Free aid

Are the facilities offering free aid opened during the pandemic?

The facilities offering free legal aid remain open during the pandemic. They work in person or remotely, i.e., using remote technologies such as the phone or online communicators (Skype or Microsoft Teams), depending on the Poviat. Some of them offer both in person and remote consultations.

Is it possible to ask for a remote consultation?

Some facilities might offer remote consultations by phone or using online communicators (Skype or Microsoft Teams). The general rule being that remote services are mainly for individuals with severe physical or communication disabilities. However, due to the pandemic, they are also offered to all other individuals.

To benefit from free legal aid, you need to fill in a request form. You might do so in person at the Poviat Hall or remotely, i.e., by phone or by filling the form available on https://zapisy-np.ms.gov.pl.

Is the help free of charge?

Free legal aid, free citizen's advice, and free mediation are free of charge. Individuals in financial difficulties, who cannot afford paid professional services, may benefit from it. The afore-mentioned help is financed from the State budget and aims at granting equal access to justice.

Do the facilities offering legal help also counsel in other areas?

All free aid facilities offer full-range counselling. The facilities offering specific legal help most often also offer general counselling. It is therefore possible to sign up for any type of legal advice. To find out what a given facility offers, it is advised to call the Poviat Hall.

Are the professionals offering free legal aid lawyers?

Free legal aid is given by attorneys, counsels, attorney or counsel trainees, and individuals with a post-graduate degree in law meeting the requirements, i.e., all are qualified lawyers. Furthermore, tax advisors may offer advice on tax law, except entrepreneurial tax law.

Can I signup for a consultation outside of the Poviat of residence?

There is no localisation, i.e., the necessity of doing the consultation in the Poviat of residence, within the system of free legal help. Therefore, individuals can sign up anywhere, independently of their place of residence.

Can I benefit from free aid if I am a Polish citizen living abroad?

Free legal aid is available to all Polish citizens, who are unable to afford paid legal help at market prices. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it is possible to do remote free consultations, i.e., by phone or using online communicators. Therefore, Polish citizens living abroad are also able to benefit from free legal help or free citizen's advice.

Can I benefit from free legal if I am a foreigner?

Any individual residing on the Polish territory may benefit from free legal aid and citizens advice. However, please bear in mind that most facilities will only offer consultations in Polish. In order to check the spoken languages at a given facility, visit the tab Help for foreigners or contact the adequate Poviat Hall.

Can I benefit from free aid if I am self-employed and hire employees?

Free legal aid is available to natural persons and self-employed entrepreneurs who did not have employees within the previous year. Entrepreneurs hiring employees can’t therefore benefit from free legal aid. The previous year is to be understood as the 12 months prior to the date on the declaration stating the inability to afford paid legal help, not the calendar year, fiscal year, or any other period.

Can I benefit from free aid more than once?

Entitled individuals may benefit from free legal aid and citizens advice to the extent needed by their situation. In other words, they may ask for more than one meeting. They may sign up for more than one services. They may also ask for consultations about different matters, independently of the time elapsed since their last consultation.

Is free aid anonymous?

Yes. Only before in person consultations, individuals are asked to sign a declaration stating their inability to afford paid legal help. The declaration includes their personal data, however that data will never be stored with the case data. Therefore, personal data and the case data are not correlated; the saved data are anonymized and the consultation is anonymous.

In case of remote consultations, i.e., by phone or online communicators, individuals do not sign declarations stating their inability to afford paid legal help, therefore, they do not share their personal data in writing.

Who is the data controller in the system of free aid?

The declarations stating the inability to afford paid legal help are not accessible to third parties. The Poviat authorities administer all the personal data. The leader of the Poviat stores the afore-mentioned declarations for three years, counting from the end of the calendar year when the declaration was filed, in order to allow potential inspections assessing whether free legal aid and citizens advice function properly.