Experience required? Yes. 2+ years general civil legal experience required.
Location: Hennepin County Government Center, 300 South Sixth Street, downtown Minneapolis. The clinic is located inside the Fourth Judicial District’s Self-Help Center.
Description: In person only. Assist clients on a wide range of civil legal issues, such as credit card debt lawsuits, car accidents, landlord-tenant disputes, unpaid wage claims against former employers, and other civil legal issues that commonly impact low-income individuals. Volunteer attorneys typically meet with up to six clients during the course of a two-hour volunteer shift. Clients often need assistance completing simple court forms provided to them by the court’s Self-Help Center staff for pro se use. VLN staff or other non-attorney volunteers are also onsite at the LAP Clinic to serve as “clinic assistants” who support the pro bono work of volunteer attorneys.
Phone Advice – General Civil and Conciliation Court
Time Commitment: 1-2 hour shift
Level of Service: Advice only
Experience required? No.
Description: Provide phone advice on either conciliation court issues OR general civil issues during the phone advice shift. Conciliation court and civil advice phone advice clinics are separate clinics. Volunteers receive a brief summary of the clients’ legal questions prior to the shift.
VLN Core Training: Conciliation Court Basics
Date: April 28, 2025
Presented by: Sebastian Ellefson, Program Manager and Resource Attorney for VLN’s Civil and Administrative Law Program.
Length: 1 hour for 1 standard CLE credit (on-demand)
Description: This presentation will give you the knowledge to give advice to and represent clients in conciliation court. Topics include differences between conciliation court and district court, basic questions for all clients, and some example scenarios. Come learn how to navigate this unique venue within our court system.
