• (540) 662-5021


• Fax Number: (540) 662-5038


• Website

• info@brls.org


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Description

Blue Ridge Legal Services is a nonprofit charitable civil legal aid program that provides free civil legal assistance to low-income residents of the Shenandoah Valley and Roanoke Valley of Virginia. Our legal assistance ranges from advice or brief service to ongoing representation in negotiations and litigation in state and federal courts and administrative agencies, depending on the needs of the client, the type of case, and available resources.To apply for assistance, contact the office between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays. Visit the office in person that serves your area during that offices intake hours.In PersonYou can apply online here, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Our online application will collect most of the essential information, but you will still need to speak to an intake paralegal to complete the application. Our intake staff will typically get back in touch with you within three business days to review and complete your application. OnlineCall the office that serves your area during that offices intake hours. See "Areas Served/Office Locations" and the map of our service area to locate the office that serves your area. If you are unsure which office to call, you may simply call 1-866-534-5243 toll-free, and you will be automatically routed to the legal aid office that serves your area. By PhoneAll applicants for our free legal assistance must go through our intake process. During this conversation, a member of our Intake team will gather your household information, including household size, income and asset information, conduct a required check for conflicts of interest, and get a brief description of your problem. For your convenience, there are three ways you can apply for our services. How To Apply for ServicesUnfortunately, limited funding prevents the provision of legal assistance to every low-income resident of our service area who requests assistance in a civil (i.e., non-criminal) matter. Instead, our Board of Directors has adopted a system of case priorities that we utilize to make case acceptance decisions. Because of financial support we receive from the Roanoke Local Office on Aging (LOA), Valley Program for Aging Services (VPAS), and the Shenandoah Area Agency on Aging (SAAA), we are able to assist some senior citizens in the greatest socio-economic need who might not otherwise qualify for our services. Financial eligibility for our services is based primarily on the number of persons in the applicants household, the household income and resources, as well as the type of case involved. BRLS does not use a sliding fee scale. If the applicant is eligible, the services are free. If the applicant is "over-income," then no services can be provided. Eligibility for our services