Legal Aid, Bar Association, and Nonprofit Organization Websites

American Bar Association

The American Bar Association (“ABA”) is a professional organization committed to “improving the legal profession and advancing the rule of law throughout the United States.” Find information on the legal system at Topics and Resources. 

State Bar of Texas 

The State Bar of Texas is the second-largest state bar association in the United States. Its mission is to “support the administration of the legal system, assure all citizens equal access to justice, foster high standards of ethical conduct for lawyers, enable its members to serve their clients and the public better, educate the public about the rule of law, and promote diversity in the administration of justice and the practice of law.” The website features information specifically designed for use by the public. See Free Legal Resources. 

Texas Young Lawyers Association 

The Texas Young Lawyers Association (“TYLA”) is part of the State Bar of Texas. Its primary purpose is to “facilitate the administration of justice, foster respect for the law, and advance the legal profession's role in serving the public.” The TYLA website has comprehensive information on the legal system. See Resources: General Public. 

The People’s Lawyer  

This website has information to help you understand your rights and responsibilities in the legal system. The organization also hosts People’s Law School events to teach Texans about the law and court system. See The People’s Lawyer. 

TXAccess.org

This is the website of the Texas Access and Visitation Hotline. This hotline is operated by Texas Legal Services Center in conjunction with the Texas Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division. It seeks to "provide easy, statewide access to basic legal information, education, and resources for parents and other interested parties who do not have access to an attorney." TXAccess.org has many answers to common questions about access and visitation issues. 

National Domestic Violence Hotline

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help with domestic violence issues. The website offers tools for finding help. 

Texas Association Against Sexual Assault

The goal of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (“TAASA”) is to provide leadership to free the statewide community of sexual violence through education, prevention, and advocacy. TAASA’s website has information for survivors and victims of sexual assault. 

Texas Council on Family Violence

The Texas Council on Family Violence seeks to “promote safe and healthy relationships by supporting service providers, facilitating strategic prevention efforts, and creating opportunities for freedom from domestic violence.” TCFV’s website has information that survivors and victims of domestic violence may find helpful.

Bullying 

Bigger Than Bullies.

The Bigger Than Bullies website, funded by a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation, has information and resources for parents looking for help on bullying issues involving their children.  

David’s Legacy Foundation

David’s Legacy Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to eliminate cyber and other bullying, of children and teens, through education, legislation, and legal action. 

Texas Fair Defense Project

The mission of the Texas Fair Defense Project is to "fight for a criminal justice system that respects the rights of low-income Texans." The Texas Fair Defense Project website has information on the Texas criminal justice system and how to get a court-appointed lawyer in a criminal case.  

Texas Inmate  Families Association

The Texas Inmate Families Association's mission "is to break the cycle of crime by strengthening families through support, education, and advocacy." The website contains information that inmates and their families may find helpful. See the Association's Family Resources section. 

Austin Tenants Council 

The Austin Tenant's Council's mission is to "protect tenants' rights and educate the community on fair housing." The website has fact sheets and forms if you are having landlord-tenant issues. The council also has a telephone counseling hotline for Travis County residents.

Texas A&M Real Estate Center

The Texas A&M Real Estate Center is the largest publicly funded organization in the country devoted to real estate research. This website has a library of information about Texas real estate law. 

Texas Tenant Advisor

This is a website "intended to provide residential tenants of Texas with general information." They have guides on landlord-tenant law you may find useful.  

Texas Tenants Union

The Texas Tenants' Union is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering tenants "through education and organizing to protect their rights, preserve their homes, improve their living conditions, and enhance the quality of life in their communities." The Texas Tenants' Union hosts a weekly, in-person Tenants' Rights Workshop in Dallas, Texas, to help Texans with landlord-tenant issues.

Disability Rights Texas

Disability Rights Texas is a nonprofit organization with a mission to “help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society.” The website has a wide variety of information on the law affecting disabled Texans and their families. 

National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives

The National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives is “a specialized bar association for attorneys and other advocates who represent people with disabilities. Its mission is to “advocate for improvements in Social Security disability programs and to ensure that individuals with disabilities applying for Social Security Disability and SSI benefits have access to highly qualified representation and receive fair decisions. Its website has a lawyer referral service for Social Security benefits cases and information.

DisasterLegalAid.org

DisasterLegalAid.org is the national legal aid website for disaster relief. It is administered by Lone Star Legal Aid and contains information to help you prepare for, deal with, and recover from natural disasters.  

National Consumer Law Center

Since 1969 the mission of the nonprofit National Consumer Law Center ("NCLC") has been to "work for consumer justice and economic security for low-income and other disadvantaged people, including older adults, in the U.S." Their website has information that consumers may find helpful when dealing with common consumer law issues. 

Pension Rights Center

The Pension Rights Center ("PRC") is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to "protecting and promoting the retirement security of American workers, retirees, and their families." The website has information for those with questions concerning pension and retirement. 

Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans

A State Bar of Texas website, Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans, provides resources that help " local bar associations and legal aid organizations set up free civil advice clinics for veterans and their families."

American Civil Liberties Union

The American Civil Liberties Union ("ACLU") is an organization that " has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and the laws of the United States." The ACLU website has information at Know Your Rights that can help you better understand your rights under the U.S. Constitution.

Immi.org

Immi.org is an organization that seeks to help immigrants understand their legal options. This website provides information and a directory of legal help for immigration-focused issues.

Immigrant Resource Hotline

The Immigrant Resource Hotline is a source of timely and accurate information about changing immigration policies, a place to report discrimination and racial profiling, and a source for referrals to legal services providers and immigrant rights organizers. 

The Hotline is a project of the Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborative, Boat People SOS, BakerRipley, United We Dream, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, and the ACLU of Texas.

Unaccompanied Children Resource Center

This organization provides free legal resources and information for advocates and immigrants. The Unaccompanied Children Resource Center has a legal help directory of nonprofit immigration legal services providers.  

United We Dream 

United We Dream is the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation. They organize and advocate for the dignity and fair treatment of immigrant youth and families, regardless of immigration status.