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

Wills Clinics

Our neighborhood Wills Clinics help families and communities build generational wealth by safeguarding assets for future generations. Thanks to our law firm, business, and community partners, VLB hosts these clinics in historically low-income neighborhoods and helps clients who might otherwise not be able to afford these services with Wills, Powers of Attorney and Advance Directives. For information about registering or volunteering, please call (205) 250-5198, ext. 1.
Safe Finances

Every other Tuesday and Thursday, VLB volunteer lawyers provide virtual help to low-income residents of Jefferson County with civil legal issues: 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!
Pro Hops Vino!

Pro Hops Vino! is a favorite event of the year and a great fundraiser for VLB. After a long pandemic hiatus, we’re busy working on a comeback for later this year. Watch this space for more information and check out the fun we’ve had in past years! Click here for more information.
Safe Housing

Once a month, on the third Tuesday, VLB has a special Help Desk for homeless clients at Firehouse Ministries. 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 a lawyer who would like to volunteer at the Homeless Help Desk, click here!
Expungement Clinics

Charges on a person’s record—even those that have been dismissed or resolved—can serve as a barrier to employment, housing, benefits, education, and other life opportunities. An expungement can remove those items and give someone a second chance at life.

For individuals interested in removing misdemeanors, traffic violations, and non-convicted offenses from their record, VLB and partners from local agencies, law firms and businesses to host Expungement Clinics throughout the year. For future dates, to register, or to volunteer, please call (205) 250-5198, ext. 1.