ILLINOIS LEGAL AID ONLINE
Programs
24/7 Legal Assistance Services
TO PEOPLE LYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, WITH NOWHERE TO TURN EXCEPT THEIR MOBILE, ILAO OFFERS A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT. OVER HALF OF THOSE WE SERVE COME FROM THEIR MOBILE PHONES, AND BETWEEN 5PM-9AM OR ON WEEKENDS, WHEN TRADITIONAL LEGAL OFFICES ARE CLOSED. ILAO PARTNERS WITH ILLINOISANS FACING INJUSTICES BY PROVIDING 24/7 FREE, ACCESSIBLE, PLAIN-LANGUAGE LEGAL TOOLS AND DIRECTION, INCLUDING SELF-HELP GUIDES, INTERACTIVE COURT FORMS, VIDEOS, AND A REAL-TIME CHAT SERVICE. IN FY22, 2.1 MILLION ILLINOISANS - APPROXIMATELY 16% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION - SOUGHT ILLINOISLEGALAID.ORG FOR GUIDANCE AND HELP IN OVER 600 LEGAL ISSUES, SUCH AS EVICTION, FOOD INSECURITY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, CRIMINAL RECORDS, DIVORCE, CHILD SUPPORT, DEPORTATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND DEBT. OUR HIGHEST VOLUME SERVICES RELATE TO FAMILY LAW, WHERE PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS MOST COMMONLY EXPERIENCE OUR COMPLEX LEGAL SYSTEM, AND WHERE THEY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO FIND A LEGAL AID LAWYER TO HELP. IN ADDITION TO THIS INTERACTIVE LIBRARY OF CIVIL LEGAL EDUCATION AND SOLUTIONS, ILAO PROVIDES OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. FIRST, INTERACTIVE APPS CALLED EASY FORMS, SIMILAR TO TURBOTAX, HELP PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS CREATE FREE, PERSONALIZED, ACCURATE COURT FORMS AND LEGAL PAPERS, USING A SIMPLE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. IN FY22, 77,350 CLIENTS CUSTOMIZED OVER 33,000 LEGAL DOCUMENTS. SECOND, A TRIAGE, INTAKE, AND REFERRAL SYSTEM (GET LEGAL HELP) DIRECTS PEOPLE, VIA INTERNET OR SMS, TO THE BEST AVAILABLE LEGAL RESOURCES - FORMS, SELF-HELP GUIDES, AND LAWYERS. IN FY22, ILAO MATCHED OVER 10,000 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS DIRECTLY TO FREE AND LOW-COST LEGAL PROVIDERS; FOR EACH POTENTIAL CLIENT, ELECTRONICALLY TRANSFERRING THEIR APPLICATION INFORMATION INTO THE MATCHED PARTNER'S CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2021 – Jun 30, 2022Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.7MProgram 1 [2025]
TO PEOPLE LYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, WITH NOWHERE TO TURN EXCEPT THEIR MOBILE, ILAO OFFERS A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT. OVER HALF OF THOSE WE SERVE COME FROM THEIR MOBILE PHONES, AND BETWEEN 5PM-9AM OR ON WEEKENDS, WHEN TRADITIONAL LEGAL OFFICES ARE CLOSED. ILAO PARTNERS WITH ILLINOISANS FACING INJUSTICES BY PROVIDING 24/7 FREE, ACCESSIBLE, PLAIN-LANGUAGE LEGAL TOOLS AND DIRECTION, INCLUDING PLAIN-LANGUAGE SELF-HELP GUIDES, INTERACTIVE LEGAL FORMS, TRIAGE AND ELIGIBILITY SCREENING FOR FREE LEGAL AID SERVICES, AND KNOW-YOUR-RIGHTS EDUCATION. IN FY25, 2 MILLION ILLINOISANSAPPROXIMATELY 15% OF THE STATES POPULATION SOUGHT ILLINOISLEGALAID.ORG FOR GUIDANCE AND HELP WITH OVER 600 LEGAL ISSUES, SUCH AS EVICTION, FOOD INSECURITY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, CRIMINAL RECORDS, DIVORCE, CHILD SUPPORT, DEPORTATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND DEBT. OUR HIGHEST VOLUME OF SERVICES RELATES TO FAMILY LAW, WHERE PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS MOST COMMONLY ENCOUNTER OUR COMPLEX LEGAL SYSTEM, AND WHERE THEY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO FIND A LEGAL AID LAWYER TO ASSIST THEM. IN ADDITION TO ITS LIBRARY OF CIVIL LEGAL EDUCATION AND SOLUTIONS, ILAO PROVIDES OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. FIRST, INTERACTIVE APPS CALLED EASY FORMS, SIMILAR TO TURBOTAX, HELP PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS CREATE FREE, PERSONALIZED, ACCURATE COURT FORMS AND LEGAL PAPERS, USING A SIMPLE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. IN FY25, 88,636 PEOPLE CUSTOMIZED MORE THAN 160,000 LEGAL DOCUMENTS (A 54% INCREASE OVER FY24). SECOND, A TRIAGE, INTAKE, AND REFERRAL SYSTEM (GET LEGAL HELP) DIRECTS PEOPLEVIA INTERNET OR SMSTO THE BEST AVAILABLE RESOURCES: FORMS, SELF- HELP GUIDES, LAWYERS, AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS. FOR PEOPLE SEEKING A LAWYERS HELP, ILAO MATCHES THEM WITH LOCAL SERVICES BASED ON AN INDIVIDUALS LEGAL ISSUE, ZIP CODE, AND GENERAL INCOME. IN FY25, ILAO MATCHED ALMOST 12,000 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO 12 LEGAL PROVIDERS.GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2024 – Jun 30, 2025Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$1.7MProgram 2 [2025]
SECOND, ILAOS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXTENDS AND DEEPENS THE REACH OF ITS DIGITAL TOOLS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WORKFORCE AGENCIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM ADVOCATES, LEGAL AID, AND HUMAN SERVICES. ILAO OPERATES COMMUNITY-BASED NAVIGATOR PROGRAMS IN SPANISH- SPEAKING AND INCARCERATION-IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN ELGIN, AURORA, WEST CHICAGO, EAST ST. LOUIS, DECATUR, AND CHAMPAIGN-URBANA. NAVIGATORS ARE LOCAL GRASSROOTS LEADERS WHO ARE TRAINED TO EDUCATE THEIR COMMUNITIES ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. IN FY25, ILAO TRAINED 45 NAVIGATORS AND EDUCATED 5,071 ILLINOISANS (AN 18% INCREASE OVER FY24).GeographiesNot indicatedDatesJul 1, 2024 – Jun 30, 2025Source990No causes providedNo populations provided–$524.5K
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