Description

New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc. (LAA) is a nonprofit organization that was incorporated on April 7, 1964 to “secure justice for and to protect the rights of those residents of New Haven County unable to engage legal counsel.” LAA was one of the first legal services programs established and the federal government used it as a model for similar programs throughout the country.

We provide high-quality legal services to individuals and groups unable to obtain legal services because of limited income, age, disability, discrimination and other barriers.

To see if you qualify for free legal services, please contact Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut to apply. Statewide Legal Services is another legal aid program that conducts intake interviews and refers cases to our organization. Their staff will ask you questions and talk to you about your legal problem. If you qualify for legal aid, they will give you some legal advice on the phone. Depending on the type of case you have, Statewide Legal Services may be able to refer your case to us or to another attorney or legal services organization. You can call their hotline or apply online:

Toll-free: 1-800-453-3320
From Middletown and Hartford: 860-344-0380

Hotline Call-In hours:
9 a.m. – 12 noon, 1-2 p.m.
Monday through Friday

Click here to apply for legal help online.

Most of our legal services are available only for people with income at or below 125% of the federal poverty level. If you are 60 years old or older and think your income is higher than this, you may contact us directly to apply for legal services. If you are undocumented, you should contact our office directly to apply.

• Our office can and does serve undocumented individuals, but Statewide Legal Services cannot take their applications on the hotline or online. If you are undocumented and need legal assistance please call us directly at (203)946-4811.

• We generally provide free legal assistance in some kinds of civil and family cases. Although a small part of our practice includes criminal cases, those cases are sent directly to us by the public defenders’ office. If you have a criminal case and cannot afford an attorney, you may be eligible to apply for public defender services through the court. We do not provide free legal assistance in cases where you want to sue someone and ask for money damages. Those are cases that private lawyers may take on a contingent fee basis, which means they will take a percentage—usually up to one third of the damages—as their fee.

School-Based Clinics

New Haven Legal Assistance Association’s school-based legal clinics provide parents of the children at two schools in the Greater New Haven area with legal help in the areas of housing, family, and public benefits law. This includes issues such as evictions, utility shut-offs, relief from domestic violence, custody disputes, Medicaid terminations or denials, Food Stamp terminations or denials, and TFA Cash Assistance terminations or denials. Lawyers may be able to provide advice, limited scope representation, or full representation for any of these legal problems. By providing these services, the clinic hopes to help parents help their kids succeed in school.

TEAM inc. Early Care and Education Center
*For parents enrolled in TEAM Early Education only*

Tuesdays & Thursdays: 3:00 – 5:00 pm

TEAM Early Education
80 Howard Ave
Ansonia, CT 06401

Dr. Reginald Mayo Early Childhood School
*For parents enrolled in Dr. Reginald Mayo School only*

Mondays: 1:30 – 3:30 pm
Wednesday: 8:00 – 10:00 am

Dr. Reginald Mayo School
185 Goffe St
New Haven, CT 06511

Fair Haven School 

*For parents enrolled in Fair Haven School only*

Tuesdays: 9:30 AM – 11 AM
185 Goffe St
New Haven, CT

Hill Central School 

*For parents enrolled in Hill Central School only*

Thursdays: 8:45 AM – 11 AM
140 Dewitt Street
New Haven, CT

For more information please contact the School-Based Legal Aid Coordinator at New Haven Legal Assistance, Jett Jonelis.

Daniela Carranza
School Based Legal Aid Coordinator
New Haven Legal Assistance Association, Inc.
Phone: (203) 946-4811 ext. 1153
Email: dcarranza@nhlegal.org