Special Programs

In order to serve low-income and vulnerable communities with specific legal needs, TRLA has developed several Special Programs. Attorneys in these programs are able to meet the multiple legal needs of their clients by drawing on the services and expertise of other legal groups and practices within TRLA.

  • Austin tenants council project

    • Working to ensure housing stability by rectifying Fair Housing Act violations and empowering tenants to exercise their rights through mediation, advocacy, and education.

  • FAMILY DEFENSE PROJECT

    • Family Defense Project defends parental rights and preserves family integrity by representing parents involved with DFPS at a variety of stages. FDP prioritizes advocacy during the following five stages where an indigent parent is not otherwise entitled to a court-appointed attorney.

  • Bi-national Project

    • The Bi-National Project assists low-income survivors of family violence with family law issues related to the border, such as obtaining Court orders containing provisions designed to prevent international child abduction, defense against Hague Petitions filed by perpetrators seeking the return of children to another country, and other legal interventions designed to help survivors secure safety for themselves and their children.

  • LGBTQ+ Civil Rights Project

    • This project is an intersectional effort within TRLA to combine expertise from various legal teams to serve the unique needs of low-income LGBTQ+ Texans in our service area.

  • MEDICAL LEGAL PARTNERSHIPS

    • Combines the expertise of attorneys and medical practitioners to improve the health of low-income people.

  • Mental Health Legal Project (MHLP)

    • The Mental Health Legal Project empowers persons with serious mental illness to advocate for their rights and make their own life and treatment decisions through the development of psychiatric advance directives. 

  • opioid use disorder (OUD) Project

    • The Opioid Use Disorder Legal Support Project (OUD Project) provides free, nonjudgmental legal services to low-income Texans who have been affected by opioid use. The OUD Project assists with a wide range of civil legal issues including public benefits, expunctions and nondisclosures, ID recovery, divorce, child custody, and class C misdemeanors. 

  • southern migrant legal services (SMLS)

    • The SMLS project is based in Nashville, Tenn., that provides free legal services to migrant and agricultural workers in Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi as well as Tennessee.

  • Survivor’s Rights Program

    • The Survivor’s Rights Program is a collection of projects that provide comprehensive assistance to people who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault. The Program includes The Shelter Project, Bi-National Project, and Legal Aid for Survivors of Sexual Assault (LASSA).

  • Texas Foster Youth Justice Project

    • Provides free legal aid to current and former foster youth.