About VLN

What We Do

Established in 1966, Volunteer Lawyers Network, Ltd. (VLN) is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides civil legal services to low-income Minnesotans through volunteer attorneys. VLN’s mission is to protect and promote the basic human needs of people in poverty through the power of legal volunteers. 

VLN Makes Pro Bono Happen

VLN promotes access to justice by offering free legal advice, representation, education, and referrals to Minnesotans experiencing poverty. Our hundreds of trained volunteers work with thousands of clients each year, helping them navigate a complex legal system to protect their rights, their families, and their hard-earned income. As a result of our work, tenants avoid homelessness; families are reunited, and people can find better employment. We partner with myriad local and national organizations dedicated to fighting poverty and protecting the rights of marginalized people, including immigrants, refugees, the LGBTQ+ community, people experiencing homelessness, the working poor, tenants, single parents, and more.

Potential clients connect with VLN through various channels, including calling our intake line, filling out our online intake form, or participating in one of our community legal clinics. Our dedicated staff evaluates each potential client’s case, income, assets, and household size to determine the level of service, if any, that we can offer. Depending on their legal issue and income, qualifying clients are matched with an attorney who can provide advice, answer questions, fill out paperwork, make phone calls or write letters on their behalf, help them prepare for trial, represent them in court, and provide other services. 

Volunteers start working with VLN either through their employer’s pro bono coordinator or directly. Volunteer opportunities include meeting clients during a regular clinic shift, offering phone advice, taking on full representation cases, or providing mentorship to fellow volunteers, among other specialized opportunities. Volunteers receive free trainings in substantive legal topics and soft skills such as working with clients experiencing poverty. Volunteers also receive free professional liability insurance coverage for VLN cases, CLE credits for pro bono work, invitations to social events, waived license fees for retired attorneys, and many more benefits.

Annual Reports

You can view our most recent annual report below. For previous annual reports, please email the Development and Events Manager.

Board of Directors

Anne Haaland
Chair

Henson & Efron, P.A. 

Jade Johnson
Vice-chair/Treasurer 

Gapen, Johnson, & Larson LLC

Mardell Pressler
Secretary 

Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney 

Esther Agbaje 

Public Health Law Center 

Joy Roepelle Anderson 

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

Amanda Decker Barnhouse

Thomson Reuters 

Matt Bazzano 

Wells Fargo 

Hon. Kristien Butler 

Office of Administrative Hearings 

Jon Bye 

Ballard Spahr LLP 

Mark Carter

Carter Legal Services, P.A. 

Dan Dvorak 

Huntington National Bank

Paul Fling

Fox Rothschild LLP

Autumn Gear 

Barnes & Thornburg LLP 

Peter Goss

Pentair 

Lindsey Hanson 

Robins Kaplan LLP 

Hon. JaPaul Harris 

2nd Judicial District

Cynthia Hegarty 

Winthrop & Weinstein, P.A. 

Karl Johnson

Taft, Stenninius & Holster, LLP

Ron Lundquist 

Roger Maldonado 

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (Ret.)

Kwame Osafo-Addo 

Kwame’s Law Firm 

Thomas Powell

Mardell Pressler

Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney 

Norm Pentelovitch

3M Legal Affairs 

Dennis Ryan

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP (Ret.)

Hon. Christian Sande

4th Judicial District

Michael L. Skoglund

Cargill, Incorporated

Shawn Sorrell

Hennepin County MN

Kiri Somermeyer

University of Minnesota Law School

Mike Stinson 

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Peter Stiteler

Strategic Education

Tom Tinkham

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Jake Vandelist 

Target Corp 

Karen Yashar

RBC Global Asset Management

Julian Zebot

Maslon LLP

Alysia Zens

Dorsey & Whitney LLP