Volunteer Lawyers Birmingham (VLB) is a corps of attorney volunteers coordinated by a professional staff driven to improve access to justice for low-income residents of Jefferson County. VLB is one of the few non-profit in Alabama that provides access to free high-quality attorneys so that low-income individuals and families can obtain critically needed legal services.

In 2022, VLB served more than 2,500 low-income clients, assisting with landlord/tenant disputes, small claims, bankruptcy and various other civil issues. More than 700 attorneys volunteered, donating 4,500+ hours of their time. This total can be equated to more than $1 million of donated time and legal services from the Jefferson County legal community in one year. 

VLB serves low-income clients by conducting bi-weekly Civil Help Desks , providing quarterly expungement and estate planning clinics, and hosting community education seminars to provide residents of Jefferson County with much needed information regarding their rights and ways to better their life. 

Our legal services focus on four tenets: Safe Families, Safe Housing, Safe Finances, and Serving Veterans. 

VLB only exists because of the generosity of our donors. We value our supporters and take every action necessary to uphold complete transparency. According to a study by the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation, for every $1 invested in VLB, the Birmingham community receives an average of $12.13 in immediate and long-term return on investment. Alabama is one of only three states in the country that does not provide funding for civil legal aid.