Whether providing free legal services to families and individuals living in poverty or addressing the systemic injustices at the root of those problems, GBLS provides critical legal assistance to those who need it most.
GBLS’ work supports:
- Renters at risk of eviction: Preserving affordable housing units and to fight against unaffordable rent increases.
- Immigrants threatened with detention or deportation: Protecting due process for immigrants who are denied access to counsel or threatened with swift transfers to detention centers.
- Survivors of domestic violence: Advocating for fair and safe separation agreements and divorces for survivors of domestic violence and their children.
- Victims of predatory lending: Negotiating loan modifications with mortgage brokers that allow people to stay in their homes.
- And more
"GBLS will continue to represent the widest range of people we can, providing comprehensive legal services to our clients. We have fought and will continue to fight to ensure that all people are treated fairly, and that our clients have access to real justice."
-Jacquelynne J. Bowman, Executive Director
Who GBLS' Clients Are
GBLS advocates fight for vulnerable people across the greater Boston area, protecting their rights and giving them a voice. We assist people who seek some of the most basic necessities of life, and we represent them where they need us: in court, before agencies, and before city councils and the state legislature. We represent community groups as well, serving organizations that support low-income residents. And we offer legal education to help people understand their rights, whether we're out at community outreach events or answering calls in our offices.
In 2025, our attorneys and paralegals provided legal assistance to nearly 12,000 people. Of that group, 64% identified as female, 85% were people of color, and 19% were ages 60 and older. Of the nearly 15,000 legal matters we handled, housing, immigration, employment/unemployment, and consumer rights represented our most frequent cases.
GBLS Service Area
GBLS serves low-income people who live in Boston, as well as 31 cities and towns in the Greater Boston area, including:
| Acton*, Arlington, Bedford*, Belmont, Boston, Boxborough*, Braintree, Brookline, Burlington*, Cambridge, Canton, Carlisle* Chelsea, Cohasset, Concord*, |
Everett, Harvard*, Hingham, Holbrook, Hull, Lexington*, Lincoln*, Littleton*, Malden, Maynard*, Medford, Melrose, Milton, Newton, North Reading*, Norwell, |
Quincy, Randolph, Reading*, Revere, Scituate, Somerville, Stoneham, Stow*, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Weymouth, Wilmington*, Winchester, Winthrop, Woburn |
*Services for elders (over 60 years of age) only
Client Stories
Numbers and statistics are only part of the story. Meet some of our clients.
