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.

  • 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

  • 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).

  • The Texas Foster Youth Justice Project

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