Over 3,000 Wisconsin Students Have Accessed Free Legal Help Through Lawyers for Learners

Wisconsin’s postsecondary institutions increasingly recognize the critical role that legal resources play in supporting student success. Founded on the belief that the law is for everyone, Lawyers for Learners connects learners with free, confidential legal help tailored to their unique situations. This initiative highlights the growing understanding that legal challenges can significantly hinder students' ability to complete their education and achieve their career goals.

Addressing Critical Legal Challenges

Civil legal issues often affect fundamental aspects of life, including family stability, housing security, access to benefits, and employment opportunities. Unfortunately, many learners, particularly those living at or near the poverty line, face significant barriers to obtaining legal help. Consider the following.

• 92% of civil legal issues faced by low-income Americans remain unresolved due to inadequate access to legal resources (Source: Legal Services Corporation).
• This amounts to over 120 million unmet legal needs each year (Source: Stanford Law School).
• Rural areas are particularly affected, creating “legal deserts” where legal services are scarce and access to justice is severely limited (Source: Wisconsin Law Journal).

Immediate Benefits for Learners

Since its founding in 2019, Lawyers for Learners has been addressing these challenges head-on. Lawyers for Learners is a collaboration among Ascendium Education Group, Wisconsin schools, and legal aid providers including Legal Action of Wisconsin, Judicare Legal Aid, and clinics at the University of Wisconsin and Marquette law schools. Over 3,000 students have reached out to Lawyers for Learners for help with legal problems that might have jeopardized their academic progress or future employment. In 2024 alone, 678 learners have already accessed the program’s services, demonstrating the urgent need for legal support.

The requests span a range of legal issues such as criminal records, rental housing issues, family matters, driver’s license recovery, immigration, name and gender changes, and public benefits. Some legal issues, like criminal records issues, can prevent learners from pursuing certain career paths. Others, like family law and housing, create tremendous stressors in people’s lives that can impede their ability to access or succeed at education, training, or employment opportunities.

Expanding Statewide Access to Legal Resources

Lawyers for Learners now partners with all 31 public colleges and universities in Wisconsin, covering 100% of the state. By working closely with educational institutions, the program helps students access critical legal support. Approximately 62% of students who reached out for assistance learned about the program through school communications or staff members, emphasizing the importance of these partnerships.

Empowering Institutions to Support Students

“Those of us who work with students know we can refer them to Lawyers for Learners for free, confidential legal assistance through an easy-to-navigate, seamless process,” says Jackie Morgan, a student equity and resource specialist at Moraine Park Technical College. “Lawyers for Learners is an impactful resource in our toolkit, providing a much-needed service that bridges the justice gap and advocates for our students and community.”

By connecting learners to legal support, postsecondary institutions can help eliminate barriers to educational attainment and employment, ensuring that all students have the opportunity to succeed in their academic and career goals.

For more information about Lawyers for Learners and its partnerships with Wisconsin’s postsecondary institutions, visit lawyersforlearners.org.

About Lawyers for Learners:

Lawyers for Learners connects Wisconsin learners with free, confidential legal help and resources so they can overcome legal obstacles and stay on the path to achieving their academic and career goals. For more information about us or to request legal help, visit our website at lawyersforlearners.org.

About Ascendium Education Group:

Ascendium Education Group is committed to making education and training after high school a reality for learners from low-income backgrounds. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we fund initiatives across the U.S. that help learners from low-income backgrounds achieve upward mobility; provide student and employee success solutions to colleges and businesses; invest in education-focused innovations to improve learner outcomes; and provide information, tools, and counseling to help millions of borrowers successfully repay their federal student loans. While we have many roles, we have one goal — elevating opportunity by creating a world where everyone can rise to their highest potential. To learn more, visit ascendiumeducation.org.