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Legal Organizations and Assistance

Legal Organizations

Pittsburgh Region

  • The Allegheny County Bar Association
    http://www.acba.org/
    A professional organization, chartered in 1870, with more than 6,500 member lawyers, judges, district justices, legal administrators and paralegals. Check out their "Community Service" section to find out how to receive a free copy of "Consumer's Guide to Pennsylvania Law" and to learn about special programs such as an annual "Law for the People" course for the general public. Click on their "Lawyer Referral Service" to find a lawyer.
  • American Civil Liberties Union, Greater Pittsburgh Chapter
    http://www.aclupa.org/chapters/greaterpittsburgh/
    assists people in their struggles to live by the freedoms guaranteed by the United States Constitution
  • Duquesne University Center for Legal Information
    & Allegheny County Law Library
    http://www.lawlib.duq.edu/
    This website has collected legal resources from around the nation. Includes the Allegheny County Law Library, which provides legal information and information services to the bench and bar of the County, County departments, other members of the legal community, and members of the general public.
  • Financial Crimes Task Force of Southwestern Pennsylvania
    http://financialcrimestaskforce.com/
    The Financial Crimes Task Force has been charged with the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses involving split-deposit schemes, counterfeit checks, internet fraud, stolen government checks, identity thefts and identity take-overs within Southwestern Pennsylvania, placing an emphasis on organized activity. The Financial Crimes Task Force is run under the direction of the United States Postal Inspection Service and is a cooperative effort of local, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.
  • Jurist: The Law Professors' Network
    http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/
    "This service is dedicated to advancing academic, professional and public legal education by providing an online forum where law professors can find information important to their daily work as teachers and scholars, and where they can share knowledge and exchange ideas with a global community of colleagues, law students, lawyers and interested citizens." Directed by Professor Bernard J. Hibbitts, Associate Dean for Communications & Information Technology, University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, in consultation with an international Advisory Board.
  • National Center for Juvenile Justice
    http://www.ncjj.org/
    The Center is the research division of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges; founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1973, to develop and disseminate research and provide technical assistance to help practitioners dealing with youth crime, victimization, and child maltreatment.

  • Washington County Bar Association
    http://www.washcobar.org
    The Washington County Bar Association is a professional organization of 300+ members dedicated to serving the community and the profession of law, both here in Washington County and across Pennsylvania. They provide a full range of membership services, as well as a wide variety of public education programs. Since 1892, the Bar Association has been committed to maintaining the honor and dignity of the profession of the law, cultivating social relations among its members, and increasing our usefulness in promoting the due administration of justice.
  • Western Pennsylvania Law Library Association
    http://www.aallnet.org/chapter/wplla/
    Established to develop and increase the usefulness and efficiency of law libraries in Western Pennsylvania, to promote the interests of librarians and members of their staff, and to encourage communication and cooperation among law libraries in the region.
  • Westmoreland County Bar Association
    http://www.westbar.org/
    The Westmoreland Bar Association is currently comprised of nearly 500 lawyers and judges.

Pennsylvania

  • Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund (CELDF)
    http://www.celdf.org/
    Headquartered in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, CELDF provides free and affordable legal services to grassroots, community-based groups and local governments working to protect their quality of life and natural environment through building sustainable communities.
  • Disabilities Law Project
    http://www.dlp-pa.org/
    DLP is a nonprofit public interest law firm that provides legal advice and representation in negotiations, administrative hearings, and court proceedings. DLP works with people with disabilities, their families, advocates, and other attorneys to advance the rights of people with disabilities. DLP provides information about the legal rights of people with disabilities and joins in advocating for these rights. They have offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
    http://www.pabar.org/
    A state association of 28,000 members
  • Pennsylvania Bar Institute
    http://www.phlp.org/
    The Continuing Legal Education Arm of the Pennsylvania Bar Association

  • Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Lawyers
    http://www.pennsylvaniacriminaldefenselawyers.com/
    Directory of attorneys in Pennsylvania specializing in Criminal Law.
  • Pennsylvania Health Law Project
    http://www.phlp.org/
    PHLP advises or offers co-counsel to attorneys or paralegals representing the poor, elderly, or people with disabilities at all of the 18 legal services programs around Pennsylvania.
  • Pennsylvania Newspaper Association
    http://www.pa-newspaper.org/
    Under Legal Resources you can find the Pennsylvania Newspaper Handbook. This handbook is designed to serve as a legal reference tool for newspaper publishers, editors, reporters, and business personnel. It contains summaries of laws which affect the editorial, operational, and advertising functions of a newspaper.

United States

  • American Association of Law Libraries
    http://www.aallnet.org/
    With over 5,000 members, the AALL represents law librarians and related professionals who are affiliated with a wide range of institutions: law firms; law schools; corporate legal departments; courts; and local, state and federal government agencies.
  • American Bar Association
    http://www.abanet.org/
  • ABA LawInfo.org
    Your gateway to information on legal topics that affect your daily life from the American Bar Association. The broad topics include your family, your home, your job, your finances, buying and selling, the courts, criminal justice, and "find a lawyer".
  • Cornell Legal Information Institute
    http://www.law.cornell.edu/
    Includes Wex, a collaboratively built, freely available legal dictionary and encyclopedia.
  • Public Justice
    http://www.tlpj.org
    Public Justice (formerly Trial Lawyers for Public Justice) fights for justice through precedent-setting and socially significant individual and class action litigation designed to enhance consumer and victims' rights, environmental protection and safety, civil rights and civil liberties, workers' rights, America's civil justice system, and the protection of the poor and powerless.

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Legal Assistance

Pittsburgh Region

  • Allegheny County Bar Foundation
    http://www.acbf.org/
    As the charitable arm of the Allegheny County Bar Association, the Allegheny County Bar Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supports the delivery of pro bono legal services to low-income clients by members of the legal community, and administers various charitable and educational programs.
  • Allegheny County CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates)
    http://www.pgh-casa.org/
    Allegheny County CASA, formed in 1993, is one of 900 programs nationwide and its 120 volunteers are part of over 52,000 community members who advocate for abused and neglected children. CASAs are appointed by the Judge to represent a child in court and to speak up for their best interests.
  • KidsVoice
    http://www.kidsvoiceorg.com/
    Founded in 1908 as the Legal Aid Society of Pittsburgh, KidsVoice provides full-service advocacy for abused, abandoned, and other vulnerable children.
  • Laurel Legal Services
    http://www.wpalaw.org/
    Laurel Legal Services provides free civil legal representation to low-income clients in Armstrong, Cambria, Clarion, Indiana, Jefferson, and Westmoreland Counties.
  • Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania
    http://www.mediationwp.org/
    The Mediation Council of Western Pennsylvania (MCWP) is a nonprofit corporation, founded in 1982 by a group of legal and mental health professionals, whose mission is to promote the concept of mediation as an alternative to the traditional courtroom process, educating and informing the public about mediation, and developing continuing education programs for mediators.
  • Neighborhood Legal Services Association
    http://www.nlsa.us/
    Provides free civil legal assistance to low income people in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties.

  • Pittsburgh Mediation Center
    http://www.pittsburgh-mediation.org/
    a community-based organization dedicated to helping individuals and communities deal with conflict effectively, nonviolently and creatively.
  • Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services Consortium
    http://www.swplsconsortium.org/
    Established in 1997, the Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services Consortium is a functional integration of Laurel Legal Services (LLS), Neighborhood Legal Services Association (NLSA) and Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services (SPLAS). Together, these neighboring programs serve 14 counties and a poverty population that is greater than the eligible populations of sixteen other states.

    University of Pittsburgh School of Law: Civil Practice Clinic
    Legal services for low income families.

Pennsylvania

  • Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania
    http://www.dlp-pa.org/
    Pennsylvania Protection & Advocacy, Inc. (PP&A) and the Disabilities Law Project (DLP) have merged to form the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania (DRN). The result is a more comprehensive, stronger, seamless advocacy system, for persons with disabilities.
  • Pennsylvania Client Assistance Program
    http://www.equalemployment.org/
    CAP is an advocacy program for people with disabilities administered by the Center for Disability Law & Policy. It provides advocacy services to disabled individuals who are having concerns or problems with any program, project or facility receiving funds under the Rehabilitation Act.
  • Pennsylvania Health Law Project
    http://www.phlp.org/
    PHLP advises or offers co-counsel to attorneys or paralegals at all of the 18 legal services programs around Pennsylvania when, for instance, a client's request for a blood stem transplant has been turned down as "experimental" by an HMO, or when a client has been denied admission to a nursing home because she can't pay private rates for two years. They provide legal counsel to poor people seeking decent health care.
  • PALawHELP
    http://www.palawhelp.org/
    PALawHELP.org is a guide to legal information and free civil legal services for low-income persons and seniors in Pennsylvania. Here you can locate information on a variety of legal issues, as well as information on how to contact programs providing legal assistance in Pennsylvania.
  • Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc.
    http://www.palegalservices.org/
    Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc. (PLAN, Inc.), formerly Pennsylvania Legal Services, is the principal funder and oversight agency for organizations that comprise the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network. The Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) is the community of legal services organizations that provide legal assistance to low income residents of Pennsylvania.

United States

  • Legal Services Corporation
    http://www.lsc.gov/
    The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is a private, non-profit corporation established by Congress to seek to ensure equal access to justice under the law for all Americans by providing civil legal assistance to those who otherwise would be unable to afford it. Includes a guide to LSC programs by state. You can find legal assistance on their website by state.
  • Mediate.com
    http://www.mediate.com/
    A commercial site with information for mediators and those looking for mediation services

Last updated Tuesday February 12 2008.