Legal help shouldn’t depend on what you can pay.
Under the Supreme Court’s Unified Legal Aid Service, lawyers give free legal aid to people who can’t afford legal services. On Twala, you can ask a lawyer or notary for a free consultation or notarization, and send your proof of indigency with the request.
Asking for free legal aid: on the Details step of a request to a lawyer with the ULAS badge, the client ticks Request free legal aid (ULAS), uploads a barangay certificate of indigency as proof, sees the fee read Free (ULAS) if the lawyer approves, and is told Legal aid request approved, with the consultation confirmed.
How to ask for free legal aid
Look for the ULAS badge: it marks the lawyers and notaries who take legal aid requests, on the Partner Network and in the request window.
Find a lawyer or notary with the ULAS badge
In Request appointment, press Accepts ULAS to list only lawyers and notaries who take legal aid requests, or tick Only lawyers who accept ULAS when you ask for recommendations. You can also ask Lex.
Ask for free legal aid
On the Details step, tick Request free legal aid (ULAS), for a consultation or a notarization.
Upload your proof of indigency
At least one of a barangay certificate of indigency, a DSWD or LGU social welfare certificate, a payslip or proof of income, a 4Ps or government assistance ID, or another document. Your declaration of indigency is optional.
Hear back before the deadline
The lawyer or notary approves it as legal aid, which makes it free and confirms it at once, offers to see you for a fee instead, or declines. Nothing is charged unless you agree.
Send at least one of these
Each as a PDF, JPG, or PNG file of up to 10 MB. Your declaration of indigency is optional, as a PDF.
- Barangay certificate of indigency
- DSWD / LGU social welfare certificate
- Payslip / proof of income
- 4Ps or government assistance ID
- Other, with what the document is
Seen by few
Only you, the lawyer or notary you sent it to, and Twala’s administrators see your proof. Guests and other participants never do.
Deleted when it’s not needed
Your files are deleted at once if the request isn’t accepted, and 90 days after the appointment if it is.
No surprise charges
A fee offer is only an offer. Agree and continue, or cancel with nothing charged.
Give legal aid, and have every hour counted
Accredited lawyers and Electronic Notaries Public turn on Legal aid (ULAS) from the account menu. The hours you give are counted by month or year, ready for your compliance.
One switch to start
Turn on Accept legal aid (ULAS) requests and you get the ULAS badge, in the request window, on the Partner Network, and in recommendations.
Time per booking
Choose what each legal aid booking reserves of your hours, from 15 minutes to 8 hours.
An hours cap, if you want one
Set a monthly or yearly cap. It warns you when accepting would pass it, and never stops a client from asking.
Review proof, then decide
Open each file, then accept as legal aid, accept as paid with your reason, or decline.
Time spent, recorded
Record the time you spent when you complete a consultation or a legal aid notarization. Every change is kept.
Your hours at a glance
See what you’ve spent, what’s reserved, what’s upcoming, and your all-time total, with your ULAS compliance on file.
Frequently asked questions
What ULAS is, who can ask, what to upload, and what happens next. More in the user manual (opens in a new tab).
What is ULAS?
The Unified Legal Aid Service is the Supreme Court’s program asking lawyers to give free legal aid to people who can’t afford legal services. On Twala, a client asks a lawyer or notary who takes legal aid requests for a free consultation or notarization, and the hours they give are counted for them.
Who can ask for free legal aid?
Anyone with a Twala account and a current identity verification who can show proof of indigency. The lawyer or notary reviews your proof and decides.
What files can I upload?
Each proof can be a PDF, JPG, or PNG file of up to 10 MB, one file per row. The declaration of indigency must be a PDF of up to 10 MB. You don’t need to notarize the declaration first: it’s for the lawyer’s or notary’s review only.
Is a legal aid notarization completely free?
It has no notarial fee. Its one charge, the documentary stamp tax, is paid to the notary in cash.
What if my request isn’t approved as legal aid?
The lawyer or notary may offer to see you for a fee instead, with their reason. The time stays held for you until the deadline shown. Agree and continue, or cancel and nothing is charged. If you don’t answer, the offer expires.
Can I add a legal aid appointment myself? (lawyers and notaries)
Yes. In Add appointment, choose Legal aid (ULAS) as the consultation or notarization type. It counts toward your hours, and no proof is asked.
Twala is a technology provider and does not give legal advice. Notarial acts are performed by commissioned Electronic Notaries Public.
Find a lawyer or notary who accepts ULAS.
Create your free account, verify your identity, and look for the ULAS badge.