Criminal Expungement Volunteering

About Volunteering

Volunteer Opportunities with the Criminal Expungement Program include: 

Phone Advice

• Time Commitment: 1 hour shift
• Service Level: Advice only
• Experience Required? No.
• Description: Volunteer attorneys are scheduled to call up to three clients and give basic advice on expungements and conduct initial screening for eligibility to petition for expungement.

Walk-in Clinic (in person only)

• Time Commitment: 2-4 hour shift
• Service Level: Limited Service
• Experience Required? No.
• Description: Volunteer attorneys staff legal clinics with VLN’s Criminal Expungement Resource Attorney and others. Clients may be given education about the expungement process, assistance filing out expungement paperwork, and/or individual advice about their situation. 

Full or Extended Representation

• Time Commitment: 10+ hours
• Service Level: Full or extended representation
• Experience Required? No.
• Description: Volunteer attorneys draft the expungement petition and other documents, file and serve the petition and other documents, and represent the client at the expungement hearing. (Many jurisdictions in Minnesota are handling their expungement calendars remotely by Zoom at this time.)