Legal aid in the United States is delivered through Legal Services Corporation (LSC)-funded nonprofits, law school clinics, pro bono panels, and court self-help centers. Most programs serve women at or below 125–200% of the Federal Poverty Level and handle family law, housing, public benefits, immigration, and protective orders. The American Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession and the National Women's Law Center supplement local services. For women, the most common legal aid needs are custody, divorce, child support, VAWA-based immigration relief, and DV protective orders — all areas LSC grantees regularly handle. This directory aggregates state legal aid offices, women's legal clinics, and bar referral panels.
Missouri circuit courts hear family matters through family court divisions in each of its 45 judicial circuits. The Family Support Division runs child support enforcement under DSS. Kansas City, Saint Louis, Springfield, and Columbia are the largest metros. Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Legal Aid of Western Missouri, and the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence serve women.
Statewide intake portal coordinating Missouri's four LSC-funded legal-aid programs. The 888-772-5529 line routes callers to Legal Aid of Western Missouri, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, Mid-Missouri Legal Services, or Legal Services of Southern Missouri based on county. Free civil legal help with family, housing, benefits, and consumer cases for women at or below 125% of federal poverty.
888-772-5529 · Statewide Online Resource · 24/7 Online · Visit Website
MCHR at 3315 W Truman Boulevard in Jefferson City investigates discrimination complaints in employment, housing, and public accommodation under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Women can file a charge within 180 days of the incident. Call 573-751-3325 to start a complaint or ask whether your case meets MCHR's jurisdictional thresholds.
573-751-3325 · 3315 W Truman Blvd, Room 212, Jefferson City, MO 65102 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
SLU Law's clinical program at 100 N Tucker in downtown St. Louis pairs supervised law students with low-income city and county residents for civil cases including family law, immigration, and tax. Cases are accepted by semester, so timing matters. Call 314-977-2778 to ask which clinics are taking intake this term.
314-977-2778 · 100 N Tucker Blvd, Suite 700, St. Louis, MO 63101 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website
UMKC's law school clinics at 500 E 52nd Street in Kansas City offer free representation by supervised students in family law, child and family services, entrepreneurship, and tax. Mothers in Jackson, Clay, and Platte counties can apply. Call 816-235-2385 and ask which clinic matches your issue and current student capacity.
816-235-2385 · 500 E 52nd St, Kansas City, MO 64110 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website
Civil-rights nonprofit at 440 N 4th Street in downtown St. Louis representing low-income residents trapped in the St. Louis–region municipal court system on fines, warrants, and license suspensions. Especially valuable for mothers who lost driving privileges over court debt. Call 314-361-8834 to start intake.
314-361-8834 · 440 N 4th St, Suite 390, St. Louis, MO 63102 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website
MO P&A at 925 S Country Club Drive in Jefferson City is the federally designated protection-and-advocacy agency for Missourians with disabilities. Staff attorneys handle special-education disputes, Medicaid-waiver denials, and abuse-and-neglect investigations. Call 800-392-8667 statewide and bring the IEP, denial letter, or incident report when you intake.
800-392-8667 · 925 S Country Club Dr, Jefferson City, MO 65109 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website
LSSM at 2872 S Meadowbrook in Springfield is the LSC-funded program covering 43 southern Missouri counties from the Bootheel to the Ozarks. Family law, housing, public benefits, and protective-order cases are priority dockets. Call 417-881-1397 weekdays; rural callers should mention their county so intake can route to the closest branch.
417-881-1397 · 2872 S Meadowbrook Ave, Springfield, MO 65807 · Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm · Visit Website
LSC is the largest federal funder of civil legal aid and bankrolls all four Missouri programs (LAWMO, LSEM, MMLS, LSSM). Their site has a 'Find Legal Aid' map that confirms which Missouri office covers your zip code and what income rules apply before you call.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
National portal that links to Missouri's MoLegalServices.org sister site with downloadable Missouri court forms, plain-language guides on Show-Me family law, and self-help libraries on housing and benefits curated by Missouri legal-aid programs.
Nationwide · Online
American Bar Association directory of free and reduced-fee legal programs with Missouri-specific listings for law-school clinics at SLU, Mizzou, UMKC, and Washington University; county bar referral lines; and court self-help centers. Good fallback when nothing else fits.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
National pro-bono coordination platform whose Missouri partner sites help nonprofits and volunteer attorneys connect with low-income clients. The public-facing tools include curated form libraries useful for Missouri mothers preparing pro se filings in family or housing court.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Free directory of Missouri legal-aid offices, lawyer referral services, and pro-bono programs indexed by county and practice area. Useful when one program has turned you away and you need the next-closest option in the Show-Me State.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Specifically for women dealing with abuse, stalking, or contested custody, WomensLaw maintains a vetted Missouri referral list of attorneys and advocates trained in domestic-violence dynamics. The site has a quick-exit button and Spanish-language resources for survivors searching from a shared device.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
NCADV's get-help portal explains Missouri's adult abuse petition process, the difference between an ex parte and a full order of protection under Chapter 455, and how the federal Violence Against Women Act overlays state law. Useful background reading before meeting with an advocate.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
Legal-aid portal specifically for veterans and military families, including women veterans connected to Whiteman AFB, Fort Leonard Wood, or the St. Louis and Kansas City VA systems. Covers SCRA protections, custody during deployment, and VA benefits appeals.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website
DOJ-recognized list of immigration legal-aid providers searchable by state. The Missouri section includes Migrant and Immigrant Community Action, Catholic Charities of St. Louis, and Jewish Vocational Service in Kansas City handling low-cost immigration filings.
Nationwide · Online · Visit Website