NNLA’s legal services programs comprise two distinct groups: Direct Services Programs, including Domestic Violence, Housing & Consumer, Immigration, and our Civil Law Self-Help Center located in the Reno Justice Court and Court-Appointed and Contract Programs, including our Child Advocacy, Adult Guardianship, Medical Legal Partnership and Inmate Assistance programs. In our Direct Services Programs, clients contact us directly for services through our client intake process. (Please see the specific direct service program page for intake hours and information.)

In our Court-Appointed and Contract Programs, courts, counties and medical providers refer clients to us for legal representation; clients do not contact us directly for services. For example, whenever Washoe County places a child in foster care, it files a legal case with the court and the court immediately appoints NNLA to represent that child. Similarly, in adult guardianship proceedings, the court appoints NNLA to represent the “proposed protected person” (the subject of the petition) following a petition by the proposed guardian. In our Medical Legal Partnership program, doctors, social works, community health nurses, etc. contact us on behalf of the proposed client and NNLA staff then contacts the proposed client. Lastly, NNLA provides civil legal materials and notary public services to Washoe County inmates under a contract with the county.