No, we don’t generally provide Legal Aid services.  Legal Aid is a scheme run by the Ministry of Justice. It’s government funding to pay for lawyers for people going to court who cannot afford a lawyer. Legal Aid is available for people facing criminal charges, and those with a civil legal problem or family dispute that may go to court, as well as for Waitangi Tribunal proceedings. Baywide Community Law, on the other hand, is an independent charity. Although we receive much of our funding from the Ministry of Justice, we are not a government agency.  Importantly, our services are free, whereas people often have to repay some or all of their Legal Aid back to the government. If you need a lawyer and can’t afford one, you can come to us for initial free legal help first. We can then refer you to the right Legal Aid lawyer.  More information on Legal Aid