Where to Get Help

VLB services are currently provided remotely by phone, by appointment only. Exceptions include our Wills Clinics and Expungement Clinics, which are held in person.

If you are seeking Civil legal help, please do the following:

Call (205) 250-5198 to find out if your situation qualifies. Dial ext. 1 for Civil cases (we do not provide help with criminal matters), or ext. 8 for Domestic Relations. Intake staff cannot provide legal advice. Legal advice and assistance will be provided during your appointment with a volunteer lawyer.
Please be prepared to provide documentation of low-income status and other documents related to your case (i.e. a copy of your lease, if the case is related to a landlord/tenant issue).
If your case is accepted, you will be put on a list for VLB staff to schedule an appointment for you with a volunteer lawyer. All legal help is provided at no cost.
A staff member will contact you at least a day ahead to alert you to the time of your appointment. Please be mindful that our volunteers’ time is limited, so it is important that you be available to answer the phone at the time of your scheduled appointment. Missing an appointment may result in dismissal of your case from our schedule.

For more information, visit one of the following links:

What to Expect

Virtual Civil Help Desk
Appointments are held every other Tuesday and Thursday
8:30am – 12:00pm

Please note that many of our volunteer lawyers are in private practice and may call from a number that is different from the VLB office, so it’s important to answer even if you do not recognize the phone number.

Virtual Domestic Relations Help Desk
Once a month
8:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Other Legal Services

VLB hosts special Wills Clinics and Expungement Clinics throughout the year. Click here for more information.

Latest Projects

Pro Hops Vino!

The fifth-annual Pro Hops Vino! will take place November 7, 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Click here for more information.
Serving Veterans

On the second and fourth Wednesday of each month, VLB has a special Help Desk for veterans at the Birmingham VA Annex. Our volunteers assist low-income veteran clients with any legal issue that they may have, whether pertaining to their service or not. If you or someone you know is a veteran who needs legal assistance, you can click here for more information. If you’re an attorney who would like to volunteer at the Serving Veterans Help Desk, click here!
Safe Finances

Every Tuesday and Thursday morning, you can find VLB at the Jefferson County Courthouse helping residents of the greater Birmingham area with civil legal issues: wills, small claims, landlord-tenant issues, and more. Please click here for a complete list of issues VLB can assist with at our Civil Help Desk and how you can receive assistance. If you’re an attorney who would like to volunteer at the Help Desk, click here!
Safe Families

Every Wednesday morning, you can find VLB at the Jefferson County Domestic Relations Courthouse helping residents of the greater Birmingham area with domestic relations legal issues like divorce, child support, and custody. VLB also manages a special pro se court docket for low-income clients on the second Friday of each month. If you need assistance with a domestic relations legal issue, please check out this page about our Help Desk. If you’re an attorney who would like to volunteer at the Help Desk, click here!
Safe Housing

Once a month, on the second Tuesday, VLB has a special Help Desk for homeless clients at One Roof, which is a partner organization of VLB that is dedicated to ending homelessness. Our volunteers assist homeless clients with a variety of legal issues, but typically the most common area that VLB assists with is resolving legal barriers to gaining a form of legal identification. If you or someone you know needs assistance, you can click here for more information. If you’re an attorney who would like to volunteer at the Homeless Help Desk, click here!