To apply for help, call 1-800-532-1275 Monday-Friday from 9 to 11 am or from 1:30 to 3:30 pm except Thursday. Se habla español. Offices are open 8:30 to 4:30 (emergencies taken when open).

Iowa Legal Aid is a nonprofit organization that provides critical legal assistance to low-income and vulnerable Iowans who have nowhere else to turn.

Iowa Legal Aid and volunteer attorneys help the legal system work for those who cannot afford help with legal issues. Typical cases involve problems with basic necessities, fundamental rights or safety, including:

• Protecting victims of domestic violence.
• Preventing illegal evictions and unsafe housing.
• Securing income support such as SSI, Medicaid and disability benefits.
• Preventing consumer fraud and abusive debt collection practices.

Iowa Legal Aid is an effective and efficient statewide program.

• Iowa Legal Aid provides services to residents of all 99 counties from offices in ten cities.
• Offices are located in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo.
• Each office has a toll-free telephone number.
• Iowa Legal Aid's website provides online access to legal information.
• Many of Iowa Legal Aid's clients receive help from volunteer lawyers through Volunteer Lawyers Projects operated by Iowa Legal Aid, the Polk County Bar Association and the Scott County Bar Association.
• Almost 3,000 volunteer attorneys are signed up with one of Iowa's Volunteer Lawyers Projects. Each year participating attorneys provide free services valued at over $2 million to clients referred by Iowa Legal Aid.

19,357 cases were handled by legal aid in Iowa in 2012.

• Approximately 70 percent of the cases involved women as the primary client.
• More than 20 percent of the clients served were senior citizens.
• One-third of the cases involved family law, the majority involving domestic abuse.
• Adding up the number of persons in the families served, 47,000 Iowans were helped by Iowa Legal Aid last year.

The importance of the work done by Iowa Legal Aid is exemplified by the following comments received from clients assisted by Iowa Legal Aid:

I got all the help and advice I needed. I was very, very glad for the help. I didn't know what to do. I was so worried, I made myself sick. Now I am okay because I got help.

You can never understand how you freed me. All that you did for me I couldn't pay for. This gives me a chance again to go forward. You are the best. Thank you all.

As soon as I walked in the door and explained my situation I was helped within an hour and was told what I could do. I was able to get a protective order against my husband and had him removed the same day from my home.

Even though I don't have any money, I was still able to get legal help and was represented by a good lawyer.

I really appreciate your help when I have legal questions regarding my brother who is in a nursing home. It's a relief to know where I can get help for him. He certainly has no money to pay for legal services, so it's good to have someone to turn to for help. Thank you.

I was very intimidated by my situation and the lawyer was so kind and helpful. She answered every question and sent the forms to me that day. I am disabled and very thankful.

I just wanted to drop you a quick note and personally thank you again. Your intervention stopped what had been a nightmare for myself and my children. You answered every question, helped save me from unknown fears and worries.

In her remarks to Board members and guests who attended Iowa Legal Aid's annual Awards Luncheon, a recipient of Iowa Legal Aid's 2011 Outstanding Client Service Award commented about Iowa Legal Aid's services:

My children and I were able to reestablish.  Children learn what they live, and I am just so incredibly thankful for the hope that Iowa Legal Aid gave me to establish my steps, and to move on with life.

When you are handed adversity and you are not quite sure how to deal with it, you can turn that adversity in your life into a positive and help others and serve others.  I believe with all of my heart that is what Iowa Legal Aid stands for.  Iowa Legal Aid gave us hope, and they continue to give hope to so many.  I don’t know how many domestic cases were handled by Iowa Legal Aid, but there’s far too many, and it’s something that’s a cycle, it’s a vicious cycle, and it is repeated over and over and passed down from generation to generation, and it needs to be stopped. 

Thank you for the hope, Iowa Legal Aid.

To apply for free legal assistance, call 1-800-532-1275.