Company Profile
Counsel & Advocacy Law Line
Company Overview
The Counsel & Advocacy Law Line (CALL) is the “front door” for legal services across 40 Michigan counties, providing intake, legal advice, brief services, self-help coaching and referrals to nearly 15,000 families each year.
CALL is staffed solely by Michigan attorneys fluent in many languages and with hundreds of years of combined practice experience. We leverage our attorney resources with law student interns and graduate fellows who investigate facts, conduct research, draft legal documents, and engage in negotiations.
CALL offers advice and assistance in most areas of civil law — family, consumer, housing, education, public benefits, utilities, un/employment, probate, and more. Many cases are resolved in the first call, through advice, provision of written materials or direct negotiation with opposing parties or attorneys. These services provide quick relief for families while easing the burden on local legal aid offices. In other cases, we offer short-term services and/or empower and coach clients to resolve legal issues. Cases meeting the local program priorities are referred for possible representation.
CALL attorneys think holistically, working with each person in the context of their life rather than simply addressing single problems. Besides valuable legal advice, brief services and personal empowerment, our attorneys provide on-the-spot referrals to a wide variety of governmental and social service providers, including local domestic violence shelters, housing resources, prescription drug programs for low income persons, and emergency food resources. All of our services are free to those who qualify.
CALL serves the Lakeshore Legal Aid region and also partners with Legal Services of South Central Michigan and Legal Services of Western Michigan to serve poor and senior people in their service areas.
Company History
Lakeshore Legal Aid’s Counsel & Advocacy Law Line (CALL) is a 501(c)(3) legal hotline that offers hope, guidance and empowerment to the indigent and elderly across much of Michigan. CALL began as a Michigan State Bar Foundation pilot project in 1997 and has grown into a nationally-recognized access to justice program.
Our project-specific mission is to:
· expand access to justice;
· reach communities underserved due to geographic, language, cultural and other barriers;
· empower limited-income people to understand and exercise their legal rights and responsibilities.