with HIV/AIDS with many civil legal problems, including housing, benefits, debts, wills; and family, medical, and consumer issues.
Read the HIV/AIDS Law Consortium brochure in English.
Read the HIV/AIDS Law Consortium brochure in Spanish.
Immigration Law Project
The Upstate New York Immigration Law project assists with a variety of immigration matters, including deportation, asylum; and immigration, refugee and residence documents.
Read the Upstate New York Immigration Law Project brochure in English.
Read the Upstate New York Immigration Law Project brochure in Spanish.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)
The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York offers FREE tax advice and representation to low income New Yorkers. The Clinic is able to help on a variety of different tax issues, including: Innocent Spouse Relief Requests, Injured Spouse Claims, Audits/Examinations, Earned Income Tax Credit Appeals, Deficiency Notices, Liens and Levies, Alternative Collection Methods, Settlement of Tax Debts, Identity Theft Issues.
Low Income Taxpayer Clinic
Clínica para Contribuyentes de Bajos Ingresos
Mentally Ill Protection & Advocacy
 Nutrition Outreach and Education Project
It is estimated that one in eight adults and one in four children now rely on food stamps.
Our three paralegals help clients to navigate the food stamp application process and to ensure that their rights are being met according to Food Stamp regulations.
Read the SNAP (Food Stamp) brochure in English.
Senior Legal Services
The Senior Legal Services Program provides quality legal services for Albany County seniors on a variety of civil legal issues, including: benefits, pensions, tenant, consumer and nursing home/adult home issues.
Read the Senior Legal Services brochure.
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