Monday Night Law

The legal counseling program, Monday Night Law – held at the New York City Bar Association on Mondays and at the New York County Lawyers Association on other days – has been cancelled until further notice. Please check back here for updates regarding future program dates. We apologize for any inconvenience.

What Is Monday Night Law?

Monday Night Law is a community service program providing free consultations with volunteer lawyers. The consultation is a chance for you to discuss questions you may have about a legal issue or process, and an opportunity to have a lawyer help you figure out what to do next.

Which Topics Are Covered By Monday Night Law?

Volunteer lawyers can only help you with advice related to the following legal topics:

  • Employer and Employee Law
  • Divorce, Matrimonial and Family Law
  • Bankruptcy
  • Consumer Law
  • Landlord-Tenant
  • Small Business Matters

How Do I Make an Appointment for Monday Night Law?

  • Call 212-626-7373 (Español 212-626-7374) to discuss your legal issue with an Attorney Referral Counselor at the New York City Bar Legal Referral Service.
  • Tell us what’s going on. If we determine your legal issue is appropriate for the program we will make an appointment for you to meet with a volunteer lawyer at the next available Monday Night Law session.

When and Where do the Appointments Take Place?

  • Midtown: New York City Bar Association, 42 West 44th Street (Mondays only). Appointments are scheduled between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM in 30-minute time slots. Space is limited.
  • Downtown: New York County Lawyers’ Association, 14 Vesey Street (Tuesday-Thursday). Appointments are scheduled between 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM in 30-minute time slots. Space is limited.
  • There are no appointments during the month of September, and no appointments on federal and state holidays.

Can I Just Show Up?

  • Walk-ins are not permitted. You must schedule an appointment in advance.

How Much Will Monday Night Law Cost Me?

  • Nothing – it’s free! There is no charge for making an appointment or meeting with the volunteer lawyer.

What Should I Bring To The Consultation?

  • Bring any documents you may have that are related to your legal issue, including pictures, notes, leases and rental agreements, contracts, receipts, etc. If you only have original documents or documents that you are afraid of losing, make copies and only bring the copies to the consultation.
  • Bring paper and pen to take notes during the consultation.

How Long Is My Consultation With The Volunteer Lawyer?

  • The volunteer lawyer will meet with you for up to 30 minutes. Please be on time, and write your questions down in advance in order to ensure that you get the most out of your consultation.

What Should I Ask During The Consultation?

You should ask questions such as:

  • How serious a problem do I have?
  • Are there any deadlines?
  • What happens if I miss a deadline?
  • What should I do next?
  • What will happen if I do nothing?
  • How do I settle the issue for good?
  • What would you do if you were me?
  • Should I hire a lawyer or is this something I can handle myself?

What If I Need Help Beyond The 30-Minute Consultation?

After the session, the Monday Night Law volunteer lawyer will not be able to provide any further legal services or represent you. You will not be able to hire a Monday Night Law volunteer lawyer to represent you. However, you may ask the volunteer lawyer what resources might be available to assist you, especially if you are going to handle your legal issue without the help of a lawyer. If you do want to hire a lawyer to help you, contact the New York City Bar Legal Referral Service by calling 212-626-7373 (Español 212-626-7374). You can also submit an online referral request.

English is not my first language. Do you provide translators?

  • We may have a Spanish interpreter available. Be sure to ask the Attorney Referral Counselor whether there will be a Spanish interpreter available on the day you would like to schedule your appointment.
  • If you need an interpreter for another language, please bring a family member or friend to interpret for you.

Who Sponsors Monday Night Law and What is its Mission?

Monday Night Law is provided by the New York City Bar Association’s Monday Night Law/Moderate Means Committee, the New York City Bar Legal Referral Service, and the City Bar Justice Center. This program is designed to help address the public’s need for affordable and accessible legal guidance. Monday Night Law assists more than 1,000 New Yorkers annually.