Many people don’t know where to turn when faced with legal issues, not to mention the monetary cost involved in legal proceedings. Lucky for Madison College, students and the surrounding community now have access to a free legal clinic located at the Goodman South campus. The campus is one of few two-year campuses in the nation to have a part-time attorney and is also a pilot program for other two-year universities.

According to Norma Kropp, the Paralegal Program director, planning for the clinic began in October of 2018 with the help of Rebecca Rapp, of Ascendium Education Group, and Geraldo VilaCuz, the Dean of Students. In the time since, nine organizations have agreed to help, including Ascendium Education Group, City of Madison Department of Civil Rights, Community Immigration Law Clinic, and Community Justice, Inc. Madison College paralegal students also have the ability to gain real-world experience by volunteering at the clinic. 

Since the clinic is new, they are trying to spread the word so that students are aware that they are available to help. If you need help with anything from rental housing leases, immigration, criminal records, or you’re the victim of a crime, the clinic would love to help you parse through your situation.

To get legal help, it’s recommended that you fill out a form online that can be found on the Madison College website under Support Services. From there, someone will contact you about your inquiry. You can also set up an appointment by calling the Goodman South campus front desk at (608)243-4200.

There will be two informational sessions this semester, and both will be located at the Goodman South campus from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. The first will be held on Sat, Oct. 26 and will cover topics about renting, landlords, and discrimination in housing and employment. The second session will be held on Sat, Nov. 9 and will cover immigration.