Student Legal Service (SLS) offers advice and representation in the areas listed below. These services are available to University of Minnesota students paying the Student Services Fee at the Twin-Cities Campus and are limited to those outlined in our Policy Handbook.
Tenant Rights
Examples: Repairs, security deposits, evictions, lease reviews
Criminal Cases
Examples: Misdemeanors, traffic tickets, expungements
Immigration
Examples: Student visas, asylum, OPT/CPT, immediate relative and fiance petitions
Consumer
Examples: Automobile purchases and repairs, credit problems, contracts, insurance coverage, defective goods and services, students loans (non U of M), property loss
Employment
Examples: Wrongful termination, wage claim, contract review
Wills, Health Care Directives, and Power of Attorney
USLS helps draft the legal documents listed above, mostly commonly the Power of Attorney form for students studying abroad. We charge a nominal co-pay for drafting wills and healthcare directives.
Miscellaneous
Examples: Name changes, harassment
Referrals
USLS offers only consultation and/or referrals in other legal matters, including, but not limited to, conflict of interest, personal injury, out of seven county metro area, business law, and family law.
Exclusions
Even if the case involves a legal matter listed above, USLS cannot provide service in the following situations:
- Claims against or adverse to the University of Minnesota
- Cases involving one eligible student with a claim that is adverse to or potentially in conflict with another U of M student (see Handbook, page 9)
- Claims against or adverse to the University of Minnesota regents, employees, or agents if the claim arises out of the performance of duties of office or employment at the University of Minnesota
- Cases challenging the policies or practices of the University of Minnesota
- Matters that are prohibited by the ethical standards and regulations governing USLS attorneys
- Matters customarily handles as contingent fee cases (e.g. personal injury)
See complete list of exclusions in our Policy Handbook.
