“Have you heard of Legal Services?”
Ask this question, and University students and many others might respond with a resounding “No,” or “The what?” Yet, this office can give students valuable tips on how to deal with legal wrangles and may come in handy the next time you need advice.
The ASUO created the office of Legal Services in 1971 to provide free legal advice to currently registered students. At the office, resident attorneys help students with small claims counseling, name changes and expungement of criminal records. They also offer advice on consumer credit, debt problems and property damage claims. While many of the services are free, students may have to pay some court filing fees, service fees or document preparation fees in certain cases.
Ilona Koleszar has worked as a resident attorney for Legal Services since 1987.
“The biggest areas that we see the most students for are landlord-tenant disputes, divorce and separation issues and misdemeanor criminal matters,” Koleszar said.
Koleszar said, however, that the attorneys do not dispense advice if students are having problems with other students, professors, instructors or representatives of the University. According to the office’s Web site, Legal Services offers referrals to area attorneys for problems excluded by the program such as felony criminal cases, bankruptcies, personal injury cases and cases against other students.
Koleszar said she wished more students would come in for what she called “preventative maintenance,” or, “Should I do this?” questions. She said many students get into trouble because they do not know their rights on certain issues.
The office, staffed by three lawyers, a legal assistant and work-study students, assists about 1100 to 1700 students annually, and usually returns about $30,000 to students in settlements.
“We receive a lot of double deposit checks and other settlements after students come to us for help,” Koleszar said. “Many of those settlements are $200, $300 settlements.”
She added that students who had used Legal Services were generally pleased with the outcomes.
“I hope that more students will know about us,” Koleszar said. “I love my job. We fight hard for student rights. Persistence is key.”
Many students, however, are unaware of the office of Legal Services.
“I didn’t have any idea,” business major Shawn Stone said. “It sounds like a cool thing, though.”
Laura Fine and Carol Busby are the other attorneys on staff. The office of Legal Services is located on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union in Room 334, and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office assists students by appointment and with a current student ID only. For more information on the Office of Legal Services, call 346-4273.