If you have a civil law problem but can`t afford to hire a private lawyer, you can still access the legal system through your local legal advice and legal aid organization, which provides free or low-cost legal services to low-income people. Information on many of these local services can be found online at the websites listed below. The primary goal of the Legal Services Society is to provide quality legal services to low-income residents, working poor, children and disadvantaged groups with special legal needs in Orange County, Florida, and to help provide legal aid services to like-minded residents of neighboring counties through an efficient and financially sound program through the joint efforts of staff and lawyers. Volunteers. Help. The Legal Aid Society was founded in the early 1960s as a volunteer organization and was founded by lawyers who are members of the Orange County Bar Association. Volunteer lawyers agreed to accept referrals in civil and criminal cases for residents who could not afford a lawyer. In 1967, the organization was officially founded in Florida as a non-profit organization under the name Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association, Inc. It hired its first manager and full-time employee and offered free civil law services. Currently, Legal Aid employs approximately 45 people, including 18 lawyers, and coordinates the time and cash contributions of over 3,000 volunteers – lawyers and non-lawyers. Legal Aid remains a local program with centralized volunteer support whose dedication allows for the provision of civilian services primarily in Orange County. Legal Aid is particularly proud of its pro bono programs and one of them, the Guardian ad Litem program. Since its inception, the program has been located at various locations in downtown Orlando.
In 1978, the Orange County Bar Association and Legal Aid purchased a building on North Orange Avenue. In 1990, Legal Aid moved to its current location at the corner of Magnolia Avenue and Robinson Street. Legal Aid welcomes contributions from the public as well as lawyers. We offer secure online donations through Acceptiva. We are a 501(c)3 organization and contributions are tax deductible. Case Types: AIDS/HIV, bankruptcy, IBD, consumer, custody, dissolution of marriage, domestic violence, education, old law, employment, health, housing, immigration, individual rights, youth, public benefits, real estate, wills and estates Case restrictions: Only certain dissolutions with custody and personal responsibility of the spouse.