Atlanta’s legal services ecosystem extends well beyond private law firms to include nonprofit legal aid organizations, court self-help centers, law school clinics, and specialized programs serving veterans, seniors, domestic violence survivors, and immigrants — all operating in a city where legal need significantly outpaces available pro bono and subsidized legal resources. The Atlanta metro area’s rapid population growth has increased the absolute number of residents who face civil legal problems without the ability to pay for private attorney services, making legal aid organizations and low-cost legal service providers critical infrastructure for access to justice. Georgia State University College of Law, Emory School of Law, and Atlanta’s Legal Aid Society together form a robust network of subsidized legal assistance that serves tens of thousands of Atlanta residents annually. Understanding which legal service provider is appropriate for your specific situation — based on income, legal issue type, and the county where you live — is the first step to accessing help.
When seeking legal services in Atlanta beyond private attorney representation, start by determining your income eligibility for legal aid programs, which base eligibility on household income relative to the federal poverty level. Contact the specific legal aid organization serving your county — Atlanta Legal Aid Society covers the five core metro counties (Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, and Clayton), while the Georgia Legal Services Program covers the remaining 154 Georgia counties. For issues that fall outside legal aid scope or income limits, the Atlanta Bar Association’s Modest Means Program connects moderate-income residents with attorneys who agree to reduced rates. Red flags in the legal services market include non-attorney “document preparation” services that charge fees for completing legal forms without providing legal advice, which is the unauthorized practice of law in Georgia.
Top Legal Services Companies in Atlanta
1. Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc.
Address: 54 Ellis St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 (Fulton County headquarters)
Phone: (404) 524-5811
Website: https://www.atlantalegalaid.org
Service Area: Fulton, Clayton, Cobb, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties
Services:
- Free civil legal representation for income-qualifying residents
- Legal advice and brief services
- Self-help legal assistance
- Tenant and housing rights
- Family law and domestic violence
- Consumer protection
- Public benefits
- Senior legal services (call 404-389-9992)
About: Atlanta Legal Aid Society is the primary free civil legal services provider for the five-county Atlanta metropolitan area, serving low-income residents with civil — not criminal — legal matters across a broad range of practice areas including housing, family law, consumer protection, and public benefits. The organization operates from offices in Fulton, DeKalb, and Cobb counties to serve the metro area’s geographic spread. Eligibility is based on income, legal problem type, and county of residence. The organization also maintains the GeorgiaLegalAid.org website in partnership with other Georgia legal aid providers, offering self-help legal information for residents who do not qualify for or need full representation.
2. Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP)
Address: 104 Marietta Street NW, Suite 240, Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 894-7707
Website: https://www.glsp.org
Services:
- Free civil legal services for income-qualifying residents in rural and non-metro Georgia
- Legal representation in housing, family, consumer, and public benefits matters
- Statewide intake: 1-833-457-7529
- Online intake available
About: Georgia Legal Services Program is a nonprofit law firm serving income-qualifying residents in the 154 Georgia counties outside the five-county Atlanta metro area, with its Atlanta office serving as a program and administrative hub. GLSP’s lawyers and paralegals provide legal services reflecting community values of fairness and equality across a broad range of civil legal matters. The organization operates as the counterpart to Atlanta Legal Aid Society, together providing statewide coverage for income-qualifying residents across all of Georgia. Their statewide intake line at 1-833-457-7529 connects callers anywhere in Georgia to appropriate services.
3. GeorgiaLegalAid.org
Website: https://www.georgialegalaid.org
Services:
- Free online legal information in plain language
- Legal Help Finder tool for locating local services
- Legal resource library across practice areas
- Referrals to legal aid organizations
- Self-help legal forms and guidance
About: GeorgiaLegalAid.org is a collaborative online legal self-help resource maintained by Atlanta Legal Aid Society, the Georgia Legal Services Program, and the Pro Bono Project of the State Bar of Georgia. The website provides free, accessible legal information across civil practice areas relevant to Georgia law, written for non-lawyers who need to understand their rights and options. The Legal Help Finder tool allows users to describe their legal problem and identify the most appropriate local legal resource, whether that is a legal aid organization, a bar association referral service, or a court self-help center. The resource is particularly valuable for individuals who need basic legal information or help completing court forms without requiring full attorney representation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I qualify for free legal services in Atlanta?
A: Atlanta Legal Aid Society serves residents of Fulton, Clayton, Cobb, Gwinnett, and DeKalb counties who have income below 200% of the federal poverty level (the specific threshold varies by program and funding source). Eligibility is also affected by the type of legal problem — Atlanta Legal Aid handles civil matters including housing, family law, consumer, and benefits issues but does not handle criminal cases. Call (404) 524-5811 or complete the online intake form at atlantalegalaid.org to apply. For residents in other Georgia counties, call GLSP at 1-833-457-7529. If your income exceeds legal aid limits, the Atlanta Bar Association’s Modest Means Program may provide reduced-rate attorney services.
Q: What types of civil legal problems can Atlanta Legal Aid help with?
A: Atlanta Legal Aid handles a broad range of civil (non-criminal) legal matters including eviction defense and tenant rights, domestic violence protective orders, divorce and custody for survivors of domestic violence, denial of public benefits such as SNAP and Medicaid, consumer protection and predatory lending, disability-related discrimination, and immigration issues for certain qualifying individuals. The organization cannot help with criminal cases, business disputes above certain thresholds, or civil matters that fall outside their funded priorities. Calling their intake line or completing the online application is the most reliable way to determine whether they can assist with your specific situation.
Q: What is the difference between legal aid, legal services, and legal advice in Atlanta?
A: Legal aid refers specifically to free or reduced-cost legal services provided by nonprofit organizations to income-qualifying individuals. Legal services is a broader term covering any professional legal assistance, including private law firm representation. Legal advice is the professional opinion of a licensed attorney on how the law applies to your specific situation, which is distinct from legal information (general explanations of the law) that can be provided by non-attorneys. In Georgia, only licensed attorneys can provide legal advice — document preparation services and paralegal companies that provide advice without attorney supervision are engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.
Conclusion
Atlanta’s legal services landscape provides a spectrum of assistance from fully free representation for the lowest-income residents through subsidized and market-rate options for those with greater resources. Atlanta Legal Aid Society serves as the backbone of free civil legal services for the five-county metro area, with decades of experience helping Atlanta’s most vulnerable residents. Georgia Legal Services Program extends free legal help to the remaining 154 Georgia counties with an Atlanta administrative presence. GeorgiaLegalAid.org provides free self-help information and referrals accessible to any Georgia resident regardless of income. Contact these organizations to find the right level of assistance for your legal needs.