Michigan Legal Help (MLH) provides free online legal information, tools, and resources to people facing civil legal issues in Michigan through its nationally-recognized michiganlegalhelp.org website. The site is used by millions of people each year to help them access needed legal information and resources, understand their legal rights and options, and get connected to services in their area. MLH believes that everyone should have access to high-quality, easy-to-understand legal resources so people understand their rights and options, and have the tools they need to better advocate for themselves in court.
MLH exists because, more and more, people are navigating civil legal issues by themselves. In courthouses today, only a quarter of civil cases have attorneys for both sides. People with limited income face greater barriers to help – fewer than ten percent of people with low income get the help they need with their civil legal problems. These are our everyday justice issues—safe and stable housing, debt, divorce, personal protection, custody and visitation rights, benefits – and they have a profound impact on people’s lives and the wellbeing of our communities.
MLH works to address this crisis by creating free online legal resources to help people understand their rights and options, how to access and fill out the forms they need, and understand the steps they need to take after filling out their forms. MLH also operates the Guide to Legal Help, where people can get personalized resources based on where they live and their situation, connecting them to MLH content, legal resources, and information about community programs.
MLH was founded in 2012 and is a program of Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services (MSAS).
What We Do
The Michigan Legal Help Website
Used by more than 2 million people each year.
Over half a million court forms filled out each year with MLH's guided interview tools.
Since 2012, Michigan Legal Help has operated the michiganlegalhelp.org website, which is used by millions of people each year. MLH’s goal is to break down barriers to understanding the legal system so that people know their rights and options and have resources to help them navigate the system.
The MLH website has guided interviews to help people fill out common court forms and other legal documents. Step-by-step instructions break down court rules to help people understand what they need to do after filling out their forms. Hundreds of articles written by licensed attorneys in plain language address common legal issues so people can better understand their rights and options. MLH also has a Spanish language version of the website, Ayuda Legal de Michigan.
To make sure people have the help they need to find, use, and understand our resources, MLH offers LiveHelp chat assistance, which allows live staff to help answer users’ questions, and after-hours email services to answer questions when LiveHelp chat is not available. MLH also offers the Guide to Legal Help, which provides customized lists of information and referrals, including connecting people to online intake forms for legal aid programs across Michigan. MLH also maintains an events calendar to connect people to legal clinics and other relevant events in their area.
MLH staff answer over 7,000 user questions through its chat and email service each year.
With a broad view of legal needs across Michigan, as well as the unique challenges that self-represented litigants face, Michigan Legal Help also plays a key role in developing policies that impact low-income individuals and families. MLH works closely with state and national partners to make the civil legal system more accessible and equitable for those who are navigating legal issues without an attorney. MLH Program Director, Nora Ryan, is the Vice Chair of the Michigan Justice for All Commission, and MLH staff play important roles in the commission’s working groups. MLH also works on state commissions and boards to help make policy changes to break down barriers to people accessing courts.
Self-Help Centers
Not everyone can use the MLH website from their home or phone; many people don’t have a device or broadband access, and some people just want face-to-face help. To address those needs, MLH helps courts, libraries, and community organizations open self-help centers. Self-help centers are places where people facing legal issues can go to get one-on-one help using the MLH website and other self-help resources.
With support from Michigan’s Justice for All Commission, MLH spearheads a network of over 40 self-help centers with over 70 locations spanning more than 30 counties in Michigan. MLH provides technical assistance to self-help centers that utilize MLH as a core resource, including training on using the MLH website, help with outreach and communications, and coordinating data collection and analysis. MLH also hosts a Remote Navigator, who provides one-on-one virtual assistance across the state to centers that are understaffed or do not have dedicated staff, especially in rural areas that have few other legal resources. People can find their nearest self-help center using our self-help center finder page.
MLH also coordinates the efforts of the Michigan Self-Help Center Alliance, the unified network of legal self-help centers in Michigan.
Community Legal Connections Program
Fewer than ten percent of people with low income get the help they need with their civil legal issues. This is not only because of the lack of affordable legal services, but also because of the barriers to finding legal help. Many life issues have hidden legal issues, so unless there is help to direct people to legal resources, many never find that help.
To help address this barrier, MLH started a Community Legal Connections Program (CLC) with support from Michigan’s Justice for All Commission. The CLC program goes to where people are already going for help in their communities and trains those service providers to better recognize when people they are working with are facing a legal issue, and connect them to appropriate resources. This 6-hour training integrates the Legal First Aid® curriculum developed by Legal Link with a unique interactive curriculum that grounds understanding in realistic scenarios and familiarizes trainees with using and understanding MLH’s resources. Since 2025, the CLC Program has partnered with organizations and agencies across the state serving veterans, domestic violence survivors, people seeking employment, as well as the general public through partnerships with local libraries.
If you want to contact our CLC team to learn more, please email mlh-communitytraining@michiganlegalhelp.org.
Get Involved
Jobs and Internships
Employment
We are not currently hiring, please check back later for employment opportunities.
Fellowships
Michigan Legal Help (through Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services) will consider hosting a Skadden or Equal Justice Works Fellowship. Please contact the Program Director at mlh-info@michiganlegalhelp.org with a description of your interests and potential project ideas by June 30 of the year prior to the fellowship beginning to be considered.
For other post-graduate fellowships, please contact the Program Director at mlh-info@michiganlegalhelp.org with a description of your interests and potential project ideas, allowing enough time according to the program’s fellowship timeline.
Internships
Summer Internships: Michigan Legal Help typically offers legal internships/legal clerkships for current law students. Please check back in the fall for Summer 2027 opportunities.
Term Internships: Michigan Legal Help welcomes interns throughout the year, whose interests, abilities, and availability match the current needs of the program. If you are interested, please send a resume and cover letter explaining your interests, abilities, and availability to mlh-info@michiganlegalhelp.org.
Volunteering
If you are interested in volunteering with Michigan Legal Help, please email your professional background, the hours you are available to work each week as well as the duration you would be able to volunteer, and what you are interested in working on, to mlh-info@michiganlegalhelp.org.