Clinic Programs
At Lawyers Clearinghouse, we partner with top Massachusetts law firms and in-house legal departments to provide free legal assistance to people facing civil legal issues and other legal matters that hold them back. Since our first clinic, hosted in October 1994 at Pine Street Inn, we have expanded our services to assist not only those who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness, but also very-low income people, people seeking to seal or expunge their Massachusetts-based criminal records, and people facing the loss of their homes through tax lien foreclosure.
Quick Links: Legal Clinic | CORI Clinic | Tax Lien Clinic | Upcoming Clinics
Legal Clinic for the Homeless
The Legal Clinic connects people in need of free legal assistance with volunteer lawyers who can assist them with civil legal matters on a pro bono basis. Legal Clinics are hosted both virtually and in-person at shelters and service agencies around Boston.
Common case types include: Eviction; housing discrimination; housing conditions; Social Security Income and Social Security Disability Income (SSI/SSDI) denials and appeals; Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC); credit and tax issues; unemployment; and wills/trusts/estates.
Attend a Legal Clinic
Contact Clinic Manager Sean Thekkeparayil by email or at 617-544-3434 ext. 110 to discuss your legal matter or make a clinic appointment. Appointments are required for virtual clinics, but walk-ins are welcome at in-person clinics.
Upcoming Clinics | Full 2024-25 Clinic Schedule
To be eligible to attend a legal clinic, you must have a household income below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. We cannot take immigration, criminal, or family law cases.
CORI Sealing and Expungement Clinic
The CORI Sealing and Expungement Clinic offers people who have Massachusetts-based criminal records (CORI) the opportunity to seal or expunge their records with free assistance from volunteer lawyers. CORI Clinics are hosted virtually.
Attend a CORI Clinic
Fill out this short form to join the waitlist for the CORI Sealing and Expungement Clinic.
There is no income cap for CORI Clinics. We cannot assist with records from states outside of Massachusetts.
How it Works
1. To get started, fill out this form to join the waitlist. Within one week, Lawyers Clearinghouse will email you to confirm your registration.
2. When you get to the top of the waitlist, Lawyers Clearinghouse will call you to schedule your clinic date and get your consent to pull a copy of your CORI. Note: It may take some time to receive a date depending on the length of the waitlist.
3. On your clinic date, you will meet with volunteer attorneys for 30-60 minutes over Zoom video conferencing or by phone. They will share your CORI with you and discuss the eligibility of your record for sealing and/or expungement.
4. If you are eligible, the attorneys will work with you on filing a petition to request sealing and/or expungement and discuss next steps. If you are not currently eligible, they will discuss your timeline for eligibility. Note: It will take a few months to receive a final sealing and/or expungement decision from Probation or the court.
Tax Lien Foreclosure Clinic
The Tax Lien Foreclosure Clinic connects homeowners facing tax lien foreclosure with free legal advice and representation from volunteer lawyers. This clinic is currently offered to eligible homeowners by appointment only.
Contact Clinic Manager Sean Thekkeparayil by email or at 617-544-3434 ext. 110 to learn more.
Questions about our clinic programs or a legal issue?
Contact Legal Clinic Manager Sean Thekkeparayil by email or at 617-544-3434 ext. 110.