Our non-profit law firm provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide.
A History of Service
For 59 years, FRLS has pursued justice by providing legal services in housing law, family law, consumer protection, public benefits, elder law, disaster relief, education law, tax advocacy, and more, all at no cost to our clients.
Our story begins in 1966, when the Office of Economic Opportunity, an agency created by R. Sargent Shriver during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration to address the War on Poverty, funded a two-year research project which sought to provide legal services to farmworkers in six South Florida counties. The project was originally called the South Florida Migrant Services.
Lauded for its success in providing legal aid to underserved and overlooked populations statewide, the program, which is now known as FRLS, continues to be the only legal services organization in Florida offering services to farmworkers and migrant workers throughout the state.
Firmly planted in its origins, FRLS has a unique commitment to serving Florida’s farmworkers. Yet throughout the decades, FRLS has expanded its foundational mission, helping clients in 13 counties with a broad range of legal issues, including consumer protection, family law, public benefits, housing matters, and elder services. FRLS handles thousands of cases every year, providing critical and free access to justice and staying true to our storied beginnings.
Alongside our work with farmworkers statewide, FRLS serves the following 13 counties: Lee, Polk, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Martin, Okeechobee, Indian River, Highlands, Hardee, Hendry, Charlotte, Desoto, and Glade Counties.
A Broad Impact
FRLS collaborates with community organizations and Pro Bono attorneys to deliver quality advocacy, outreach, and education designed to protect the rights of those in need. For over 50 years, FRLS has been a steadfast advocate for justice.
Every day, our attorneys and staff work diligently to create opportunities for our state’s most vulnerable communities. Whether helping a disabled veteran access critical public benefits, responding to eviction actions for clients living in federally subsidized housing, or finding security for victims of domestic violence, FRLS has sought to extend our mission of providing legal aid to individuals and families who need it most.
Our many areas of practice include:
- Housing Law
- Family Law & Domestic Violence
- Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC)
- Consumer Law
- Hurricane Services
- Public Benefits
- Elder Law
- Statewide Farmworker Project
FRLS shows up when and where we’re needed. In 2024, we lived up to this promise, responding to the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton across the state. Through our Disaster Legal Services program, FRLS attorneys offered critical support to families affected by the storms, assisting with housing issues, FEMA aid, unemployment resources, and Disaster SNAP benefits.
A Values-Driven Organization
Along our path to providing free legal services to low-income communities across the state of Florida, FRLS is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, both for our clients and our employees.
Our dedicated staff members hail from all parts of the state and nation, bringing unique skillsets, experiences, and outlooks to the shared mission of our organization.
We are committed to ensuring a safe, happy, and healthy workplace for all members within the broad FRLS community, from administrative staff to our skilled attorneys to our far-reaching network of Pro Bono Volunteers. Click here to learn more about how our leadership works to enact these commitments in our seven offices across Florida.
Want to get involved in work at FRLS?
Call us at 1-888-582-3410.
