Since 1905, The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland has provided high-quality free legal services to low-income clients. Legal Aid has met the changing needs of clients over the past 111 years.

All of Legal Aid’s clients are low-income and vulnerable. Among those clients, Legal Aid has a long history of representing immigrant and non-English speaking clients. Some of our first clients in 1905 were recent immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and Poland. The assistance provided to immigrants and non-English speakers is not just focused on family immigration issues and citizenship. In fact, most of the help provided is advice and counsel related to shelter, safety and economic security. Immigration law matters Legal Aid handles for individual clients include deportation, naturalization, citizenship, Visa processing, and family petitions, among others. Legal Aid provides immigration help to domestic violence survivors, victims of trafficking and other serious crimes, and detainees. The immigration law practice also advocates for clients with limited English skills, such as advocating for a client’s legal right to an interpreter in court.

Legal Aid is also working towards creating systematic solutions and conducting community outreach. Legal Aid has 40 full time staff attorneys and hundreds of volunteer – pro bono – attorneys who assist immigrants and non-English speakers with matters related to housing, safety and economic security. Volunteers help Legal Aid hold two adjustments of status clinics yearly for refugees, and also work with Legal Aid to participate in Citizenship Day, an annual “citizenship drive” for lawful permanent residents. This year, the Cleveland Foundation invested in Legal Aid’s efforts to do more outreach to non-English speaking communities.

For those looking for help with issues of shelter, safety and economic security, the next three legal advice clinics are scheduled for: Saturday, October 1 from 10:00 – 11:30 am at the West Side Catholic Center (3135 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland), Saturday, October 15 from 9:30 – 11:00 am at the Fulton Branch of the Cleveland Public Library (3545 Fulton Road, Cleveland), and Tuesday, October 18 from 4:30 – 6:00 pm at the West Side Catholic Center (3135 Lorain Avenue, Cleveland).

Additionally, Legal Aid has a special clinic for refugees on Saturday, October 29 from 9:30 – 11 am at Catholic Charities Office of Migration and Refugee Services (St. Augustine Towers, First Fl., 7800 Detroit Avenue, Cleveland).

If you have questions about another civil legal matter, you can also call the Legal Aid office at 888-817-3777. If you would prefer to speak to someone in person about your immigration law issues, you can stop into Legal Aid’s downtown office during intake hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 1 PM. If you do not speak English, you can call the following numbers:

  • Spanish dial: 216-586-3190
  • Arabic dial: 216-586-3191
  • Mandarin dial: 216-586-3192
  • French dial: 216-586-3193
  • Vietnamese dial: 216-586-3194
  • Russian dial: 216-586-3195
  • Swahili dial: 216-586-3196
  • Any other language dial: 888-817-3777

Written By Olivia Milne and Amy Vavra