About the Clinic

Information for Students

What do NLC Students do?

NLC students maintain regular weekly office hours at the Park Street office located at the Villager Mall (frequent bus service and ample parking make this easy). Examples of cases and projects include: 

• Rental Housing 
  • Representing a lessor who is facing eviction or was illegally evicted, whose security deposit has been unlawfully retained, or who has had other housing rights violated;
  • Educating the community and community advocates about various aspects of rental housing law.
• Workers' Rights
  • Assisting a worker with filing a complaint of discrimination;
  • Representing a worker seeking unpaid wages.
• New in 2024: Property tax forelcosure prevention.
  • Studies have found that Black and Latiné homeowners face a 10-13% higher tax burden than white homeowners. As a result, these homeowners must pay an average of $300 to $400 more per year in property taxes for the same public services. As such, property tax assessments and property tax foreclosures are important contributors to America’s racial wealth gap.
  • The NLC’s property tax work is a collaborative effort with the Milwaukee nonprofit Community Advocates and the Coalition for Property Justice, to help low-income families keep their homes. Clinical law students will offer representation services to clients in property tax assessment appeals in Milwaukee (virtually or in-person) and may also assist in researching, drafting, and presenting legal materials in these areas. Students may also have opportunities to engage in community-based education in Milwaukee and collaborate with advocates at our partnering organizations. You can read more about Property Tax Foreclosure work at : The Coalition for Property Tax Justice

Classroom Component

In addition to weekly office hours on Park Street, NLC students participate in a weekly seminar. The seminar includes materials on:

1. The substantive topics students will encounter in their client work.
2. Simulations and exercises in the various lawyering skills used.
3. Theories of community lawyering, and the role of lawyers in various movements for social and economic justice.

Students also conduct structured "case rounds,"  in which they brief each other about their client work and brainstorm new approaches to client issues and projects.  

If you are interested in further information about the NLC, please contact NLC Director Mitch at mitch@wisc.edu and/or Clinical Fellow Tessa Henson at tmhenson@wisc.edu.

Information for the Public

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