https://www.aclu-wi.org/

• Description: We are seeking law student observers to serve a critical role on Election Day by providing mobile poll monitoring during elections, helping to respond to and address issues reported by Election Observers and to the Election Protection Hotline. You will receive training on Election Protection, voting rights, and democracy. The organization will assist with mileage reimbursement, and you will receive CLE credit for participating.
• Schedule: Select hours between 7 a.m.-8 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3
• Location: Throughout the state - mostly close to where you are located
• Transportation: A vehicle is required, and mileage will be compensated
• Approximate hours of work requested: At least three hours is preferable
• Training (one mandatory training of the following):

EP Volunteer Lawyer/Law Student Training

• Sunday, October 18, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
• Sunday, October 25, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
• Wednesday, October 28, 12:00 – 2:00 pm
• Desired course or clinic experience: All levels of legal study (1L-3L) are eligible
• To participate: Sign up here

https://canopycenter.org/what-we-do/casa/casa.html
2445 Darwin Rd. Suite 15
Madison, WI 53704
608-729-1136

• Description: Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers are appointed by judges to advocate for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Their best-interest advocacy helps ensure children are safe and have the opportunity to thrive. Volunteers are supported by CASA staff and meet with children weekly. They also work with legal and child welfare professionals, educators and service providers to ensure that judges have all the information they need
• Approximate hours of work requested: Approximately 3 hours per week. Students must plan to participate for one full year.
• Schedule: Once training is completed, the time commitment will consist of weekly visits with the family each volunteer is assigned to, travel time to and from those visits, and time spent documenting observations and writing reports. The timing of visits is dependent on the family's schedule. Most volunteers visit weekday afternoons and evenings, some do weekend or daytime visits. Volunteers can attend hearings, team meetings, and IEPs, which are conducted during regular business hours.
• Training: A mandatory 30-hour training will be provided on the Dane County legal system, cultural competency, domestic violence, and other issues facing families. Students will also be trained to write reports to the court based on observations.
• Location: At various locations throughout Dane County such as the family's home or the child's school. Additional work will be performed at the CASA office (address above) and the Dane County Courthouse.
• Transportation: Visits can happen on the bus line, but a personal vehicle would be helpful.
• Desired course or clinic experience: All levels (1L-3L) welcome.
• To participate: Complete an online application (https://wi-dane.evintosolutions.com/VolunteerApplication) and then contact Dane County CASA Program Director Cheri Dvorak (cherid@casadanecolumbia.org) to let her know that you're a volunteer law student and that you've submitted an application for the program.

Legal Resource Navigator
Ag Hall
1450 Linden Drive, Suite 1
Madison, WI 53706

• Description: Law students receive referrals to help patients with health-harming legal needs. Patients receive preventative legal information and guidance as they navigate legal issues.
• Approximate hours of work requested: 2-4 hours per week
• Location: Agriculture Hall (Suite 1, On Campus)
• Training: Required to attend selected training sessions necessary for competency, become a UW Health Volunteer and Pro Bono ethics training. 
• Desired course or clinic experience: Preference will be given to students who have client-services experience. Fluency in Spanish or other languages a significant plus, as well as experience working with people with disabilities. Open to 1Ls, 2Ls, and 3Ls. 
• To participate: Contact Curran Cauldwood (cauldwood@wisc.edu) to express your interest.

cilcmadison.org
Christ Presbyterian Church
944 E. Gorham St.
Madison, WI 53703
608-640-4447

• Description: CILC conducts in person consultations with the immigrant community to provide immigration legal information and advice on their options. Volunteers will be trained to work with participants to complete CILC's intake tool and collect information about the participant's case. The intake tool is then reviewed by one of our volunteer immigration attorneys or a CILC attorney who provides legal advice to the participant.
• Schedule: 2nd and 4th Friday of the month
• Location: Christ Presbyterian Church (address above)
• Approximate hours of work requested: 9am-12pm (morning shift - bilingual Spanish-English speakers only); 1pm-5pm (all volunteers welcome whether they speak Spanish or not)
• Transportation: Accessible by foot or bus
• Training: Volunteers must watch a 1-hour webinar training how to complete the CILC intake tool.
• To Participate: Complete this Google Form.

communityjusticeinc.org
214 N. Hamilton St. #101
Madison, WI 53713
608-442-3003 

• Description: Community Justice's mission is to serve low- and moderate-income families and individuals in need of legal service through direct legal services, community awareness, educational programming. Law students will help increase access to the legal system for low-income and under-represented individuals by helping to provide direct legal services, community awareness educational programming and policy development advisory work. They will do this by doing intakes, assisting attorneys to prepare documents, doing research and more.
• Schedule: Volunteer shifts are usually 9:00am-1:00pm and 1:00pm-5:00pm. Hours are flexible based on student availability.
• Location: Community Justice (address above) but some off-site work may be possible.
• Approximate hours of work requested: One 4-hour shift per week, though CJI is flexible.
• Training: CJI will individually train all volunteer law students. Training is provided in intake procedure, general office procedures and protocol, including the preparation of documents. Written training materials are provided for reference in all matters volunteers work on, including detailed phone scripts to ensure conflict checks and eligibility checks are properly completed.
• Transportation: Accessible by foot (20-30 minutes) or bus (16-20 minutes) from the Law School.
• Desired course or clinic experience: All levels (1L-3L) welcome. Students who have an interest in or have taken classes on family law and who have an interest in assisting people of very limited economic resources will help.
• To participate: Contact Executive Director Mara Bridgman (marab@communityjusticeinc.org) to express your interest.

Dane County Bar Association Legal Clinics 
Dane County Courthouse (or Virtual) 
215 S. Hamilton Street 
Madison, WI 53706 

The Dane County Bar Association offers several programs which provide community members with legal information, free of charge. The programs are staffed by volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and law students.

1. Family Law Assistance Center

   • Description: The Family Law Assistance Center operates in person on Wednesdays at the Dane County Courthouse. Volunteer law students work with volunteer attorneys to assist unrepresented individuals with family court forms.
   • Schedule: 11:30am-2pm on Wednesdays, Spanish speaking services offered every first and third Wednesday of the month.
   • Location: Dane County Courthouse (address above)
   • Approximate hours of work requested: No specific hours required; attendance is not mandatory for each Wednesday.
   • Training: Students must shadow with existing volunteers prior to attending on their own. Students must also sign a confidentiality agreement.
   • Desired course or clinic experience: All grade levels (1L-3L) are welcome, and no prior experience is necessary.
   • To participate: Interested students should contact Jennifer Binkley (jenniferb@communityjusticeinc.org).

2. The Estate Planning Clinic

   • Description: Volunteers assist low-income individuals prepare basic estate planning documents.
   • Schedule: 8:00 am-12pm on several Saturdays throughout the year.
   • Location: South Madison College campuses in Madison
   • Approximate hours of work requested: approximately 10 hours per semester.
   • Training: Students view a 60-minute training video about the program prior to attendance. Students must also sign a confidentiality agreement.
   • Desired course or clinic experience: All grade levels (1L-3L) are welcome, and no prior experience is necessary.
   • To participate: Interested students should contact Jennifer Binkley (jenniferb@communityjusticeinc.org).

3. The Veteran’s Law Center (VLC) 

   • Description: VLC operates virtually and in person. Volunteers give information on court procedures, refer clients to community resources, provide legal advice and assistance, and help complete forms and provide filing instructions alongside a volunteer attorney.
   • Location: Virtually or at the Dane County Courthouse (address above)
   • Approximate hours of work requested: approximately 10-20 hours per semester.
   • Training: Students complete a 1-hour mandatory training session on clinic procedures, professional responsibility, ethics, and a general overview of VLC.  Students must also sign a confidentiality agreement.
   • Desired course or clinic experience: All grade levels (1L-3L) are welcome, and no prior experience is necessary.
   • To participate: Interested students should contact Jennifer Binkley (jenniferb@communityjusticeinc.org).

• Description: This is a remote pro bono opportunity which involves performing research to assist attorneys in answering citizen questions posted to the Free Legal Answers website, hosted by the American Bar Association.
• Schedule and Approximate hours of work requested: Students sign up for a limited number of weeks to be “on call.” During those “on call” weeks (typically 2-4 per semester), you may be assigned a question by a volunteer attorney. The volunteer attorney assigns the question between Monday and Wednesday during your “on call” week; your draft answer is due back to the volunteer attorney within 48 hours. This is intentional, to mimic real-world practice where clients expect a timely response. The volunteer attorney reviews your draft, makes any changes necessary, and submits it back to the client through Free Legal Answers. The attorney shares their final response with you and gives feedback on the draft. We are using the phrase “on call” and that you “may” be assigned a question because of the nature of the Free Legal Answers site. There may be weeks where there are no questions available or appropriate for a student to draft. That is why we encourage students to sign up for several weeks, so that there is a greater likelihood that they will receive a question.
• Location: Virtual
• Desired course or clinic experience: All levels (1L-3L) welcome.
• To participate: Click here to sign up for your "on call" weeks. Email lslaker@wisc.edu for more information.

744 Williamson Street, Suite 200
Madison, WI 53703
855-947-2529

1. Pro Bono Debtor Rights Program

   • Description: UW Law and Legal Action have teamed up to counsel low-income individuals about bankruptcy and other tools to address creditor harassment.  Student volunteers assist volunteer attorneys with telephone counseling sessions and client follow-up.  
   • Approximate hours of work requested: Friday mornings from 10am-12pm
   • Location: Remote. Though students who are present in Madison can also volunteer to work with Legal Action staff to help prepare bankruptcy petitions. 
   • Commitment: Students are asked to commit to at least one 2-hour volunteer session during the semester, but students can also volunteer more frequently.     
   • Training: New volunteers are required to attend a 90-minute training.
   • Desired course or clinic experience: All grade levels (1L-3L) are welcome. At this time, this opportunity is only open to students enrolled at the Law School.
   • To participate: This opportunity has reached capacity for Fall 2026. Please email Megan McDermott (megan.mcdermott@wisc.edu) if you would like to be included in Spring 2027 events!  

2. Background Check Clinics

   • Description: Assist Legal Action of Wisconsin at in-person and virtual background check clinics where we go through a client's background check to identity any arrest cycles that can be corrected, expunged, or pardoned. Law students work in teams with pro bono attorneys to go through documents, look things up on WCCA/CCAP, and take notes on advice given.
   • Training: Recorded trainings provided; must be completed before volunteering.
   • Approximate hours of work requested: Wednesdays from 3-6pm, Wednesdays from 1-4pm, Thursdays from 12-3pm, or Tuesdays from 12-3pm
   • Location: In person in Madison at 1233 McKenna Blvd, or remote.
   • To participate: Click the links below to sign up
   • Urban League Clinics (In Person in Madison)
   • Student Legal Aid Clinics (Virtual)

https://wisconsinuac.blogspot.com/ 
Madison Labor Temple  
1602 South Park Street 
Madison, WI 53715 

• Description: The Unemployment Compensation Appeals Clinic is a pro bono clinic providing resources to those who have been denied unemployment insurance by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. Students, including first semester 1Ls, can represent UI claimants in their appeal hearings in front of Administrative Law Judges. Students gain substantive and procedural knowledge of Wisconsin unemployment law, as well as hone skills of direct and cross examination, submitting evidence, and client management. If you're interested in public interest, trial advocacy, or labor and employment law, this is a great opportunity to gain experience and showcase a proficiency in those fields. Students work under local volunteer attorneys, creating relationships and mentorship connections. Participants in this pro bono clinic make a material difference in claimants' lives.
• Dates: every Monday from 7:00-9:00pm
• Location: Madison Labor Temple (1602 S. Park St. Madison, WI 53715) or remote. The Labor Temple is directly on several bus routes and has lots of parking.
• Training: Fall semester trainings will be held at the law school on September 23rd and September 29th from 12-1pm . If you're interested in volunteering but cannot make either training, contact the Student Manager (uwunemploymentappealsclinic@gmail.com) to discuss options.
• Desired course or clinic experience: None—all years are encouraged to participate.​
• How to Participate: If you're interested and would like more information or have any questions contact Trinity Giese (trgiese@wisc.edu) or uwunemploymentappealsclinic@gmail.com.

https://txilc.org/

• Description: Student volunteers will observe first master calendar hearings where immigrant respondents hear the charges against them. Students are eyes and ears at these court hearings in remote areas and providing transparency. STudents take notes about what happens during the proceedings. Student notes are shared with volunteer attorneys who can better prepare their clients for what to expect with certain judges.
• Schedule: Shifts are available Monday - Thursday, in the morning or afternoon. (8:30am-12pm or 1-4pm)
• Location: Remote
• Approximate hours of work requested: You must commit to at least 2 shifts per semester, but are free to do more. Hours vary between 1-4 hours
• Training: A 90-minute online training is required. Materials and training provided. Contact Lindsay Slaker (lslaker@wisc.edu) for training materials and to be connected with the project supervisor.
• Desired course or clinic experience: None, all levels (1L-3L) welcome.
• To Participate: Contact Lindsay Slaker (lslaker@wisc.edu) for training materials and to be connected with the project supervisor.

https://win.wisc.edu/organization/batlaw
Richard Dilley Tax Center
2238 S. Park St. 
Madison, WI 53713 

• Description: The mission of the VITA program is to provide free tax preparation to low- and moderate-income individuals and families. Students will completely prepare and file the tax return of each client with the assistance of senior volunteers. Students may also be asked to do various clerical activities (filing signed papers, etc.). Additionally, students will learn about tax issues and answer client questions regarding various tax issues.
• Schedule: Late January through mid-April every year, from 1-5pm on Mondays and Fridays and 9am-3pm on Saturdays.
• Approximate hours of work requested: 25-30 hours total from January through April. Students typically work one shift a week (Mondays or Fridays for the full shift time or a half-day shift on Saturday), or a full Saturday every other week. Scheduling can be flexible to suit the student's schedule and other commitments.
• Training: Students take an online certification test and then an in-person training at the VITA site at the start of the spring semester.
• Training Location: At the VITA site (address above)
• Transportation: Accessible by bus, carpools can be arranged
• Desired course or clinic experience: All levels (1L-3L) welcome. No prior tax experience necessary. This program emphasizes collaboration and ongoing learning. Every tax return will be reviewed by a senior volunteer.
• To participate: Please contact Eva Tersteeg (etersteeg@wisc.edu) or Liam Clarke (ltclarke@wisc.edu). Look for announcements in the SBA Newsletter during the late Fall Semester.

State Bar of Wisconsin
wisbar.org/forPublic/INeedaLawyer/Pages/Wills-for-Heroes.aspx
P.O. Box 7158
Madison, WI 53707 

• Description: At scheduled clinic events, volunteer lawyers and students prepare wills and other estate planning documents free of charge for eligible first responders and their spouses or domestic partners. Wills for Heroes in Wisconsin is sponsored by the State Bar of Wisconsin's Pro Bono Program, with the generous support of Foley and Lardner LLP, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, LexisNexis and the State Bar Young Lawyers Division.
• Approximate hours of work requested: Attend morning and/or afternoon shifts at clinics.  Shifts are 3 hours or 6 hours, with lunch provided.
• Event operation: The clinics are broken into morning and afternoon sessions, each lasting 3 hours, with each attorney volunteer seeing one first responder per hour. First responders complete an estate planning questionnaire and watch an estate planning video prior to their appointment with the attorney volunteer. The attorney volunteers use customized software to create each first responder's estate plan. At subsequent stations, the estate planning documents are witnessed and notarized.
• Training: Complete the online ethics course prior to volunteering at a clinic, and watch the 1 hour training video on the State Bar website prior to volunteering as a student attorney. Law students will receive one-on-one supervision from an estate planning specialist until comfortable with the process, and all estate plans are reviewed by an attorney prior to document execution be paired with volunteer attorneys for training. Law students may also attend a clinic to observe prior to volunteering.
• Location: The in-person clinics rotate locations at various police departments and fire departments in the Madison area. To view upcoming clinic dates and locations, visit eventbrite.com/o/wisconsin-wills-for-heroes-384683063.  Clinics are often added with more frequency in the winter time.
• Desired course or clinic experience: No estate planning experience required, but 2s and 3Ls who have successfully completed Trusts and Estates are preferred.
• To participate: Contact Attorney Kass Longie (KLongie@foley.com) to express your interest. Please do NOT register for a clinic before contacting Attorney Longie.