Full Representation – Adoptions, Custody or Dissolution
Time Commitment: 10-50+ hours, depending on the case
Level of Service: Extended/full representation
Experience required? Experience is required for most cases. Entry-level cases are also available.
Description: Represent pre-screened clients in an adoption, custody or dissolution case.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS)
Time Commitment: 10+ hours
Level of Service: Extended/full representation
Experience required? Experience is required for most cases. Entry-level cases are also available.
Description: Assist a custodian or a juvenile, who may be eligible for immigration relief, to obtain a necessary state court order in family or juvenile court. The state court order is then sent to the immigration attorney to complete the immigration application. VLN SIJ clients are referred from our immigration partners.
Phone Advice
Time Commitment: 2-hour shift
Level of Service: Advice only
Experience required? Yes. 2+ years of previous family law experience required.
Description: Provide family law advice to multiple clients during a 2-hour shift. Volunteers receive a brief summary of the clients’ legal questions prior to the shift.
Courthouse (Family Justice Center) Clinic
Time Commitment: 2+ hour shift
Level of Service: Advice and limited services
Experience Required? Yes. 2+ years of previous family law experience required.
Location: Hennepin County Family Justice Center, 110 South Fourth Street, downtown Minneapolis
Description: In-person only. Provide advice to walk-in clients on any family law issue.
Limited Scope
Time Commitment: 2-5 hours
Level of Service: Limited services
Experience required? Yes. 2+ years of previous family law experience required.
Description: Assist a client with drafting pleadings (for pro se filing) or meet with client to prepare them for representing themselves at an upcoming trial.
Mentoring
Time Commitment: 10+ hours
Level of Service: Advice/Mentoring to new volunteer
Experience required? Yes. 5-10 years of family law practice experience.
Description: Provide mentorship to newer VLN family law volunteers with little to no family law experience.
VLN Core Training: The Basics of Your First Dissolution Without Children Case
Date: December 11, 2024
Presented by: Cathleen Sykes of Sykes Family Law
Length: 1.5 hours for 1 standard CLE credit (on-demand)
Description: This training will prepare volunteers to take their first full representation family law case from start to finish– a dissolution without children. It covers the applicable rules and statutes, the procedure of the case from start to finish, and practical pointers such as what documents to file and what a trial looks like.
VLN Core Training: SIJS (1) – Obtaining the Predicate Order in Juvenile Court (Juveniles under Age 18)
Date: February 11, 2025
Presented by: Kara Rieke, VLN Family Program Manager and Resource Attorney
Length: 1 hour for 1 standard CLE credit (on-demand)
Description: In order to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile status, applicants must have a state court order that makes specific findings. This training covers how to request a predicate order for children under the age of 18, including the basics of a custody/third party custody/divorce case and adding in a request for special findings.
VLN Core Training: SIJS (2)– Obtaining the Predicate Order in Juvenile Court (Juveniles Age 18 -21)
Date: February 11, 2025
Presented by: Kara Rieke, VLN Family Program Manager and Resource Attorney
Length: 1 hour for 1 standard CLE credit (on-demand)
Description: In order to apply for Special Immigrant Juvenile status, applicants must have a state court order that makes specific findings. This training covers how to request a predicate order for children under the age of 18, including the basics of a custody/third party custody/divorce case and adding in a request for special findings.
