Pro Bono Opportunities

MVLC Seeking Student Advisory Board Members for 2024-25

Join the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics in a leadership role.

Each year, the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics (MVLC) recruit a select number of law students to fill positions on the Student Advisory Board (SAB). The SAB commitment is intended to be for the remainder of the law school experience. Generally, two SAB members are scheduled at each clinic and the time counts as pro bono hours. The SAB role is largely an administrative role with the clinic, and most SAB time is spent helping to facilitate the legal clinics. 

Additional details regarding this leadership opportunity can be found in the Position Description and the MVLC Student Advisory Board Application. Applications are due by March 20, 2024.

Please email Katie Mertz with questions. 

Contact: Katie Mertz

Congratulations February Pro Bono Honor Society Inductees

In February, the following students surpassed a total of 50 or 120* pro bono hours of service during their law school careers:

  • Allison Childs*
  • Jacob Dalton
  • Mitchell Etheridge
  • Joshua Fleming
  • Herbert Humke
  • Jori LaRosa
  • Caitlin Riordan
  • Mia Stevenson
  • Mark Tomlinson

Congratulations and thank you for your important contributions. These students will be inducted into the Marquette Law School Pro Bono Society in April 2024 and will graduate wearing an honor cord for service. See the full list of current students who are members of the Marquette law School Pro Bono Society and who are slated for induction this spring here.

Do you need to make your plan to graduate wearing an honor cord for pro bono service? Contact any member of the Office of Public Service.

Contact: Angela Schultz

Deadline to Submit Pro Bono Hours

To be included in the 2024 Pro Bono Society Induction, the deadline to submit all hours, or a plan to complete all hours before the end of the semester, is Thursday, April 18.

  • If you will have recorded enough pro bono hours in your account by Thursday, April 18, you will be included in the Pro Bono Honor Society Induction event.
  • If you will not have completed all hours by Thursday, April 18, but will complete them (i.e., you are scheduled for shifts) by the end of the semester (May 17), please complete this form by April 18 to share your plan with Dean Schultz.

Do you need more hours to reach your goal? Reach out to Dean Schultz to make a plan or sign-up for open pro bono shifts in the "Open Sign-Ups” tab of your pro bono account. Students who reach 50+ and 120+ hours are inducted into the Pro Bono Honor Society and wear an honor cord for service at graduation.

 

Contact: Angela Schultz

Volunteers Needed: Estate Planning Clinic

We need seven more law student volunteers for the estate planning clinic on Friday, April 12, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. at the Sherman Park Community Center. The Mobile Legal Clinic will provide transportation to interested students.

We need three more law student volunteers for the estate planning clinic on Tuesday, April 1,6 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Veterans Service Office. The Mobile Legal Clinic will provide transportation to interested students.

Please let katie.mertz@marquette.edu know if you are able to help staff these clinics!

Contact: Katie Mertz

MVLC CLE: Working Efficiently with Court Interpreters

Wednesday, March 27, 2024 - 12:00pm Zoom

Working Efficiently with Court Interpreters
Presented by Alexandra Wirth, Wisconsin Court Interpreter Program Manager

Register to attend here.

Alexandra Wirth is the Wisconsin Court Interpreter Program Manager. Before joining the Office of Court Operations, Alexandra was a Spanish interpreter for 20 years. Alexandra is certified at both the state and federal levels. Alexandra holds an MA in Applied Linguistics from the Universidad Católica in Ecuador, a Certificate in Sociolinguistics from Kings College, England, and a BA in Mass Communications and Journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. Alexandra began her career as a linguist for a petroleum corporation in the Ecuadorian rainforest. She was the liaison between several companies and their workers who spoke three languages. In the legal arena, Alexandra has interpreted thousands of hours in civil and criminal cases. In addition to court interpreting, Alexandra has interpreted at political debates for Gov. Scott Walker, Gov. Tony Evers, Senator Tammy Baldwin, and Senator Ron Johnson. In her free time, Alexandra enjoys traveling and playing tennis.

Students can earn one hour of pro bono time by attending the MVLC Volunteer CLE Series. This free CLE series provides volunteers with in-depth information on some of the most commonly seen issues at the Clinics. These sessions are a great way to enhance your knowledge of the legal issues faced by clients of the MVLC while earning additional pro bono hours. 

Contact: Katie Mertz