About Her Justice

Before You Begin

If you’re thinking about reaching out to Her Justice, this page can help you understand who we serve, how our lawyer and client matching process works, and answer common questions. 

Her Justice provides free legal services to low-income women and gender-diverse people in New York City facing family, divorce, and immigration legal issues — including cases involving coerced debt. 

Our Her Justice clients…

• Identify as a woman, transgender, or nonbinary
• Live in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, or Staten Island
• Have a legal matter related to family, divorce, or immigration law
• Meet our income guidelines

Her Justice generally serves people whose annual household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level. If you’re not sure whether you meet these guidelines, we encourage you to still apply. We review every request for legal assistance individually and consider a variety of factors, including extraordinary circumstances.

While every case is unique, our intake process generally follows these steps.

Once you’re matched, your attorney will begin working with you on your case, with ongoing support from Her Justice.

You submit an application or are referred.

For family and divorce needs, complete our online application to tell us about your situation. Coerced debt services are available to clients who are receiving assistance with a family or divorce matter. For immigration needs, obtain a referral from your Family Justice Center or a Her Justice community partner.

We review your information.

Our team reviews your application or referral to determine whether Her Justice may be able to help. This usually takes about a week.

You have an initial consultation.

If your application is eligible, you will be scheduled for a consultation with a Her Justice staff attorney so we can learn more about your situation. If you are not eligible, we will be in touch with additional resources to help you in your journey.

We recommend a path forward.

Based on your unique needs, we’ll recommend the services we can offer. This may include legal information & advice or referral to a volunteer attorney for legal representation. Learn more about these types of services.

We work to match you with a volunteer lawyer.

If your case is eligible, we will add you to a waitlist and get to work matching you with a Her Justice-trained volunteer attorney. These lawyers are from top law firms across New York City. They are mentored by Her Justice experts, every step of the way.

You begin working together with your lawyer.

Are Her Justice’s services free? 

Yes, Her Justice’s legal services are provided to you free of charge. Please note, some cases may involve court filing fees or other costs that are separate from our free attorney services. If additional costs apply to your case, your lawyer will let you know. 

Will Her Justice be able to represent me? 

Every request to Her Justice is carefully reviewed. If Her Justice is unable to provide legal services, we’ll explain why whenever possible and share resources that may be helpful for your situation. 

Can I apply for divorce, family, or immigration help if I am undocumented? 

Yes, Her Justice serves clients regardless of immigration status. 

Can I get help with coerced debt?

Coerced debt services are available to clients who are receiving assistance with a family or divorce matter. If you’re experiencing coerced debt as part of an abusive relationship, let us know when you contact us so we can determine the best way to support you. 

Will my information be kept confidential? 

Yes, your privacy matters to us. What you share with Her Justice is confidential. It is only used to evaluate your request for legal assistance and to provide services. It will never be shared with others, unless we have your explicit consent to share. 

What languages does Her Justice speak? 

Her Justice attorneys speak Spanish, French, Mandarin, Korean, Romanian, Russian, Urdu, Hindi, and Cantonese. For other languages, Her Justice works with interpreters to provide support. 

How long does it take to get a lawyer? 

Every case is different. Some clients are connected with legal assistance quickly, while others may wait longer depending on the type of case, available resources, and volunteer attorney availability. 

How long will it take to complete my case? 

Some legal matters can be resolved relatively quickly, while others require multiple court appearances over months or years. Immigration cases, in particular, often involve lengthy government processing times. If you are eligible for our services, your attorney will discuss the estimated timeline for your case and keep you informed about important developments along the way. 

Can I walk-in to get help? 

Her Justice is unable to accommodate walk-in visits. To make sure we’re able to connect you with the right resources, all clients must have an appointment before visiting our office. To get started, complete our online intake application (divorce, family, coerced debt matters) or follow the referral process (immigration) to get started.