Consult a lawyer - at no cost - on Saturday, April 30 Anyone in Illinois with a question about a legal matter can call and talk to a lawyer – at no cost – on Ask A Lawyer Day, Saturday, April 30. Lawyer volunteers will answer phones at six locations from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Any Illinois resident can call toll-free, or a local number in some areas, for a free phone consultation with a lawyer. The 30^th annual Ask A Lawyer Day, part of Law Day activities in Illinois, is a public service sponsored by the Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA) in cooperation with bar associations in Chicago, Northwest Suburbs, DuPage County, Lake County and Will County. Lawyer volunteers will be able to answer questions about consumer problems, family law, estate planning, personal injury, or any other legal situations affecting individuals. Callers will be advised of steps they can take to resolve their legal problems and, if they need additional legal services, they will be advised to see their lawyer. If they don’t have a lawyer, they can receive a referral to a lawyer who practices in their area through the referral service offered by participating bar associations. “We find that many people hesitate to see a lawyer, even when they know they have a legal problem,” said Mark Hassakis of Mt. Vernon, president of the Illinois State Bar Association.  “Ask A Lawyer Day provides an opportunity to learn about a legal situation, or how best to address a legal problem, in a user friendly manner.” Phone numbers to talk to a lawyer on April 30 are:

• The Chicago Bar Association – 312.554.2001
• Northwest Suburban Bar Association – 847.221.2681
• DuPage County Bar Association – 630.653.7779
• Lake County Bar Association – 847.244.3143 or 847.244.3140
• Will County Bar Association – 815.773.1150
• From anywhere in Illinois, call the Illinois State Bar Association – 800.252.8908 or 217.525.1760

Each of the bar associations operates a lawyer referral service for people who need legal services but do not have a lawyer.  Lawyers contacted through a referral service provide an initial consultation at a nominal cost. Also, lawyers can be found online at one of these bar association websites:

• http://www.chicagobar.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Need_a_Lawyer (Chicago)
• http://www.nwsba.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=19 (Northwest Suburban)
• http://www.dcba.org/for-the-public/how-to-find-a-lawyer/find-a-lawyer (DuPage County)
• http://www.lakebar.org/find-a-lawyer (Lake County)
• http://www.willcountybar.org/content/view/41/124/ (Will County)
• http://www.illinoislawyerfinder.com (statewide)