Free legal help
Free legal aid and pro bono advocates
There are two kinds of free legal help in India. Legal aid is a right: if you qualify under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the State gives you a lawyer and can meet the costs of the case. Pro bono is a choice: an advocate decides to take a matter without a fee.
Law checked on 9 November 2026.
- Legal aid helpline
- NALSA 15100
- Free advice before a case
- Tele-Law 14454
- Women and children
- Qualify whatever their income
- Where to apply
- District Legal Services Authority
Who gets free legal aid
Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987 gives free legal services to:
- a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe;
- a victim of trafficking in human beings or of begar;
- a woman or a child;
- a person with a disability;
- a person in unmerited want, such as a victim of a mass disaster, ethnic violence, caste atrocity, flood, drought, earthquake or industrial disaster;
- an industrial workman;
- a person in custody, including protective custody;
- anyone whose annual income is below the limit set by the State Government, or by the Central Government for cases in the Supreme Court.
The income limit differs from State to State, so check with your District Legal Services Authority. Under Section 13(2), your own affidavit about your income is normally enough unless the authority has reason to doubt it.
How to apply
- Go to the District Legal Services Authority (usually in the district court building), or the Taluk Legal Services Committee near you. For a High Court case, the High Court Legal Services Committee; for the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court Legal Services Committee.
- Apply in writing, on plain paper or the authority's form, saying who you are, why you qualify, and what the matter is. You can also apply online through NALSA (nalsa.gov.in) or call the NALSA helpline, 15100.
- If you qualify, the authority assigns a lawyer from its panel and can pay costs of the case such as court fees.
Free advice before a case: Tele-Law
Tele-Law, run by the Department of Justice, gives free advice from panel lawyers before any case is filed, by phone or video. Call 14454, use the Tele-Law app, or go to a Common Service Centre.
Nyaya Bandhu: the Government's pro bono network
Nyaya Bandhu, also run by the Department of Justice, connects people who qualify for legal aid with advocates who have registered to work pro bono. As on 31 May 2026 it had 10,681 registered advocates and 109 Pro Bono Clubs in law schools. You can apply through its portal (probono-doj.in) or the Nyaya Bandhu app.
Free legal aid to people who cannot afford it is, in the words of the Bar Council of India Rules (Rule 46), one of the highest obligations an advocate owes to society. Many advocates take some matters without a fee for that reason; it is always their decision.
Law students and advocates who want to help
Law students can join the Pro Bono Club of their law school through Nyaya Bandhu, or volunteer with their district legal services authority, which trains para-legal volunteers. Advocates can register on Nyaya Bandhu, or with the legal services authority's panel, to take legal aid cases.
Law students preparing for the judiciary exams can book mentors (advocates, retired judges and law teachers) on Law Maker, a sister site of LegalFirms.in. Advocates can apply to mentor there.
Looking for an advocate who may help without a fee? Describe your matter and say that you are asking for pro bono help. Sending an enquiry is free and goes to advocates who handle this kind of matter. Whether one takes it without a fee is their decision; if you qualify for legal aid, the legal services authority is the surer route.
Questions people ask
Who is eligible for free legal aid in India?
Everyone listed in Section 12 of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987: Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, women and children, persons with disability, victims of trafficking, disasters or violence, industrial workmen, persons in custody, and anyone whose income is below the limit the State sets.
Is there an income limit for women?
No. A woman or a child qualifies under Section 12 whatever their income.
Is a pro bono advocate the same as a legal aid lawyer?
No. A legal aid lawyer is assigned and paid by the legal services authority because you qualify. A pro bono advocate is choosing to act without a fee, and decides case by case.
Will the advocates listed here take my case for free?
Not necessarily. They said on their profiles that they take some matters pro bono. Write to them, explain your matter, and ask. If you qualify for legal aid, applying to the legal services authority is the surer route.
I am an advocate. How do I appear in this list?
Sign in to LegalFirms.in, open your profile, and tick "I take some pro bono (free) matters" under Legal notices and pro bono. Listed profiles appear here A to Z.
- Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, Sections 12 and 13
- National Legal Services Authority (nalsa.gov.in)
- Nyaya Bandhu pro bono portal, Department of Justice
- Tele-Law, Department of Justice
General information on Indian law, not legal advice for your situation. Time limits and procedure can turn on facts and on State law; an advocate can tell you how they apply to you.