Our organization
We are a nonprofit law office. We deliver free legal help to 1) people who live in or near poverty, and 2) seniors. We help when civil (non-criminal) legal problems threaten our clients’ basic living needs, like food-security and income-security, housing, healthcare access, and safety from domestic violence. Here are the areas of law we cover.
Our 21-member Board of Directors, including local attorneys and members of our client communities, governs our organization. Our Administrative Team manages day-to-day activities. Our funding sources include federal, state, and local government grants, philanthropic foundation grants, and vital private donations from individuals, law firms, and businesses.
Our advocacy
Our staff attorneys and advocates, along with dozens of volunteer attorneys:
represent people in court and administrative hearings, and in other cases that require the full scope of an attorney’s services
provide brief legal advice and consultation to people
present community education events, and
Our clients
We serve clients in 17 West Michigan counties. 686,000 people living in or near poverty qualify for our help, along with thousands of seniors. Our clients include people:
facing evictions and foreclosures
seeking safety from domestic violence
trying to access benefits that deliver basic income, healthcare, and food security, and
many others facing civil legal problems that threaten basic needs or personal safety
Services
Family Law
Our primary goals are ensuring safety and maintaining stable family relationships.
Cases accepted include:
Divorce for survivors of domestic violence
In special circumstances, divorce to ensure income maintenance and equitable property division
Defense of custody for natural custodial parents within divorce, custody, support, and paternity cases
Defense of natural parents’ rights in minor guardianship cases
Personal Protection Order representation
Housing
Our primary goals are preventing homelessness, maintaining housing stability and access, and improving housing safety and quality.
Cases accepted include:
Eviction defense
Representing clients facing loss of a federal housing subsidy or denied access to a federal housing subsidy
Challenging mortgage foreclosures and predatory mortgage lending and servicing practices
Challenging land contract forfeitures and option contracts
Mobile home park litigation
Tax forfeiture defense
Challenging unfair housing practices
Public Benefits
Our primary goals are income maintenance, food security, and health care access.
Cases accepted include:
Representation in SSI appeals for individuals eligible for State Disability Assistance or receiving State Disability Assistance, cessation cases, and overpayment cases
Representation in administrative hearings/appeals regarding denial or loss of cash assistance, food assistance, child daycare assistance, Medicaid/CHIP assistance, home health benefits, and unemployment benefits (including fraud allegations)
Consumer Matters
Our primary goal is protecting client income and resources from scams, creditor abuses, and other unfair practices.
Cases accepted include:
Defense of debt collection actions
Bankruptcy for eligible debtors with special circumstances
Litigation regarding consumer purchases, student loans, debt assignments, utilities and collection tactics
Tax
Our primary goal is preserving client income and assets.
Cases accepted include:
Tax controversies with the IRS
Individual Rights
Our primary goal is to remove barriers to employment and housing caused by criminal records or offender registries.
Cases accepted include:
Criminal record expungements
Sex offender registry removal petitions
Child abuse registry removal hearings
How can we help you?
Learn about volunteering or donating
Media and other inquiries: contact Steve Grumm, Director of Community Engagement, by email or at 616-608-8061
Legal Aid of Western Michigan Locations
(Kent, Ionia, Mecosta, Montcalm & Osceola)
25 Division Ave S, Ste 300
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
(Cass, Kalamazoo, St. Joseph & Van Buren)
141 E. Michigan Ave., Suite 400
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
(Allegan & Ottawa)
115 Clover St, Suite 101
Holland, MI 49423
(Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Newaygo & Oceana)
450 Morris Ave, Ste 104
Muskegon, MI 49440
(Berrien)
901 Port St
St. Joseph, MI 49085
