Our Mission

Prairie State Legal Services offers free legal services for low income persons and those over 60 who have serious civil legal problems and need legal help to solve them.

Our mission is "to provide or coordinate the delivery of high quality legal services to low-income individuals, families and groups."

Throughout its history, Prairie State has focused on providing legal services to the most vulnerable groups in our society, including the poor, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

United Ways support many important community agencies, including Prairie State Legal Services. We encourage you to support your local United Way.

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NEW PROJECT! Legal help for victims of housing discrimination

Prairie State has expanded legal services to assist people who have experienced housing discrimination because of their race, color, national origin, sex, familial status, religion, and other protected characteristics. The Fair Housing Project’s main objectives include investigation of housing discrimination, free legal representation in administrative and judicial forums, and community education. We serve the Waukegan area (Lake and McHenry counties), Rockford area (Winnebago and Boone counties) and Peoria area (Peoria and Tazwell counties). If you or someone you know has been discriminated against in housing, please call the Project at 855-347-7757.

This Project has more inclusive eligibility guidelines, permitting a wider range of persons to qualify. These services are made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Legal Help for homeowners facing foreclosure

Prairie State has expanded legal services available for homeowners and tenants facing foreclosure. The primary goal of the Project is to help homeowners and tenants save their homes through available legal strategies. These include foreclosure defenses in court, bankruptcy, income generation, loan modification, and various alternatives to foreclosure. Legal help is free. If needed, please call the Project at 888-966-7757.

This Project has more inclusive eligibility guidelines, permitting a wider range of persons to qualify. These services are possible due to a special grant from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, with funds secured from a national settlement with the nation's largest bank's mortgage servicers.

Illinois flooding

Due to the recent flooding in Illinois, we are posting a link to the following document from the Illinois State Bar Association. Disaster Legal Services Manual: A Resource for Illinoisans and Illinois Lawyers.