Unlike criminal law, you are not entitled to a lawyer in civil cases, like consumer debt cases.
Legal Aid
Legal aid provides free legal representation for low income families.
Do I qualify for legal aid?
To qualify, your household income usually must be less than 125% of the federal poverty guidelines. To qualify, a family of four must have a household income less than $41,250 (for 2026). In some cases, legal aid may consider your case if your household makes less than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines. This amounts to a family of four making less than $66,000 (for 2026).
Some legal aid providers have grants to serve certain clients with even higher income and/or assets.
Will legal aid take my case?
Legal aid has limited resources and can only take a small percentage of the consumer debt cases.
How to contact legal aid
Go to Get Legal Help to see if you qualify and find a legal aid provider in your area.
How else can I find a lawyer?
Even if you can't find free legal help, you still have options to find a lawyer for some guidance.
National Association of Consumer Advocates
The National Association of Consumer Advocates is a nonprofit with over 1500 lawyers who help people harmed by unfair, abusive, or dishonest business practices. They work to protect consumers and hold bad actors accountable.
If you have a claim against the debt collector, like they violated the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, a lawyer may take your case on contingency fee. This means that the lawyer only gets paid if they win your case or get you money. You don't pay anything up front. Instead, the lawyer takes a percentage of the money they recover for you.
If you think a debt collector has broken the law, search the NACA Directory to find a lawyer who may be able to help you.
💡Many lawyers provide free consultations.
Illinois State Bar Attorney Referral Service
The Illinois State Bar has a lawyer referral service. You can use this if you are looking for a lawyer outside of Cook County. It costs $25 to have a 30-minute consultation with a lawyer.
Chicago Bar Attorney Referral Service
The Chicago Bar has a lawyer referral service if you're looking for a lawyer in Cook County. It costs $30 to have a consultation with a lawyer.