Values, Vision, and Mission Statements

Values Vision and Mission Statements

MISSION:  Legal Action of Wisconsin’s mission is to deliver exceptional civil legal services and structural change advocacy, free of cost, to those most in need.

VALUES:

Equity

We aim to identify and eliminate barriers that prevent the full success or participation of some groups. This includes recognizing and working to dismantle systems of oppression which cause inequity, like racism, sexism, classism, ableism, ageism, and homophobia. We believe in allocating resources and opportunities as needed to reach meaningful outcomes as identified by the community.

Advocacy

We are not silent about hard things. We are a legal voice in the courts, on the news, and in the legislature, and in the community for people who face barriers to justice due to marginalization. We commit to impact litigation and legal work to address systemic issues that affect more than one person at a time. We are champions for each other in the workplace and beyond. Ours is a culture of advocacy.

Client-Centered

We work tirelessly with and for our clients. We approach our clients with empathy, respect, and trust, and put them first. We understand their challenges, needs, and interconnected and complex legal problems. We make decisions and set priorities based on our clients’ stated needs. We are their firm, on their side, in their corner.

Integrity

We honor our commitments and are accountable for our actions, successes, and failures. We commit to doing what is right over what is popular, quick, or easy. We strive to practice our values rather than simply profess them, and we take accountability and work toward reconciliation and improvement when mistakes are made. We are not silent about difficult issues, and we take a stand against injustice.

Community

We are bridgebuilders. We expect our staff to engage the community. We combine efforts with a broad range of partners from referral agencies to volunteer advocates and public figures to best serve our clients. We take cues from other organizations and people with experience and a commitment to historically excluded communities. Our services offer positive and measurable change to the communities we serve.

VISION STATEMENT: Legal Action of Wisconsin envisions:

• An equitable world without homelessness, poverty, and marginalization.
• A world where every person can fairly engage with the legal system.
• A legal system where it is not possible to predict the outcome of a legal problem based on a person’s identity or background
• An equitable system that is unshakable and sustainable.
• A world where Legal Action of Wisconsin is no longer necessary in its current form.