Colorado Supreme Court

Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel

Promoting Professionalism. Protecting the Public.

I Can't Afford a Lawyer

Colorado Legal Services
Colorado Legal Services provides legal services in civil court for the state's seniors and low-income residents.

Legal Aid Directory
There are various legal aid organizations around Colorado that provide resources for legal issues.

Metro Volunteer Lawyers
This group within the Denver Bar Association serves low-income legal consumers through donations and volunteer legal professionals from Metro Denver's five bar associations. It is the oldest continuing program of its kind in the country.

Colorado Lawyers for Colorado Veterans
Under this program, veterans can meet with an attorney free of charge at legal clinics across the state.

Self-Help Centers
In recent years, the number of people representing themselves in non-criminal proceedings has increased. Many courts have recognized this trend and opened self-help centers that offer public access computers, frequently needed forms and personnel to answer questions. Staff at the centers can NOT offer legal advice, but they can provide information about forms, the legal process and court rules.

Self-Help Forms

Do-It-Yourself Legal Clinics
The Denver Bar Association offers pro se (do-it-yourself) litigant clinics on the subjects of Bankruptcy, Family, Small Claims and Collections

Modest Means Program (El Paso and Teller county residents)
The El Paso County Bar Association created the Modest Means Program to provide reduced-cost legal assistance to those who earn too much to qualify for legal aid but who can't afford traditional legal fees.

Mediation
The Office of Dispute Resolution offers a voluntary, problem-solving process facilitated by a neutral third party. Parties involved in a dispute are often more satisfied with, and retain greater ownership over, solutions reached through a mediation process.

The Office of Dispute Resolution is under the Colorado Judicial Branch contracts with more than 60 mediators to offer mediation across the state.

For more information about the office or how to set up an appointment visit the website or call (303) 837-3672.

Unbundled Legal Services
Unbundled legal services are for people seeking only certain discrete services from a lawyer. When lawyers talk about the full bundle, they typically mean:

  1. Gathering facts
  2. Advising the client
  3. Discovering facts of the opposing party
  4. Researching the law
  5. Drafting correspondence and documents
  6. Negotiating
  7. Representing the client in court

But maybe you only need representation during a single hearing. Or maybe you need help drafting a document during one phase of a case. Contracting with an attorney for unbundled legal services, or limited representation, allows you to address financial limitations while still receiving expert counsel at critical junctures of a legal matter.