1. Bay Area Legal Services is a regional,
nonprofit public interest law firm providing the
highest quality legal counsel by
Assisting individuals and nonprofit groups
with limited access to legal services;
Resolving the legal problems of our clients;
and
Preserving the independence, hope, and
dignity of those we serve.
Since1967
Preserving Independence, Hope, and Dignity
813.232.1343
1.800.625.2257
1.800.955.8771/ TTY
BALS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
We receive funding from a variety of sources,
including:
• Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas
• Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC (Legal Information
Center)
• Carlton Fields Jorden Burt (Legal Information Center)
• Children’s Board of Hillsborough County
• Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
• Florida Office of the Attorney General
• Florida Bar Foundation
• Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Florida Department of Elder Affairs
• Hillsborough County Bar Foundation
• Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
• Hillsborough County Clerk of the Court
• Holland & Knight (Legal Information Center)
• Internal Revenue Service
• Legal Services Corporation
• Pasco County Board of County Commissioners
• Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners
• Senior Connection Center
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul South Pinellas through
a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs
• Tampa Crossroads through a grant awarded by the
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• TECO Energy (Legal Information Center)
• The Children’s Home
• The Spring of Tampa Bay
• United Way of Pasco County
• United Way Suncoast
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against
Women
Since1967
Preserving Independence, Hope, and Dignityw w w . b a l s . o r g
On average, BALS assists over 20,000
individuals and families annually. With your help,
we can serve even more!
Donate: Visit www.bals.org to donate.
Volunteer: Join our Bay Area Volunteer
Lawyers Program to contribute pro bono
assistance.
Become a Sustaining Law Firm (SLF):
Donate $350 per attorney at your firm. Benefits
include an ad in Lawyer Magazine, promotion on
our website and free use of BALS’ SLF badge.
Join our Corporate Giving Circle: Make
your donation count by creating a mutually
beneficial partnership, and maximize your impact
on our community.
Join the Pearl Society:
Join an informed giving circle of women united
in their support of BALS.The Pearl Society
organizes public events and private social and
enrichment events.
How Can I Help?
Photography Donated By:
www.ThompsonBrandImages.com

2. BALS provides civil legal services to
eligible residents of five Florida counties:
Hillsborough, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and
Sarasota.
Who is eligible for our free legal services?
• Low-income residents of Hillsborough,
Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Sarasota
counties;
• Domestic violence victims throughout our
service area, regardless of income
• Seniors (age 60 and over) who live in
Hillsborough and Pasco Counties, regardless
of income;
• Seniors (age 60 and older) living in other
Florida counties through the Florida Senior
Legal Helpline;
• Nonprofit and community groups that
serve low-income individuals or distressed
communities;
• Other clients who qualify under special
programs.
What types of legal matters do we handle?
We provide services for many civil legal
problems, including family law, housing,
consumer, employment, and public benefits.
We do not help with criminal or traffic matters.
Do you have to pay for our services?
No. If you do not meet our eligibility requirements
we cannot represent you, even if you offer to pay.
If you do qualify, you will not be charged for legal
services. However, you may have to pay filing
fees or other case-related expenses.
How do you apply for our help?
Residents of our five-county service area may
call their local legal services office. Hillsborough
County residents call 813.232.1343; all others
may call 1.800.625.2257. We provide free
interpreters for applicants and clients. Disabled
applicants can request a reasonable, free
accommodation/auxiliary aid by contacting
our ADA Coordinator at 813.232.1222 x119
(Hillsborough) or 800.625.2257 x119 (all other
counties).
Can you apply online?
No. We do not offer online applications, except
for eligible nonprofits and community groups.
Can you apply in person?
Generally, no. If you do apply in person at one
of our branch offices, we will provide you with
a telephone to use to speak with a telephone
screener.
Toll free: 1.800.625.2257  www.bals.org
Fairness
Hope
Justice
What can you expect when you call
to apply?
You will talk with a telephone screener, who
will ask you a few questions to determine
whether you qualify. If you do, you will likely be
scheduled a telephone appointment with one
of our attorneys or paralegals. If you do not,
our screeners will offer information about other
options in your community.
Do you provide legal representation in
addition to telephone advice and brief
services?
The type of help we can provide depends on
your legal problem and the level of support
available in our service area. You may
be offered extended legal services in your
community (including filing or defending
lawsuits, domestic violence advocacy, or
preparing pleadings or documents) from our
attorneys or paralegals, or from legal
advocates and volunteer lawyers working with
the Bay Area Volunteer Lawyers Program, Bay
Area Volunteer Lawyers Program-NW, or one
of our pro bono partner programs:
• Community Law Program
• Legal Aid of Manasota
813.232.1343  1.800.955.8771/ TTY