Finding An Attorney

The Washoe County Bar Association has an online attorney guide called Find A Lawyer, listing attorneys by practice area (www.wcbar.org/findalawyer).
A print version is available at local Nevada libraries. The State Bar of Nevada operates a Lawyer Referral & Information Service also organized by practice area. The toll-free number is (800) 789-5747. All LRIS attorneys are private attorneys and will arrange their fee with you. If you cannot afford to pay an attorney’s regular fees, LRIS will either attempt to pre-qualify you for a reduced fee attorney or refer you to another legal services agency. Reduced fee attorneys may charge no more than $25 for the initial consultation, and charge no more than $75 per hour thereafter.

Finding Free Attorney Services

Five free legal service programs funded by federal, state and local funds operate in Northern Nevada. The Washoe County Senior Law Project located in the Washoe County Reno Senior Center provides a wide variety of legal services relevant to seniors. Nevada Legal Services and Washoe Legal Services also provide legal services in specified areas of the law that may be relevant to seniors. All three programs limit their services to persons with lower incomes or persons in greatest need. You may contact any of these organizations to find out if they can assist you. If they cannot they will tell you whether you might qualify for any of the other free legal services and refer you there. A fourth organization, Nevada Disability Advocates and Law Center, has a Washoe County located office and as its name implies, provides free representation in limited types of cases involving disability law.

Washoe Legal Services also coordinates a program, in cooperation with the other legal service providers, whereby private attorneys agree to provide limited legal services for free (known as pro bono). Volunteer Attorneys of Rural Nevada (VARN) also coordinates pro bono cases in the rural areas of the state including Carson City and Douglas County.

A new program, the Senior Legal Hotline sponsored by Washoe County Senior Law Project, Nevada Legal Services and the state’s Division for Aging Services can be accessed via: 877-693-2163 or in Washoe County, directly through the Washoe County Senior Law Project at 775-328-2592.