Legal Assistance for the Public

Finding a Lawyer in North Carolina

North Carolina Lawyer Referral Service

NC Lawyer Referral Service is a nonprofit public service sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Foundation to assist citizens in need of legal assistance.

  • For information about the service, there’s a Frequently Asked Questions page.
  • To use the Service online, use the request form.
  • To reach the Service by telephone (Monday-Friday, 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.), choose one of the following numbers:
    • In state: 1-800-662-7660
    • Out of state: 919-677-8574
    • Raleigh area: 919-677-8574

LawHelpNC

LawHelpNC helps low and moderate income people find free legal aid programs in North Carolina and answers questions about legal rights. LawHelp also includes links to state and local legal assistance programs for all 50 states. It also includes a package of DIY child custody information and other helpful tips for going to court.

Legal Aid of North Carolina

Legal Aid of North Carolina is a statewide organization that provides free legal services in civil matters to eligible low-income people. The website describes eligibility criteria and provides contact information for the 24 local offices around the state.

Free do-it-yourself Clinics (in alphabetic order):

Child Custody Clinics
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s free child custody clinics teach participants how to file a child custody action in court without the help of a lawyer. Participants receive all the necessary legal forms and can ask general questions of Legal Aid lawyers. (Specific legal advice for individual cases is not provided at these clinics.)  Clinics are FREE and anyone can attend, but you will need to register in advance. Click here to register for a clinic near you.

Criminal Record Expunction Clinics
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Free Expungement clinic explains North Carolina expunction law to help you determine if you are eligible to have one or more charges removed from your criminal record. You can also ask general questions to a volunteer attorney through a webinar. If you determine that you qualify for an expunction during the clinic, you can request additional assistance from Legal Aid. Specific legal advice is not provided at this clinic. Clinics are FREE and anyone can attend, but you will need to register in advance. Click here to register for a clinic near you.

Divorce Clinics
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s free simple divorce clinics teach participants how to file a simple divorce action in court without the help of a lawyer. Participants receive all the necessary legal forms and can ask general questions of Legal Aid lawyers. (Specific legal advice for individual cases is not provided at these clinics.)  Clinics are FREE and anyone can attend, but you will need to register in advance. Click here to register for a clinic near you.

Employee Rights Clinics
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Free Employee Rights clinic will teach you about your rights as an employee under North Carolina law and federal law. Topics include employment at will, right to work, discrimination, retaliation, and unemployment benefits. They will give you a packet of information and you can ask general questions of a volunteer attorney via webinar. Specific legal advice is not provided at this clinic. Clinics are FREE and anyone can attend, but you will need to register in advance. Click here to register for a clinic near you.

Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Will Clinic
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s free Health Care Power of Attorney and Living Wills clinics teach participants how to complete a Health Care Power of Attorney and/or Living Will document without the help of a lawyer. Participants receive all the necessary legal forms and can ask general questions of Legal Aid lawyers. (Specific legal advice for individual cases is not provided at these clinics.) Clinics are FREE and anyone can attend, but you will need to register in advance. Click here to register for a clinic near you.

Tenant Rights Clinic
Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Tenant Rights clinic explains your rights as a tenant and what to do if your landlord will not make repairs. You will watch an instructional video and can ask general questions to a volunteer attorney through a webinar. Specific advice is not provided at the clinic. You can request a callback from Legal Aid to see if you qualify for additional help. Clinics are FREE and anyone can attend, but you will need to register in advance. Click here to register for a clinic near you.

North Carolina Free Legal Help

Run by the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, NC Free Legal Help provides a form for requesting an attorney and links to online information about a number of legal topics. Also available in Spanish.

Finding A Lawyer in Other States

American Bar Association Lawyer Referral Directory

For lawyer referrals in other states, the ABA Lawyer Referral Directory is a collection of links to state and local lawyer referral services.

ABA Consumers’ Guide to Legal Help: Learn More/FAQs

The ABA FindLawHelp.org is an information page with sections devoted to issues like Hiring a Lawyer and Finding Free Help.

Martindale.com

Search for a lawyer by name, location, or area of practice at Martindale.com.

Online Legal Information

NCBA “This is the Law” pamphlet series

This is the Law is a series of free pamphlets published by The North Carolina Bar Association on the following topics:

In English:

  • AIDS/HIV Infection and the Law
  • Buying a Home
  • Buying on Time (Goods and Services)
  • Child Custody/Visitation and Child Support
  • Domestic Violence
  • Filing for Bankruptcy
  • Landlords and Tenants
  • Living Wills and Health Care Powers of Attorney
  • Marriage in North Carolina
  • Protecting Your Assets: Wills, Trusts and Powers of Attorney
  • Separation and Divorce
  • Serving on a North Carolina Jury
  • What to Do in Case of an Auto Accident
  • Workers’ Compensation: What to Do in Case of an On-the-Job Injury

American Bar Association Division for Public Education

The ABA’s public education webpage has links to the following pamphlets:

  • ABA Guide to Consumer Law
  • ABA Guide to Family Law
  • ABA Guide to Home Ownership
  • ABA Guide to Wills and Estates

On the same website are question-and-answer sections on the following topics:

  • Real Estate
  • Auto/Vehicle
  • Personal Finance
  • Family Law
  • Workplace Law
  • Health Care Law
  • Working with Lawyers
  • Consumer/Tech Law
  • Criminal Law
  • The Court System

North Carolina Family Law Resources

Rosen Law Firm

The website of this Raleigh, North Carolina, firm offers a wide array of legal forms, articles, and other materials relating to divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, property distribution, domestic violence, and separation.

North Carolina Attorney General’s Office

The North Carolina Attorney General’s Public Protection webpage has information for a wide array of legal issues, including for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking. They also provide information for victims of scams and frauds, consumer rip-offs and identity theft, and other issues involving internet safety.