Free Legal Services

Legal Aid of Western Michigan (LAWM) provides free civil legal help to low-income residents of Muskegon, Newaygo, and Oceana counties. Clients access services by phone, online, or walk-in. Every eligible client receives an intake and individualized legal assessment with advice and counsel; when warranted and resources allow, LAWM attorneys also provide full representation—including research, negotiation, administrative hearings (e.g., housing assistance terminations), and litigation in state, federal, or bankruptcy court. Core case areas include eviction and foreclosure defense, domestic-violence–related family matters (divorce, custody, support), public benefits appeals, and expungements.

Results demonstrate strong impact: from July–December 2024 LAWM served 522 households across the three counties—479 received tailored legal advice and 43 received full representation. Of the full-rep matters, 100% of housing cases and 93% of DV family cases achieved positive outcomes, helping families remain stably housed and safe. To advance equitable access, LAWM analyzes service demographics against community data, has expanded Spanish language capacity and interpretation, and partners with organizations serving Hispanic residents for targeted outreach.

Why this supports United Way’s mission/priorities
This program directly advances Economic Mobility → Housing by preventing homelessness, preserving affordable housing, and stabilizing income for ALICE and low-income families through court-enforced orders and benefits. Legal advocacy keeps roofs over heads, increases safety for survivors, and protects limited household resources—key steps toward United Way’s bold goal of helping families meet basic needs. Critically, UWL funding expands LAWM’s capacity to fully represent ALICE households who may fall just above other funders’ income limits, ensuring more working families in the Lakeshore can achieve stability and thrive.