Affording a Divorce Lawyer

Don't give up hope. There are actually several ways for you to obtain the services of a lawyer. Start by calling your state and local bar associations and law schools. Most state and local bar associations offer "pro bono" programs in which volunteer lawyers provide free or low-cost legal services for people who could not afford to pay for these services.

These programs almost always include family law attorneys who help with divorce and custody matters. Many law schools feature legal clinics in which third-year law students (supervised by law school professors and practicing lawyers) provide free legal services. And in some states, such as California, it is the practice of the divorce court to require the husband to pay for the wife's legal fees if she has insufficient assets of her own.