Please be advised WMLS does not handle criminal cases or fee generating cases. The number of people eligible for our services is much greater than our available resources. We just don’t have enough staff to accept cases for everyone who needs our help.

With the exception of cases involving elders, most client intake for assistance provided by WMLS is actually done by the Massachusetts Justice Project (MJP), a federally funded legal services agency located in Holyoke. WMLS provides brief, initial screening for client eligibility and forwards calls directly to MJP where legal advice or other brief services may be provided. Cases which MJP cannot resolve may then be referred to WMLS advocates for further work, depending upon current caseloads.

Applicants for service must:

• Reside in WMLS’ service area
• Meet income requirements based upon federal poverty guidelines if under 60 years old
• Match program case acceptance priorities.

The best way to contact Western Mass. Legal Services (WMLS) is by phone at one of our three full-time offices. Our office hours are 9-5, Monday through Friday.

Please select this link to find the Massachusetts legal aid office nearest you.

Please select this link for  a list of cities and towns served by WMLS.

Human service providers are encouraged to contact us directly, and we try to accommodate requests that are within our area of expertise. We are also available for community legal education and in-service training on areas of law with which we are familiar.