Volunteer Opportunities
Please complete this Volunteer Form to receive volunteer opportunities and update your pro bono preferences. Here are some of our volunteer opportunities:
Eviction Defense Project (EDP)
This Milwaukee County and Dane County project secures representation for tenants in court facing eviction. Volunteer Lawyers provide the following services including, but not limited to: advising tenants on eviction-related issues, negotiating with opposing parties in working out settlement agreements, representing tenants in Small Claims Court in front of a commissioner and/or a judge. The project offers two types of representation opportunities for Volunteer Lawyers:
§ Brief services - representation on first court hearing in front of a commissioner); and
§ “Lawyer for a Day” - representation at trial or other contested motion hearing.
Student Legal Aid Clinics
Provide legal aid to low-income students attending Milwaukee Area Technical College and Madison College and other technical colleges throughout the state. The project offers pro bono opportunities to improve the education and employment outcomes of these students by resolving or mitigating civil legal problems that prevent them from getting a degree, using their degree, or achieving the highest level of occupational credentialing and licensing. This project offers regular clinic hours focusing on:
§ Expungement: Record and Conviction
§ Driver’s License Recovery
§ Bankruptcy
Expungement Clinics
This project pairs volunteer lawyers with clients who need help cleaning up their criminal records, to improve access to housing, employment, professional licensing, and community resources. Criminal records often contain inaccurate or misleading information, as well as expungement-eligible or pardon-eligible offenses. Volunteer lawyers assess these records and provide the client with advice on their options for relief, including expungement and pardon petitions.
Domestic Abuse Injunction (DAI) Project
This project is a limited scope opportunity to represent domestic violence survivors and help them achieve protection. Appear before the Family Court Commissioners in Milwaukee County for the initial hearing for the Domestic Abuse Injunction. All clients are referred from Sojourner Family Peace Center and the UMOS Latina Resource Center.
Bankruptcy and Consumer Rights Clinic
Volunteers for this clinic meet with low-income clients virtually or by phone to evaluate their cases for merit and provide brief services regarding unresolved debt issues, credit harassment, and filing for bankruptcy. Students from UW and Marquette Law Schools work with the attorneys during this clinic and provide follow up assistance to clients.