A Closer Look at the Services Offered by Marquette Legal Clinic
The Marquette Legal Clinic is dedicated to providing a range of legal services with an aim to assist those who need it the most. Situated mainly in Milwaukee County, its mission is to "provide effective, high quality legal services through the hands of law students under faculty supervision, and in doing so … teach practical lawyering skills, law office management and professionalism." The government of the United States has provided the clinic with a federal grant, and as such, it has specific mission guidelines to follow.
In general, patients can use their services if they are at 200% of the federal poverty level. The clinic maintains that it does not discriminate on the basis of age, religion, national origin, disability, gender or sexual orientation. As such, people from a wide range of backgrounds can benefit from the services provided by the Marquette Legal Clinic.
For years, the Marquette Legal Clinic has expanded its services in Milwaukee County. Since 1979, the clinic has grown from providing two services (bankruptcy and real estate law) to offering access to 12 services spanning four locations in the area . It is the desire of the Marquette Legal Clinic to grow to 15 legal services and five service sites in the future. They currently have attorneys operating at the Marquette University Law School (at Parkside Plaza), the Milwaukee County Courthouse, and the Waukesha County Courthouse. Most recently, their offices opened at the Federal Building.
The services offered at the Marquette Legal Clinic include Bankruptcy, Consumer, Family, Legal Assistance for the Elderly, Mediation, Mediation-Adult Guardianship, Mediation-Civil, Powers of Attorney and Health Care, Small Claims, Tax, Trusts and Estates, Volunteer Legal Clinic, and Wills Clinic. Some of these services are offered in partnership with the Milwaukee and Waukesha County Volunteer Legal Services programs. These programs are active in their communities and are committed to supporting and facilitating the voluntary pro bono service by lawyers in the area. Volunteers come from local businesses as well as the Milwaukee Bar Association and others.
Connecting with Marquette Legal Clinic by Phone
Our Marquette Legal Clinic is located on the fifth floor at 1103 West Wells Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The best way to contact us is via telephone, and a list of our main numbers can be located below. During work hours attorneys are on site, as well as our paralegals who can help people who walk in with questions about legal assistance. People can also call to request an appointment with an attorney if they have a scheduled appointment, or simply have a question. We do not allow our staff to give out personal cell phone numbers or direct office phone numbers for individual attorneys.
Hours of Operation and Appointment Availability for Marquette Legal Clinic
The Marquette University Law School’s Legal Clinic offers services to low-income residents of Milwaukee County, with certain areas of practice requiring that clients reside in the neighborhoods adjacent to the law school. Operating hours for the legal clinic are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. However, the clinic staff is available to assist clients by phone during regular business hours and staff members are available to meet with clients by appointment. New client appointments are typically scheduled within two weeks from the initial phone call, depending on availability. Appointments are offered on a first-come, first-served basis to all potential clients and scheduling is entirely dependent on current caseloads. It is advisable for potential clients to call as soon as possible to schedule an appointment. Providing a valid telephone number is vital as this is the primary means of communication between clinic staff and applicants. All calls are returned within three business days. If the clinic staff cannot return a call, a voicemail will be left with information about applying for an appointment online at a later date.
An in-person meeting is required for all initial consultations. Applicants should plan to bring their fully completed application package and any relevant documents with them to the meeting. Certain rules and procedures apply to the use of clinic services and applications, including the following: If you need a ride to the clinic or assistance completing the intake forms, try contacting Catholic Charities (414-643-8576), who may be able to help.
Common Queries and Responses
When will my question be answered after I contact Marquette Legal Clinic? Marquette Legal Clinic’s attorneys respond to inquiries as quickly as possible, typically within one to two business days. Can I contact you about my ex-spouse’s problem? Marquette Legal Clinic can only give legal advice regarding the person making the inquiry. Please inform them that you are calling about someone else, not yourself, so that Marquette Legal Clinic can try to direct you to a referral source. My spouse is my landlord. Can I call and discuss eviction procedures? Marquette Legal Clinic cannot assist you either as a tenant or a landlord. However , they recommend contacting your local housing authority. Marquette Legal Clinic is super busy. What should a client do if they have not heard from an attorney? Marquette Legal Clinic’s attorneys do their best to return all client inquiries, but it is not always possible to get back to every client. If a client has not heard back from their attorney, they should call Marquette Legal Clinic at 414-288-4888 for assistance. Do you have a telephone number? Yes. Marquette Legal Clinic’s phone number is 414-288-4888.
Further Resources and Assistance
Marquette Legal Clinic and its affiliated organizations provide additional resources and support for legal needs. Together, these collaborative efforts within the Milwaukee community extend access to justice initiatives and help low-income individuals navigate the legal system.
The Joseph and Vera Longo Legal Clinic and Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic are two initiatives affiliated with the Marquette Legal Clinic that provide free legal services in the area.
The Joseph and Vera Longo Legal Clinic, which is a collaboration of the Marquette University Law School and the Salvation Army of Milwaukee County, opened in June of 2013 and serves limited income families and individuals living in the central Milwaukee neighborhood of the United Community Center.
The clinic focuses on family law issues , including divorce and alternate dispute resolution; consumer matters such as debt collection defense; landlord/tenant disputes; immigration matters such as applications for legal permanent residency and citizenship; expungement of criminal records; general civil practice; and wills and estate planning.
The Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic conducts weekly legal settlement clinics at various Milwaukee locations. The clinic provides basic brief advice and consultation to all individuals who have matters within its practice areas and provides limited scope representation, within specific parameters set for each day.
All services are provided by volunteer attorneys and student-attorneys, supervised by clinical staff.