Legal Aid of Western Michigan - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Kristina W.

It started with the "most unique case" Mr. Sass had seen in 30yrs..
And ended in the best positive outcome I could imagine!
If not for your dedication and all the time you and your team spent on my case, I'd be struggling to find a place to call home for me and my kids. Mr. Sass was not only caring and supportive in helping me deal with the situation, but he also took the time to listen to me and he made sure I understood everything.
For everything you do in life, I hope it always goes in your favor! I hope your pillow is cold on both sides, your charger works at every single angle, you NEVER stub your toe, you eat a FANTASTIC meal today and get lucky and find $20 on the floor! I hope you all have an amazing year because YOU DESERVE ALL OF IT!!

Zach W.

I’m quite disappointed so far. I’ve reached out to legal aid 3 times now and after the latest phone call I am even more confused and angry now.

The first call I made at the end of 2023, my debt was not enough. That’s acceptable. Later in 2024, my debts rose and I was then told in the beginning of November that I now qualify and the attorney on the phone recommended my case be transferred to a local office for someone to check out. Whether it would be accepted still was up in the air due to funds, which I can accept. It is low income assistance after all.

Here’s what I just can’t accept: I called today after waiting through the 2-3 week period where it was claimed someone would reach out to me. Nobody has and I was informed on the phone today that nobody will unless they choose to take my case?!

How can I know if my case is accepted if nobody will even send an email to tell me that? This isn’t customer service!!!! If I can’t even get a response on whether my case will be accepted or not, then I cannot recommend their service.

Update: my spouse got an email back from their manager and all he asked for was our county, we responded and he said thanks. We have not heard anything back. Very poor customer service as I said.

Kelli D.

Tried asking for help against my lying abusive ex husband. Not only did they refuse to help me 3 separate times during my farce of a divorce, but they also waited till the night before court to turn me down again. Smh. Legal Aid of West Michigan is absolutely horrible and pointless to have and shouldn't exist anymore.

Justin W.

We went to get help with our rent and they acted like they were going to help my mom and we had a court date, they never showed up and never called to tell us anything. Seems like they don't care much, my mother is 70 years old. What's the point on getting legal aid when they don't do anything for you.

Taniesha S.

Lawyer was very careless she basically sided with who i was going to court against i lost both my cases while she laughed and giggled with the person taking me to court i was harrased after court she never respo ded to messages until 3 days later she was very careless about my situation we came to a agrrement in court and my landlord added fees that was not in my agreement and she did not say anything about it she was not for me she was more for getting paid for nothing worse lawyers ever

Audrey F.

If you're a domestic abuse survivor, do not go with these attorneys. Jason not only gave everything to my husband left me with nothing. No vehicle and 4 kids, he won't return my phone calls. He was no help, he did everything He could to make sure my husband made it out on top. Everyone tells you when you're in a abusive relationship to leave. Take your kids and leave. I did that and I trusted the attorneys at the legal aid office to help me. And they did everything they could to do to help my husband including tricking me into signing.

Brandon C.

Apparently they don't know how to answer phones or leave a message. Very disappointed in our court system it's a joke.

R H.

I called because I needed legal advice regarding a domestic violence/CPS situation involving my sons half brother and their dad (not my son and I). The attorney I spoke with was the most impatient, disrespectful, unprofessional man I have dealt with. My situation is a little complex, so explaining it from start to finish takes me about 1-2 minutes. I started speaking and about 10 seconds into it he cut me off for the first time with a condescending question he didn’t actually need me to answer. He asked me the question in that way to belittle me and answering it was degrading, but I was still desperate for help so I answered it. He continued to cut me off and belittle me every 5-15 seconds for the rest of the 5 minute phone conversation. I gave up trying to explain why I needed help, I never got to the end, he never learned the reason for my call and I just started bawling.

He told me, “Rebecca, you need to get it together because you’re just all over the place”, “you’re not making any sense, you need to get your thoughts straight, Rebecca”, “Rebecca, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, nothing you’re saying to me makes any sense”, “I think you need to just do whatever CPS tells you to do and get whatever drug problem you have or had going on taken care of before you worry about anything else, Rebecca”, and “Rebecca, CPS is never going to believe a word of what you’re saying, I don’t believe what you’re saying to me and you’re not going to get anyone else to buy it either”.

I never had a “drug problem”, and I never said anything about me or anybody else involved having a “drug problem”. Him saying that to me was disgusting and abusive.

By this point I was crying really bad, he had no idea what I was talking about and it almost seemed like he wanted to not understand from the start.

He ended the conversation by saying, “have a nice day, Rachel!”. He knew what my name was. He used it correctly and excessively throughout the entire horrific phone conversation. He deliberately called me the wrong name. I said, “Rachel? Are you serious?” because I was shocked, I could not believe a grown man just did that to me. He started to say something and I hung up.

I will NEVER ask for help from Legal Aid again, and I would advise anyone looking for legal advice to look elsewhere.