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 a myriad of 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.

Board of Directors

Paul Fling
Chair

Fox Rothschild LLP

Kiri Sommermeyer
Treasurer

University of Minnesota Law School

Karen Yashar Secretary

RBC Global Asset Management

Anne Haaland
Past Chair

Henson & Efron, P.A.

Joy Roepelle Anderson 

Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy

Matt Bazzano 

Wells Fargo 

Hon. Kristien Butler 

Office of Administrative Hearings 

Jon Bye 

Ballard Spahr LLP 

Mark Carter

Carter Legal Services, P.A. 

Amanda Decker Barnhouse

Maslon LLP 

Dan Dvorak 

Choice Bank

Dion Farganis 

Taft

Ayn Gates

General Mills

Autumn Gear 

Barnes & Thornburg LLP 

Ben Gissleman 

Gisselman Law Firm PLLC

Peter Goss

Pentair 

Cynthia Hegarty 

Winthrop & Weinstein, P.A. 

Christian Hokans

Fredrikson & Byron PA

Karl Johnson

MJB Law Firm, PLLC

Brock Huebner

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Ashlie Kennedy

10th Judicial District Administration – State of Minnesota

Allyson Kerr

Tuft Lach Jerabek O’Connell

Kevin Kitchen

Stinson LLP

Amanda Kruse

Lathrop GPM LLP

Ron Lundquist

Ron Lundquist, Attorney At Law

Roger Maldonado

Faegre, Drinker, Biddle & Reath

Kwame Ofaso-Addo

TruLegal.biz

Thomas Powell

Community Member

Dennis Ryan

Faegre, Drinker, Biddle & Reath

Raoul Shah

Robins Kaplan LLP

Michael Skoglund

Cargill, Inc.

Shawn Sorrell

Hennepin County

Mike Stinson 

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Peter Stiteler

Strategic Education

Tom Tinkham

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Wendy Willson Legge

Julian Zebot

Maslon LLP