Online Legal Resources
Please click on the links below to find helpful information and resources to assist you with your legal issue.
- Child Abuse Expungement
- Civil Forfeiture
- Consumer Issues
- Domestic Relations
- Driver's Licenses
- Employment
- Guardianship
- Housing:
- Immigration
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Small Business
- Special Education and School Discipline
- Tort Defense
Child Abuse Expungement
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia – legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
Civil Forfeiture
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Legal Assistance
- Senior Law Center
- Office of Housing and Community Development
- Philadelphia Housing Authority
Consumer Issues
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Legal Assistance
Domestic Relations
(Adoptions, Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Spousal Support, Name Change for adult or minor, Birth Certificate Amendment for adult or minor)
- PA LawHELP.org
- Philadelphia Legal Assistance
- The Philadelphia Courts - First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
- Women's Law Project
- AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
- Council For Relationships
- Good Shepherd Mediation Program
- Senior Law Center
- Equality Advocates
- Women Against Abuse Legal Center
Driver 's Licenses
Employment
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Legal Assistance
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- PA Dept of Labor
- Disability Rights Network
- Aids Law Project of Pennsylvania
- Friends of Farmworkers
Estate Planning
(Wills, Healthcare Directive, Power of Attorney)
- PA LawHELP.org
- Senior Law Center
- Legal Clinic for the Disabled
- Health Law Project
- PCA (Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging)
- AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania
- Equality Advocates
- Disability Rights Network
Guardianship
- PA LawHELP.org
- Legal Clinic for the Disabled
- Disabilities Rights Network
- Senior Law
- PCA
- AIDS Law Project of PA
- Disability Rights Network
Housing
Homeownership
Getting Legal Help with a Title or Deed Issue
If you think you have a homeownership problem - that is, a problem with the deed or title to your property - you should contact one of the following agencies:
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia
- Philadephia Legal Assistance
- SeniorLAW Center
- Homeless Advocacy Project
Getting Information About Your Home
Informational Pamphlets
Online Resources
- Office of Property Assessment, City of Philadelphia:
This is a city agency that provides information on who owns a property, the approximate value of the property (as determined by the City), and real estate tax balances.- A Caution About Online Resources: Although the internet is a good starting place to gather property information, sometimes the information provided on these websites is not entirely accurate. The only way to ensure that you have accurate information on a property is to go to the Department of Records in person. See the instructions below for going to the Department of Records.
City Resources
- City of Philadelphia Department of Records:
This is the City department that is in charge of recording deeds and providing copies of deeds already recorded. You can view property records by going to Room 154 of City Hall, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. If you would like to obtain a copy of any recorded documents, the cost is $2 per page. - City of Philadelphia Register of Wills:
This is the City department that is responsible for approving the administration of deceased person's estates, including those who die with a will and those who die without a will.- If you would like to know whether someone has applied to administer a deceased person's estate, you should call the Register of Wills at (215) 686-6261. However, you may have to visit their office in person in order to find out this information. Their office is located in Room 180 of City Hall.
- If you would like to apply to administer a deceased person's estate, you should call the Register of Wills at (215) 686-6250, to ask what you need to bring in to apply. Their office is located in Room 180 of City Hall.
City Services Related to Owning Your Own Home
OHCD, which is a City agency, and housing counseling agencies provide:
- (1) financial assistance to first-time homebuyers,
- (2) housing counseling services, and
- (3) home repair services.
- City of Philadelphia Housing and Community Development Reference Manual
This is a comprehensive manual, created by the City of Philadelphia Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), on housing services that are available in the City of Philadelphia.
Landlord/Tenant
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
Public Housing
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Housing Authority
Immigration
Nonprofit Organizations
Legal Guides for Philadelphia Nonprofits
- Lobbying and Political Activities: A Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations [PDF]
- Zoning in Philadelphia [PDF]
- Insurance Law [PDF]
- Employment Law [PDF]
- Criminal Background Checks [PDF]
Recent IRS Updates
- IRS Releases Redesigned 2008 Form 990 for Tax-Exempt Organizations [PDF]
- New electronic filing requirement for small tax-exempt organizations [PDF]
- Form 990 Q&A [PDF]
Resources for Philadelphia Nonprofits and Community Groups
For upcoming Legal Clinics for Nonprofits, click here.
Starting-up
- FAQs about Issues of Interest to the General Public about Exempt Organizations
(IRS.gov) - How much will it cost to start a nonprofit?
(Hurwit and Associates' Nonprofit Law Resource Library) - Steps in Starting a Nonprofit
(Hurwit and Associates' Nonprofit Law Resource Library) - The Philadelphia Nonprofit Capacity-Building Collaborative Resource Guide for Nonprofit Organizations
- Grants.gov
(Website for federal grant information) - Where's my exemption application?
(IRS.gov)
Staying Exempt
- Stay Exempt – Tax Basics for 501(c)(3)s: An On-Line Workshop for Exempt Organizations
(IRS) - Public Charity Compliance Guide [PDF]
(IRS) - Audit Committee Toolkit for Nonprofit Organizations
(American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) - Community Accountants
(Pro Bono accounting services) - Guidestar.org
(Nonprofit information database)
Links for Philadelphia Nonprofits and Community Groups
- Nonprofit Center at LaSalle University
- Center for Community and Non-Profit Organizations
(Temple University School of Law) - Regional Foundation Center
(Free Library of Philadelphia) - Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC)
- Npower
- Community Legal Services, Child Care Law Project
- Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
- Arts and Business Council of Greater Philadelphia
- Community Impact Training Institute
(United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania) - Mayor's Office of Community Services
(City of Philadelphia) - Homeless Advocacy Project
- Find a local United Way
- Volunteer Executive Consultants (VEC)
Montgomery County
Small Business
For upcoming Legal Clinics for Small Businesses, click here.
Legal Guides for Philadelphia Small Businesses
- Choice of Entity [PDF]
- Tax Considerations: Supplement to Choice of Entity [PDF]
- Employment Law [PDF]
- Insurance Law [PDF]
- Zoning in Philadelphia [PDF]
- Criminal Background Checks [PDF]
Resources for Philadelphia Small Businesses
- The Merchants Fund
Provides charitable gifts to business persons facing financial hardship. - SCORE Philadelphia
Provides free and confidential business advice and counseling. - SBA
The U.S. Small Business Administration. - Empowerment Group
Assists local entrepreneurs in North Philadelphia. - The Enterprise Center
Assists local entrepreneurs in West Philadelphia. - Women's Business Development Center
- Women's Opportunities Resource Center
Provides training, individual business assistance, job placement, and access to business and financial resources. - Small Business Clinic
University of Pennsylvania Law School program that offers no-cost assistance to small businesses. - Prosper
Peer-to-peer lending site for small businesses. - Mayor's Business Action Team
City of Philadelphia small business program. - Department of Licenses and Inspections
City of Philadelphia's L&I Department website. - Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers
Provides a list of Small Business Development Centers. - NewPA.com
PA Department of Community and Economic Development. - PA Open for Business
Commonwealth of PA information and resources. - Entrepreneur's Guide: Starting and Growing a Business in Pennsylvania. [PDF]
Commonwealth of PA.
Special Education and School Discipline
- PA LawHELP.org
- Disability Rights Network
- Education Law Center
- Juvenile Law Center
- School District of Philadelphia
Tort Defense
- PA LawHELP.org
- Community Legal Services of Philadelphia - legal services for low-income resident of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Legal Assistance
- Senior Law Center
Urgent Need Cases
Case Listings by Category
- Adoption
- Contracts
- Auto Accident
- Civil Forfeiture
- Collections
- Consumer
- Custody (1)
- Divorce (11)
- Domestic Violence
- Employment (1)
- Guardianship (2)
- Incorporation (1)
- Intellectual Property
- Landlord/Tenant (1)
- Licenses (1)
- Loans
- Miscellaneous
- Name Change (1)
- Nonprofit (1)
- Probate (6)
- Public Housing
- Real Property (1)
- Small Business
- Support
- Tax (2)
- Torts
- Wills (1)
- Zoning
News & Announcements
- Save the Date! Monday, March 19th is Philadelphia VIP's 2012 Award Ceremony.
- Thank You for making VIP's 30th Anniversary a sucess!
- Barristers Association of Philadelphia has selected VIP for their Outstanding Organization Award
- Philadelphia's Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program Celebrates Three Years by Stefanie F. Seldin - The Philadelphia Lawyer
Events
- Civil Practice CLE Training, February 29th
- VIP's 2012 Award Ceremony, March 19th
- 2012 CLE Training Calendar
