Free Legal Help in Seattle: Which Number to Call, What You’ll Get and How Long It Takes
Free civil legal help in Seattle runs through a few front doors, and starting at the wrong one can cost you days. This guide covers which number to call for each kind of problem, what Northwest Justice Project and the King County Bar's volunteer clinics can and can't do, and how long you'll likely wait.
AT A GLANCE
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Find your front door first
Legal aid in Washington is set up by county and by problem. Match your situation to a row before you dial anything.
Your situation | First call or click | Hours or wait |
|---|---|---|
King County resident, most civil problems | 2-1-1 (relay users: 1-877-211-9274) | Weekdays |
Outside King County, most civil problems | CLEAR, 1-888-201-1014 | Weekdays, 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. |
Age 60 or older | CLEAR*Sr, 1-888-387-7111 | Not listed by NJP |
Renter facing eviction | Eviction Defense line, 1-855-657-8387, or the online eviction form | Callback if eligible |
Homeowner facing foreclosure | 1-800-606-4819 | Not listed by NJP |
Eviction, debt, government benefits or special education, and you'd rather type | NJP's online application | NJP calls you or refers you |
A question for a volunteer lawyer, King County | KCBA Neighborhood Legal Clinics, online form or 206-267-7070 | About 1 to 5 weeks, by clinic type |
Agreed divorce or uncontested parenting plan | KCBA Self Help Plus, 206-267-7080 | Call for an application |
Deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired callers can reach any of NJP's numbers through the relay service of their choice. 211 and CLEAR both provide interpreters.
One timing note. NJP's Get Legal Help page lists King County 211 as open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Its CLEAR page says 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. If you call between 9 and 5, you're inside both windows.
What Northwest Justice Project is
NJP is a statewide nonprofit law firm with just over 340 employees in more than 21 locations across Washington. Its main office is in Seattle at 401 Second Avenue S, Suite 407, Seattle, WA 98104 (206-464-1519 or toll-free 1-888-201-1012). For intake, though, its office listing says simply: "Client Intake – call 211."
NJP handles civil problems, which are disputes with a person, a company or a government office over your property, benefits or legal rights. It does not handle criminal charges. It also turns down cases where a private lawyer could earn a fee, such as personal injury claims.
Does it cost anything?
There's no charge for clients who are financially eligible. NJP lawyers are paid through the federal Legal Services Corporation and the state Office of Civil Legal Aid, along with some private funds. In some court cases you may be asked to help pay case costs, such as court expenses, but never the lawyer's time, and NJP says it will talk with you about those costs first.
NJP's pages don't print an income limit. You find out whether you qualify during screening. CLEAR says that in most counties, people 60 and over won't be turned away because of their income.
Which cases come first
NJP says civil legal aid programs in Washington can help fewer than half the people who need it, so its board sets priorities. In general, the program focuses on:
disputed custody cases involving domestic violence or children at risk
evictions from subsidized or public housing, plus fair housing and discrimination
home foreclosure and lending abuse
access to TANF, SSI, veterans' benefits and other income programs
Medicaid, Medicare Part D, home health and similar health benefits
special education, school discipline and language access in schools
lost wages, job discrimination and unsafe workplaces
debt collection abuse, medical debt, fraud and predatory lending
A case that fits a priority still isn't guaranteed full representation. For most callers, NJP gives limited advice and brief help, which often solves the problem or helps you handle it on your own.
"Please have papers or documents concerning your problem with you when you call." (Northwest Justice Project, on calling CLEAR)
How the call actually goes
Whether you dial 211 or CLEAR, the first part of the call is screening. These are the steps.
Eligibility questions. Before anyone can help, staff collect information to decide if you qualify. Have your household size and income ready.
A conflict check. Lawyers can't advise both sides of a dispute, so you'll be asked for the name, address and phone number of the landlord, business, agency or person you're in a dispute with.
Talk for yourself if you can. NJP prefers to speak directly with the person who has the legal problem. If you're calling for a relative, you may be asked for extra information. Sometimes they'll still need to talk to that person directly.
Detailed questions. If you qualify to speak with a lawyer or paralegal, they'll go through your problem step by step. This is when the papers in front of you matter.
The outcome. You may get spoken or written advice, written legal information or forms, someone negotiating for you, or a referral to another legal aid program. CLEAR says plainly that it can't guarantee a referral will be available.
If you have a deadline in the next few days
NJP's advice is to fill out the online application first and then call CLEAR at 1-888-201-1014 as soon as possible, weekdays 9:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. A finished application makes screening go faster.
After you apply online, the next step depends on your issue:
Eviction, debt, government benefits or special education, and you look eligible: NJP will call you, or you may be referred to another legal aid group.
A different problem, and you look eligible: you may be asked to call the CLEAR hotline.
Not eligible: you may be referred to a reduced-cost legal service or a lawyer referral service, or pointed to legal information and forms online.
Renters and homeowners: the separate lines
If you're facing eviction, don't wait in the general queue. Call the Eviction Defense line at 1-855-657-8387 or fill out the online form in English or Spanish. They'll ask for your contact details, household income and size, date of birth, race and ethnicity, and gender. If you're eligible, someone calls to connect you with an NJP attorney or another provider near you. In Washington, low-income renters whose eviction case goes to court have a right to a free lawyer and to an interpreter.
Our Seattle eviction court guide walks through notices and court dates. If you're behind on rent, NJP points renters to 211 for rent and utility help, and says applying for rent help won't harm an immigration application.
Homeowners behind on a mortgage have their own line: 1-800-606-4819.
King County Bar's free clinics
The King County Bar Association (KCBA) runs Pro Bono Services, which draws on more than 1,400 volunteer attorneys, paralegals, law students and community members. Its Neighborhood Legal Clinics (NLC) give a free consultation with a volunteer attorney, usually by phone. Appointments run 30, 45 or 60 minutes, depending on the clinic and whether you need an interpreter.
You qualify if you live in King County or your legal issue is in King County. The clinics aim to serve people regardless of income.
What clinic lawyers will do: give legal advice on civil issues, help you respond to papers and summonses, and refer you to other help. You can book more appointments if you're making progress, though you may see a different lawyer each time.
What they won't do: represent you in court or help outside the clinic, or advise on criminal matters. For criminal issues, KCBA points to the King County Department of Public Defense at 206-296-7662.
Clinic | What it covers | Approx. wait (KCBA, Oct. 20, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
General Practice | Landlord-tenant, small claims, employment, consumer, health, income and more | 1–3 weeks |
Immigration | Immigration questions | 1–3 weeks |
Debt/Bankruptcy | Bankruptcy, debt collection lawsuits, garnishment | 2–4 weeks |
Federal Civil Rights | Federal civil rights matters; Thursdays, noon to 2 p.m. | 2–4 weeks |
Loren Miller | All civil issues, staffed by attorneys of color; 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 6:30–8:30 p.m., by phone | 3–5 weeks |
Family Law | Divorce, parenting plans, child support | Closed to new applications |
How to apply: fill out the NLC Client Intake Form on KCBA's site. If you can't use the form, call 206-267-7070 and press 1 to leave a voicemail request. (For the Loren Miller clinic, say so in your request.) A scheduler will call you to screen you. Their number may show up as "private," so answer unknown calls. Applying doesn't guarantee an appointment. Most clinics are by phone, with limited in-person spots in Seattle and Kent.
KCBA's family law clinics were closed to new applications as of Oct. 20 while staff work through people who already applied. KCBA says to check back on Mondays.
Other KCBA programs worth knowing
Self Help Plus: helps low-income people who are representing themselves with uncontested divorces, or with parenting plans and child support when paternity is already established. Staff complete the paperwork with you. Call 206-267-7080, email SHP@kcba.org, or go to 1200 Fifth Avenue, Suite 700, Seattle, WA 98101.
The Records Project: free help vacating eligible King County convictions for people at or below 200% of the federal poverty line. A vacated conviction no longer shows up on the public background checks that employers and landlords use.
DV LEAD: help with protection orders and family law cases for low-income domestic violence survivors in King County.
LAARK: free phone advice for kinship caregivers, such as grandparents raising a grandchild, about a child in their care. It doesn't represent caregivers in court.
Elder Law clinic (Sound Generations): covers wills, probate, powers of attorney and advance directives for clients of any age. Call (206) 448-5720 and leave a message. Appointments are often booked months ahead.
Reading up while you wait
NJP runs WashingtonLawHelp.org, a free library of know-your-rights articles, videos, court forms and do-it-yourself packets. Topics include eviction, debt, divorce and custody, public benefits, criminal records and IDs. Its Washington Forms Online tool lets you fill out some court forms on the web. NJP calls it "a good place to start researching your legal issue."
Before you call
☐ Every letter, notice, summons or court paper about the problem, in date order
☐ Any deadline or hearing date, written at the top of a page
☐ Name, address and phone number of the other side (landlord, collector, agency, ex-partner)
☐ Your household size and monthly income
☐ A phone that can take calls from blocked or "private" numbers
☐ If you're calling for someone else, have that person nearby to speak
WHAT TO DO THIS WEEK
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More help in Seattle
Related guides
Official sources
Last checked: October 23, 2026. Phone numbers, hours, priorities and clinic wait times come from Northwest Justice Project's help, CLEAR, FAQ and office pages and from the King County Bar Association's free legal assistance and clinic pages. Wait times change often.
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