Legal Aid & Record Relief
Legal Action Center (LAC)
Manhattan
Free legal help with rap sheets, Certificates of Relief, sealing, job/housing denials, licensing, and discrimination tied to a record, drug use, SUD or HIV.
Legal Aid & Record Relief in NYC
Legal help for reentry covers record sealing, certificates of relief and good conduct, parole and probation questions, housing court, family court and the immigration consequences of a conviction. Most services here are free for people who can't afford a lawyer.
New York's Clean Slate Act, in effect since November 2024, seals many eligible convictions automatically, generally 3 years after sentencing or release for misdemeanors and 8 years for felonies. Not every conviction qualifies and older records are being sealed in stages, so ask a legal aid provider where yours stands.
Tip: request a copy of your own criminal record from the NYS Division of Criminal Justice Services before your first appointment. Fee waivers are available, and it saves time.
195 services across the five boroughs
Legal Aid & Record Relief by borough
Employment & Job Training
Community Service Society (CSS) - Next Door Project
Manhattan
Hotline helping people with conviction histories request their own records, repair inaccurate rap sheets, and apply for Certificates of Good Conduct or Certificates of Relief from Disabilities, which can ease licensing and employment barriers.
Housing & Shelter
Housing Court Answers
Citywide
Information for tenants, landlords and advocates: housing court procedures, landlord-tenant rules, code violations, referrals to free legal help and back-rent assistance.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New Economy Project - NYC Financial Justice Hotline
Manhattan
Runs the NYC Financial Justice Hotline, providing free legal assistance to low-income NYC residents on financial justice issues such as debt collection, credit reports, unfair banking practices, and predatory lending.
Family & Reunification
Safe Horizon
Manhattan
Support for victims of crime and abuse: shelter, advocacy, counseling, legal services and supervised visitation; welcomes all survivors regardless of immigration status. Hotline 800.621.4673.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS)
Brooklyn · Queens
Free court-appointed defense in criminal, family and immigration matters (Brooklyn and Queens), plus civil advocacy, social work, and the Reentry Speaks support group.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Community Service Society (CSS)
Manhattan
Free advice and legal representation for reentry barriers in employment, licensing, housing and civic engagement, plus health insurance, financial and income support help.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
LawHelpNY
Citywide
Online directory of free legal services across New York with plain-language rights information, court info, and live chat Mon-Thu 9am-9pm.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Legal Services NYC
Citywide
Free civil legal services in housing, benefits and immigration, plus representation for conviction-history employment discrimination.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Mobilization for Justice
Citywide
Provides free legal assistance to low-income New Yorkers on housing, civil rights, disability rights, aging rights, bankruptcy, tax, consumer, employment, government benefits, and kinship care matters, including advice, counsel, and representation to help people with past criminal records re-enter the workforce.
Family & Reunification
NYC ACS - Office of Advocacy
Manhattan
Information about rights for parents who had to place a child in foster care while incarcerated; incarcerated parents can call collect at 212.619.1309.
Family & Reunification
NYC HRA - Office of Child Support Services (OCSS)
Citywide
Help with child support orders, license suspensions, lowering or eliminating child support debt owed to the government, paternity, DNA testing, mediation, and free financial counseling.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Prisoners' Legal Services of New York (PLSNY)
Citywide
Provides free legal services to people incarcerated in NYS DOCCS prisons on matters including mental health and medical care, discrimination, disciplinary hearings, excessive force, conditions of confinement, sentence calculation, and immigration. A Pre-Release and Re-Entry Program (PREP) offers counseling and planning for people within 6-18 months of release, and an immigration unit represents noncitizens in removal proceedings. Case acceptance is decided individually and does not extend to county, federal, or out-of-state facilities.
Family & Reunification
Rising Ground - Steps to End Family Violence
Manhattan
Runs the Criminalized Survivors Program, an alternative-to-incarceration program for survivors of intimate partner and gender-based violence who were criminalized for surviving or resisting abuse. Offers individual and group support, legal advocacy, and court accompaniment throughout the survivor's open criminal case.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Bronx Defenders
Bronx
Public defender for Bronx residents in criminal, family, housing and immigration court plus benefits; reentry and ATI advocacy. 24-hour emergency hotline 347.778.1266.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Legal Aid Society
Citywide
Free legal representation and advice on criminal, civil and juvenile issues: policing, bail, benefits, housing, immigration, parole, sealing and more.
Benefits & Financial Help
VOLS Benefits Law Project
Manhattan
Helps low-income New Yorkers with unemployment insurance and SCRIE/DRIE rent freeze benefits. Benefits hotline 347.521.5720.
Family & Reunification
Center for Family Representation (CFR)
Manhattan · Bronx · Queens · Staten Island
Free legal and social work help for parents contacted by ACS, aiming to keep children at home; also represents youth 7-17 facing criminal charges.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Community Justice Connect
Citywide
Free legal information, assistance and referrals from trained non-lawyer volunteers supervised by an attorney: benefits, employment, housing, family, immigration, health, divorce, domestic violence.
Mental Health & Counseling
Crime Victims Treatment Center (CVTC)
Manhattan
Medical, legal and psychological support for survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence: crisis intervention, trauma therapy, legal advocacy. Legal helpline 212.683.0605.
Housing & Shelter
Housing Works
Brooklyn
Housing, healthcare, job training and legal help for homeless and low-income New Yorkers affected by HIV/AIDS; Emergency and Transitional Housing program gives 12 months of housing for people recently released.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Innocence Project
Manhattan
Represents people seeking post-conviction DNA testing to prove their innocence, taking only cases with untested physical evidence capable of proving innocence, for crimes committed in the US outside a handful of excluded states. Accepts only mailed intake forms; phone and email applications are not accepted.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Lambda Legal
Manhattan
Provides a Help Desk with information and resources for LGBTQI+ people and people living with HIV who have faced discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or HIV status. Help Desk analysts are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice; walk-ins are not accepted.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) - Certificates Project, Sealing Project, & Project Restore
Manhattan
Helps people with conviction records apply for Certificates of Relief from Disabilities and Certificates of Good Conduct to reduce barriers to employment, housing, and civic participation. Project Restore provides free representation to people with conviction records who were denied vocational licenses, including appeals before agency commissioners and, when warranted, the New York State Supreme Court.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) - Civil Appeals Project
Manhattan
Provides free representation to eligible litigants who have filed civil appeals in the Appellate Division-First Judicial Department, covering appeals of Article 78 decisions on state or local agency actions and family law appeals such as child or spousal support and matrimonial disputes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) - Volunteer Lawyer for the Day Consumer Debt Program
Manhattan
Provides free in-court legal help to people being sued by creditors for credit card or other debt in New York County Civil Court, including document review, advice, and limited-scope representation for self-represented litigants during court appearances.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)
Manhattan
Free civil legal services and financial counseling: benefits, tenants' rights, consumer protection, immigration, family and employment law.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Peace Institute
Manhattan
Free mediation, restorative justice services and training for community, housing, co-parenting, civil and criminal court, youth and special education disputes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Bar Legal Referral Service
Citywide
Referrals to screened, experienced lawyers; initial consultation of up to 30 minutes for $35 or free depending on case type.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYCLA Legal Counseling Project
Manhattan
Free phone consultations with an attorney on family, landlord/tenant, employment and tax law; interpreter services available.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Public Access Law Libraries
Citywide
Operates public law libraries in each borough where people can access legal research materials; librarians cannot give legal advice, interpret legal materials, or draft legal language. Remote reference help is also available through the Ask a Law Librarian online chat, text, or email service.
Family & Reunification
Sanctuary for Families
Manhattan
Serves survivors of domestic violence, sex trafficking, and gender-based violence with culturally sensitive counseling, case management, crisis intervention, legal representation, and confidentially located shelter for women, men, and families. Also runs a career readiness and technology training program, and, through the EMPOWER Center with NYC Health + Hospitals-Gouverneur, provides resources for survivors of sex trafficking and people in the sex trade.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Urban Justice Center
Manhattan
Legal services and advocacy through eight projects (domestic violence, mental health, safety net, street vendors and more), with clinics on housing, immigration and family law.
Family & Reunification
Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) - Incarcerated Mothers Law Project
Manhattan
Provides legal services to incarcerated mothers at Rikers Island, Taconic, Albion, and Bedford Hills correctional facilities, helping them maintain contact with their children and understand foster care and family court proceedings, including adoption and termination of parental rights. Also helps mothers plan for post-incarceration reunification with their children.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Youth Represent
Manhattan
Free legal services for system-impacted youth: job and license denials due to convictions, public housing denials, school suspensions, summonses and low-level misdemeanors, family court, and RAP sheet corrections.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Board of Elections in New York City
Citywide
Handles voter registration for NYC residents, including people whose voting rights have been restored after parole, and provides voter registration forms, absentee ballots, and registration information by phone.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Community Alternatives (CCA)
Brooklyn
Statewide network for people affected by mass incarceration: substance treatment and recovery communities, sentence mitigation, court advocacy, workforce readiness, civic restoration, emergency/transitional housing, youth mentoring.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Federal Defenders of New York
Brooklyn
Defends people accused of federal crimes who cannot afford a lawyer, handles appeals, and supports reentry programs for people with substance use disorder and mental illness. Eastern District covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island; Southern covers Manhattan and the Bronx.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
LGBT Bar Association of Greater New York
Manhattan
Offers an attorney referral service and a free weekly legal clinic on Tuesday evenings at the LGBT Center in Manhattan, staffed by volunteer attorneys who give general guidance and legal referrals but not representation.
Housing & Shelter
Metropolitan Council on Housing
Manhattan
Tenant hotline and free walk-in Tenants' Rights clinics (Oct-Jun) for landlord-tenant disputes; help forming a tenants' association.
Housing & Shelter
Neighborhood Association for Inter-Cultural Affairs (NAICA)
Bronx
Offers eviction prevention and rental assistance application services to single adults, families, and older Bronx tenants, including help submitting Family Eviction Prevention Subsidy (FEPS) applications and free legal representation.
Family & Reunification
NYC Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence - Family Justice Centers (FJC)
Citywide
Provides free and confidential legal, counseling, and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence, gender-based violence, elder abuse, and sex trafficking, with immediate assistance regardless of language, immigration, or economic status. Centers operate in all five boroughs.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Exoneration Initiative (EXI)
Manhattan
Free legal help for wrongfully convicted people in New York on cases without DNA evidence (mistaken eyewitnesses, false confessions, police misconduct, perjury).
Family & Reunification
Alliance of Families for Justice (AFJ)
Manhattan
Supports families of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people: virtual family circles, free counseling, free legal help on conditions of confinement, visitation, parole prep and clemency, plus youth and healing programs.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Good Call
Citywide
24/7 hotline for people arrested in NYC: free immediate legal support and an emergency contact directory that lets the lawyer reach loved ones.
Housing & Shelter
JustFix.nyc
Citywide
Free online tools for tenants: repair complaint letters sent by certified mail, building/landlord lookup (Who Owns What), Good Cause eviction screener and eviction help.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Liberty Fund NYC - The ROR Program
Citywide
Voluntary case management for people released on their own recognizance or on bail with a pending case: needs assessment, referrals for housing, entitlements, jobs, substance use and mental health, weekly check-ins and court reminders.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Parole Preparation Project
Manhattan
Trains volunteers to work closely with people incarcerated in NYS prisons who are serving parole-eligible life sentences, helping them prepare for upcoming parole board hearings, with priority given to those 8-12 months from their next hearing. After release, participants can join Survivors of the System (SOS), a peer support and advocacy network.
Healthcare
A Call for Change
Citywide
A free, anonymous, and confidential intimate partner abuse prevention helpline for people who want to stop using abuse and control in their intimate relationships. If a caller gives identifying information and a crime is disclosed, the Helpline will follow legal duty to report requirements.
Benefits & Financial Help
About Face
Citywide
An organization of Post-9/11 service members and veterans organizing to end a foreign policy of permanent war and the use of military weapons, tactics, and values in communities across the country.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
ACLU - Reproductive Freedom Project
Manhattan
The Reproductive Freedom Project advocates for incarcerated pregnant people to receive reproductive health services. Write for a Know Your Rights fact sheet.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Advocates for Children (AFC)
Manhattan
Advocates and works on behalf of children who are at risk for school-based discrimination and/or academic failure due to poverty, disability, race, ethnicity, immigrant or English language learner status, sexual orientation, gender identity, homelessness, or involvement in the foster care or juvenile court systems.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE)
Manhattan
Advocates for the legal and political rights of trans people.
Healthcare
African Services Committee
Manhattan
Health care, immigration legal help and food pantry for African immigrants.
Benefits & Financial Help
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) - Military Assistance Program (MAP)
Citywide
Provides free immigration legal services to active-duty service members or recent veterans, and their family members, whose legal matters may be complex and require the knowledge of experienced immigration attorneys. Visit the website for full requirements and to request assistance.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Appellate Advocates
Citywide
Represents people appealing criminal convictions in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, with social work and reentry support.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Arab American Association of New York
Brooklyn
Immigration help, English classes, youth programs and family support in Bay Ridge.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Avenues for Justice
Manhattan
Alternative-to-incarceration program for court-involved youth with court advocacy, tutoring and mentoring.
Family & Reunification
Black and Pink
Citywide
National network supporting LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive people who are incarcerated, including a pen-pal program.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Bronxconnect
Bronx
A faith-based community organization offering alternatives-todetention and -incarceration to court-involved youth in the Bronx and Manhattan.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Cabrini Immigrant Services of NYC
Manhattan
A faith-based agency that provides a broad range of services to immigrants and their families. Direct legal services include Green Card renewals, family-based petitions, DACA renewals, FOIA requests, VAWA petition, U visa, and citizenship applications.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Catholic Charities - Immigration Legal Services
Citywide
Offers information and referrals as well as direct service for immigration-related problems. Provides legal consultations, representation, and assistance to documented and undocumented immigrants.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Appellate Litigation
Manhattan
Appeals for people convicted in Manhattan and the Bronx who can't afford a lawyer.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Appellate Litigation (CAL)
Manhattan · Bronx
Represents people appealing criminal convictions from Manhattan and the Bronx.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Community Alternatives (CCA) - Youth Services NYC
Brooklyn
Provides services to youth, both court-involved and non-court-involved, including case management, financial literacy and life skills workshops, civic engagement opportunities, community benefits projects, internships, unsubsidized job placements, and mentoring. Visit the website for more information and requirements.
Benefits & Financial Help
Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY)
Citywide
Benefits help, housing assistance and advocacy for people with disabilities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation
Citywide
Runs alternative-to-incarceration, violence prevention, reentry and court-based programs across NYC.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Bronx Community Solutions
Bronx
Provides alternative sentences, social service assessments and short-term counseling for people with cases in Bronx courts.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Brownsville Community Justice Center
Brooklyn
Youth-focused justice center in Brownsville offering alternatives to detention, job training and community programs.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Harlem Community Justice Center
Manhattan
Community justice center in East Harlem offering housing court support, youth programs and reentry services.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Midtown Community Court
Manhattan
Community court offering social services, job readiness and alternatives to jail for people with low-level cases in Midtown Manhattan.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Queens Community Justice Center
Queens
Offers alternatives to incarceration, youth programs and social services for people with cases in Queens courts.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation - Red Hook Community Justice Center
Brooklyn
Neighborhood court and service hub in Red Hook offering counseling, youth programs and alternatives to incarceration.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Center for Justice Innovation (CJI) - The Staten Island Justice Center
Staten Island
Provides a range of programs for both young people and adults impacted by the criminal legal system. Services include individual counseling, psychoeducational group programming, youth leadership, mentorship programming, and workforce development training.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Child Find of America - Parent Help
Citywide
Provides free and confidential services for parents living apart, including visitation/custody mediation over the phone, help with understanding legal options, and learning how to navigate the court and support systems.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Chosen Family Law Center
Manhattan
Offers free legal assistance to low-income LGBTQIA+, polyamorous, and chosen family communities in New York.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
City Bar Justice Center
Citywide
Free legal help for low-income New Yorkers, including consumer, immigration and veterans issues.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
City Bar Justice Center - Veterans Assistance Project
Manhattan
Provides veterans and their survivors facing systemic barriers in NYC with pro bono legal assistance on issues related to their claims for benefits from the VA. Veterans and their survivors may call to have their cases screened and, as appropriate, invited to a monthly legal clinic.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Clean Slate NY
Citywide
Explains NY's Clean Slate Act (in effect Nov 16, 2024): automatic sealing of eligible convictions after 3 years (misdemeanor) or 8 years (felony).
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Columbia Human Rights Law Review - A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual (JLM)
Manhattan
A handbook of legal rights and procedures designed for use by people in prisons and jails. JLM chapters are downloadable for free on the website.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Common Justice
Brooklyn
Restorative justice alternative to incarceration for violent felonies, centered on the harmed party's needs.
Family & Reunification
Community Mediation Services (CMS)
Queens
Provides a network of mediation and conflict resolution programs to individuals, youth, and families in NYC. Visitation/custody and divorce mediation offered on a sliding fee scale. Other services include court diversion programs, therapeutic interventions, specialized educational programs, and school-based services.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Correctional Association of New York (CANY)
Brooklyn
Independent prison monitor that tracks conditions in NYS prisons and takes reports from incarcerated people and families.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Court Watch NYC
Citywide
Volunteers watch court proceedings and report on what they see to hold court actors accountable.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Crip Justice
Citywide
Advocacy and resources on policing, prisons and disability justice; campaigns to free disabled people and writes letters of support.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Critical Resistance - New York City
Citywide
Abolitionist organizing group; publishes The Abolitionist newspaper and corresponds with people in prison.
Family & Reunification
Day One
Citywide
Counseling, legal help and education on dating violence for young people.
Housing & Shelter
Destination Tomorrow
Bronx
Bronx LGBTQ+ center with housing support, job training and HSE classes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Disability Rights New York
Citywide
State protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities, including in prisons and jails.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Disability Rights New York (DRNY)
Citywide
NY's protection and advocacy agency for people with disabilities, including people in prisons and jails.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Education Justice Project - A New PATH: a Guide to the Challenges & Opportunities After Deportation
Citywide
A free guide for people who live with the threat of deportation to Mexico or Central America. Information includes Know Your Rights, legal help information, and a plan in case of possible deportation.
Education & GED
Exalt Youth
Brooklyn · Manhattan
Education and paid internships for court-involved youth.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Exodus Transitional Community - Women & Girls Project
Manhattan
A trauma-informed reentry program for women and girls ages 15–24 who have experienced incarceration, court involvement, or systemic trauma. Provide case management and workshops that focus on emotional wellness, leadership development, civic engagement, and career readiness.
Family & Reunification
Family Legal Care
Citywide
A nonprofit organization that provides free legal information and advice about NYS family law and Family Court, including issues of child support, custody, visitation, paternity, parentage, and guardianship of a minor.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
Citywide
Call or visit the website for a comprehensive listing of federal detention centers throughout the United States, along with information about an incarcerated person.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - Identity Theft Recovery
Citywide
The website provides checklists of what to do immediately after an individual realizes their personal information has been stolen and used, how to repair the damage, and potential additional steps that may be necessary.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Freedom Agenda (Urban Justice Center)
Citywide
Member-led organizing by people impacted by incarceration, including the campaign to close Rikers. Monthly member meetings.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Girl Vow
Bronx
Provides services within secure and non-secure facilities, foster care agencies, and for homeless LGBTQ+ and underserved youth.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS)
Manhattan
Provides counseling, therapeutic and recreational groups, referrals to housing, legal and educational resources, transitional housing, court advocacy, and peer mentoring for girls and women ages 12–29 who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and/ or domestic trafficking.
Family & Reunification
Her Justice
Citywide
Free family, divorce and immigration lawyers for women living in poverty.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Immigrant Defense Project
Manhattan
Helpline and resources on immigration consequences of criminal cases and ICE Know Your Rights.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Immigrant Defense Project (IDP)
Citywide
Expert help on immigration consequences of criminal cases and ICE enforcement.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Immigration Advocates Network (IAN) - National Immigration Legal Services Directory
Citywide
An online directory with options to search for immigration legal services providers by state, county, or detention facility. Only nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost immigration legal services are included.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Immigration Equality
Citywide
Provides free legal services to LGBTQI+ people and those living with HIV who are asylum seekers physically present in the US, and LGBTQI+ people and people living with HIV in immigration detention facilities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Informed Immigrant
Citywide
A website that provides guides for undocumented immigrants on rights, family preparedness, help for people in detention or facing deportation, a directory to find free or low-cost legal services by zip code, and more. Also provides resources for service providers and schools.
Mental Health & Counseling
JASA
Citywide
Services for older adults including case management, housing, legal help and mental health.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Just Detention International (JDI)
Citywide
A health and human rights organization that advocates to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention.
Family & Reunification
Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT)
Citywide
Family court legal information and support for people representing themselves.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Make the Road New York
Brooklyn
Legal services, adult education, job help and organizing for immigrant and working-class communities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Mercy Center - Immigration Services
Bronx
Offers free legal assistance with naturalization applications for legal permanent residents, DACA renewals, and Green Card renewals. Makes referrals to partner organizations for other legal immigration matters.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Mixteca Organization Inc.
Brooklyn
Provides a range of services to Spanish speaking immigrants in NYC. Offers ESOL classes, computer classes, and adult basic education and literacy classes in Spanish.
Benefits & Financial Help
Modern Military
Citywide
Provides education and advocates for the rights and well being of LGBTQ+ service members, veterans, and their families, as well as people living with HIV. Service members, military spouses/family members, or veterans can report LGBTQ+ or HIV discrimination on the website.
Substance Use Recovery
National Association for Shoplifting Prevention
Citywide
Provides information to help with avoiding shoplifting. If courtordered, the Shoplifters Alternative Course (SA Course) is available online in English and Spanish.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
National Center for LGBTQ Rights (NCLR)
Citywide
A national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of LGBTQI+ people, and their families, through litigation, legislation, policy, and public education.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem
Manhattan
Public defender for Northern Manhattan: criminal, family and immigration defense plus civil help.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem (NDS)
Manhattan
Holistic public defense covering criminal, family and civil legal problems for people in Northern Manhattan.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Center for Law and Justice - Legal Services Program
Manhattan
Provides free legal services to indigent deaf, deafblind, and hard of hearing New Yorkers on a range of civil matters, including housing, family, public benefits, student loans, immigration, and asylum cases.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU)
Manhattan
Civil rights advocacy and litigation; Know Your Rights materials; intake for rights violations.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Defender Services
Manhattan
Public defender in Manhattan criminal courts.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York County Defender Services (NYCDS)
Manhattan
Public defender office representing people charged with crimes in Manhattan.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI)
Manhattan
Disability, health justice and immigrant rights legal advocacy.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights (NMCIR)
Manhattan
Immigration legal services and education in Washington Heights.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NY Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement (NYCAIC)
Citywide
Campaign to end solitary confinement in NY (#HALTsolitary), led with survivors of solitary and families.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC - 311
Citywide
Provides information on all NYC government services. Operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Board of Correction (BOC)
Manhattan
An oversight board that regulates, monitors, and inspects NYC jails. If you are within the NYC jail system, contact to file a complaint.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Central Booking
Citywide
Call for information to locate someone who has been arrested. Provides information about people who were arrested in the last 24–48 hours and who have not yet seen a judge, and information on whether or not someone is in police custody and where they will be arraigned.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB)
Manhattan
Independent agency that investigates complaints of NYPD misconduct.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Commission on Human Rights - Fair Chance Act
Citywide
Enforces NYC laws barring discrimination based on criminal record in hiring and housing; take complaints.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC DCWP - Workers' Rights
Citywide
Enforces NYC paid sick leave, fair workweek and other worker protections; takes complaints.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP)
Manhattan
Provides assistance to consumers, workers, and business owners in NYC. Information on workers’ rights, job searching, free oneon-one financial counseling, tax prep, and a guide to business licenses is available.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) - Workers' Bill of Rights
Citywide
People who work in NYC have rights regardless of immigration status. Visit the website for an overview of important information about people’s rights at work.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Department of Correction (DOC)
Citywide
Call or visit the website for information about people in jail held by the NYC DOC. The website provides a list of NYC jails, information on how and when a person can be visited, how and where to pay bail, and how to place money in someone’s account.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) - Tenant Rights
Citywide
The website contains information on tenants’ rights and other resources, in multiple languages, including information on Good Cause Eviction. Call for complaints about lack of heat and hot water, or a landlord’s refusal to make emergency repairs in an apartment or building.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Department of Probation
Citywide
City agency supervising people on probation and running neighborhood programs (NeON) for jobs, arts and education.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) - Maintenance Complaint
Citywide
Tenants with maintenance complaints about apartments in NYCHA buildings can report maintenance issues 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Residents of NYCHA properties under private management should report maintenance issues directly to the management company.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) - Legal Services for Tenants
Citywide
Offers universal phone-based access to free legal advice and counsel for NYC residential renters, regardless of immigration status, in need of assistance related to housing, including legal questions or issues about tenancy, eviction, or landlord-tenant disputes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ)
Manhattan
Supports a wide range of programs for New Yorkers impacted by the criminal legal system including alternatives to incarceration, housing, employment, and legal services, health care, neighborhood engagement, and more.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice (MOCJ) - Reentry
Citywide
City office that funds and coordinates reentry programs, including jail-based reentry services and community referrals.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - ActionNYC
Citywide
Free, safe immigration legal screenings and help in many languages.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - Immigration Legal Services
Citywide
Offers free, safe immigration legal help in a network of trusted community organizations and schools.
Housing & Shelter
NYC Office of Civil Justice - Tenant Helpline
Citywide
Connects tenants to free lawyers under NYC's Right to Counsel law for eviction cases.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYC Tenant Protection Cabinet
Citywide
Provides information and resources for NYC tenants including eviction prevention and community legal resources for tenants, rental assistance, housing application assistance, and more.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Courts - Court Help Centers
Citywide
In-court help centers and online guides for people without lawyers.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS DCJS - Record Review (Get Your Rap Sheet)
Citywide
Request your own NYS criminal history record to check accuracy, see what sealing applies (including Clean Slate), and fix errors.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS DCJS - Record Review (Rap Sheet Request)
Citywide
Lets people get a copy of their own NY criminal history record to check for errors before job or housing applications.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) - Office of Special Investigations (OSI)
Citywide
The organization within DOCCS whose mandate is to investigate allegations of criminal activity related to DOCCS and any other wrongdoing within DOCCS. Contact to file a complaint about physical or sexual abuse, drug trafficking, contraband possession, staff misconduct and corruption, and suspected terrorist...
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Department of Labor - Division of Labor Standards
Citywide
Protects all workers, including those that are undocumented or paid off the books, and ensures employers are following State Labor Laws including minimum wage, hours of work, employment of minors, payment of wages, farm labor, nursing mothers in the workplace, and more.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Division of Homes and Community Renewal (DHCR) - Office of Rent Administration
Citywide
Provides fact sheets and notices about rent in NYC. Tenants in rent-controlled or rent-stabilized apartments may contact DHCR with complaints, and DHCR may impose penalties on building owners in the form of rent reductions if deemed valid.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Division of Human Rights
Citywide
State agency taking discrimination complaints, including employment discrimination based on a conviction record (Article 23-A).
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Division of Human Rights - Hate and Bias Prevention Unit
Citywide
Call Mon–Fri 9–5 or visit the website to report a bias or hate incident.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS DOCCS - Community Supervision (Parole)
Citywide
State agency supervising people released to parole; area offices handle reporting, conditions and reentry referrals.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Office for New Americans (ONA)
Citywide
Provides information on ESOL classes, naturalization and DACA assistance, federal immigration law and policy information and referrals, and business development training in centers throughout NYS. Call the hotline for general questions about immigration and naturalization, referrals, and locations.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) - Juvenile Facilities
Citywide
Contact the New York State Justice Center with a suspected occurrence of abuse in an OCFS residential juvenile justice facility. All reports of potential sexual, physical, or verbal abuse of any kind will be investigated by the Justice Center.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Office of the Inspector General
Citywide
Contact to file a complaint regarding conditions in NYS correctional facilities. Write or call the toll-free hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
NYS Unified Court System - Webcrims
Citywide
Provides information on criminal cases with future appearance dates for selected New York State Courts of criminal jurisdiction. The case identifier search option allows people to search by the case number or summons number.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Office of the Appellate Defender
Manhattan
Appellate defense and reentry social work for people convicted in Manhattan and the Bronx.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Office of the Appellate Defender (OAD)
Manhattan · Bronx
Handles criminal appeals and post-conviction work, including the Reinvestigation Project for wrongful convictions.
Benefits & Financial Help
Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA)
Citywide
An advocacy and support organization for veterans who have experienced spinal cord injury or dysfunction.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Police Athletic League (PAL) - Juvenile Justice
Brooklyn
The Brooklyn location offers the Mentorship and Advocacy Program (MAAP) for court-involved and underserved youth ages 12–21, where participants are matched with a mentor after a referral from either the Juvenile Justice Initiative (JJI), Close to Home, or the Family Assistance Program (FAP).
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Possibility Project - Youth Justice Program
Manhattan
A performing arts program open to NYC youth ages 15–21 who are or who have been involved in the legal system. Participants meet Mondays and Wednesdays during after-school hours from August through December.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Prison Book Program - The Insider's Guide to Jailhouse Law
Citywide
A free legal resource with information including the legal system and rights, practical advice about how to do legal work, and information about avenues for relief. Incarcerated people can write to the address above to request a copy.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Prison Legal News
Citywide
Monthly magazine on incarcerated people's rights, court rulings and criminal legal news.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Prison Policy Initiative
Citywide
Research and advocacy on mass incarceration; legal resources page and advocacy tools online.
Benefits & Financial Help
Protect Our Defenders
Citywide
A national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny, and racism in the military. The website provides Know Your Rights and fact sheets, along with a support page with local services.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Queens Defenders
Queens
Public defense and community programs for people charged with crimes in Queens.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Release Aging People in Prison (RAPP)
Manhattan
Advocacy campaign for parole and release of older incarcerated people; connects families to organizing.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Repro Legal Helpline
Citywide
A free, confidential helpline where people can get legal information or advice about self-managed abortion, young people’s access to abortion or judicial bypass, and referrals to local resources. To speak with a lawyer, people can call the helpline or fill out the online secure form.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Safe Horizon - Streetwork Project Drop-In Centers
Manhattan
Operates drop-in centers which provide free services to homeless youth up to age 25, including emergency services such as crisis housing, hot meals, showers, clothing, medical services, legal assistance, individual and group counseling, HIV prevention materials and testing, and assistance obtaining public benefits...
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Safe Passage Project
Manhattan
Offers help with the legal needs of indigent immigrant youth living in NYC. Provides representation for unaccompanied minors in immigration court and resources for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS), asylum, as well as other possible immigration alternatives for children.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Start Small Think Big
Citywide
Provides free legal, financial, and marketing services for entrepreneurs and small business owners in NYC. Also offers classes and workshops on a range of business-related topics. Programs and services are all remote.
Benefits & Financial Help
Stateside Legal
Citywide
A website for veterans, service members, and the general public looking to understand the complex systems of laws and benefits unique to those with military service.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Surveillance Technology Oversight Project (S.T.O.P.)
Citywide
Litigates and advocates against government mass surveillance; privacy toolkits and reports online.
ID & Vital Documents
SWOP Behind Bars (SWBB)
Citywide
Support line, pen pals, and reentry kits for sex workers and trafficking survivors: smartphone with 90 days service, hygiene items, ID help, and referrals to vacate records.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Sylvia Rivera Law Project (SRLP)
Manhattan
Legal help for trans, intersex and gender-nonconforming people, including discrimination in the shelter system.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
TakeRoot Justice
Manhattan
Legal help and research for tenants, workers and community groups.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Team TLC NYC
Manhattan
The Kindness Center provides resources and services for Asylum Seekers who have been in NYC five years or less, including legal assistance, enrollment in English classes, stress management, job readiness, Know Your Rights, reduced fare OMNY cards, health insurance information, school assistance, and free...
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Children's Village
Bronx
Provides services including residential treatment centers, shelters for undocumented children, foster homes, mom/baby boarding homes, runaway/homeless shelters, foster care related services, residential programs, community centers, after-school programs, mentoring initiatives for court-involved youth, and daycare...
Healthcare
The Door
Manhattan
One-stop youth center with health care, legal help, education, job training and meals.
Benefits & Financial Help
The Gi Rights Hotline
Citywide
A private, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization providing free and confidential counseling and information on military discharges, AWOL and UA, and GI Rights, including orders to violate the Constitutional rights of US citizens, and more to service members, veterans, potential recruits, and their families.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Jailhouse Lawyer's Handbook
Manhattan
A free resource for people in prison who wish to file a federal lawsuit addressing poor conditions in prison or abuse by prison staff. Visit the website to place an order for a currently incarcerated friend or loved one.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
The Ladies of Hope Ministries (the LOHM)
Manhattan
Offers programs for women impacted by the criminal legal system. The Rapid Rehousing (RRH) program in NYC provides housing support and services to women fleeing domestic violence and those impacted by the criminal legal system; pairs shortto medium-term rental assistance with comprehensive case management.
Benefits & Financial Help
The Veterans Consortium - Pro Bono Program
Citywide
A national nonprofit providing Veterans across the country with free legal services.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Transgender Law Center (TLC)
Citywide
A national trans-led advocacy organization. The Legal Information Helpdesk provides basic information about laws and policies that affect transgender people in the areas of employment, healthcare, housing, civil rights, immigration, incarcerated people’s rights, and identity document changes.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Unlocal
Manhattan
A community-centered non-profit organization that provides direct immigration legal representation and community education to NYC’s undocumented immigrant communities.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
US Department of Labor - Migrant Worker Rights
Citywide
Visit the website for information on rights and resources including information on recruitment, wages and hours, workplace safety and health, organizing rights, discrimination and harassment, retaliation, trafficking, support for home countries, filing a claim, and more.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
US Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division
Citywide
Responsible for enforcing federal labor laws. Provides information on the right to fair pay, the right to take unpaid leave, young workers’ rights and child labor laws, farm workers’ rights, H-2B workers’ rights, and restaurant workers’ rights.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
Citywide
Call or visit the website for information about people held in ICE custody. Call Mon–Fri 8–8 Eastern Time (excluding holidays).
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Usa.gov - Complaints
Citywide
Provides information on how to file a complaint involving government agencies, products and services, travel, housing, and banking. Also provides information on how to protect oneself from and respond to scams, frauds, and identity theft, and how to stop unwanted mail and telemarketing calls.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
VA NY Harbor - Veterans Justice Outreach
Citywide
VA specialists who help justice-involved veterans access treatment and VA services, including in jail and veterans courts.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
VOCAL-NY
Brooklyn
Membership organization of low-income people affected by HIV/AIDS, the drug war, incarceration and homelessness; organizing plus direct services.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Wildcat - The Women's Project (TWP)
Citywide
An alternative to pre-trial detention and prison for women-identifying individuals with pending criminal cases in NYC. Provides holistic, trauma-informed care through continued coordinated support, court advocacy, assistance obtaining benefits, and help with medical care and employment.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Women's Community Justice Association (WCJA)
Citywide
Advocacy group for women and gender-expansive people affected by incarceration, including the push to close Rikers.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Workers Defense League (WDL)
Manhattan
A nonprofit workers’ rights organization that specializes in helping people who have been denied unemployment insurance. Also conducts trainings for unions and other organizations about unemployment insurance rules, including recent important changes in law, and the hearing process.
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Worth Rises
Manhattan
Advocacy and research against prison profiteering (phone call costs, commissary, etc.).
Legal Aid & Record Relief
Youth Justice Network
Manhattan
A community-based organization serving young people ages 16–24, including those who have been incarcerated, are on probation, or otherwise court-involved. Each participant is paired with a Youth Advocate who acts as counselor, mentor, and coach.