Upcoming Clinics

SMRLS operates a walk-in legal advice clinic at the Mission Outpost Resource Hub located at 13801 Fairview Drive, Burnsville, MN 55337. Clients must complete an income screening intake beforehand or at the clinic. For a screening prior to the clinic please contact 1-877-696-6529 and ask to sign up for the Mission Outpost Clinic. 

Upcoming Clinics:

September 14, 2026 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

October 12, 2026 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

November 9, 2026 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

December 14, 2026 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.)

SW Eviction Defense Clinic. SMRLS provides advice and representation to eligible residential tenants at eviction hearings in Blue Earth, Cottonwood, Faribault, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, Nicollet, Nobels, and Watonwan counties. If you are a tenant facing eviction in the above listed counties and want help, please contact 1-877-696-6529 for an eligibility screening. 

At this clinic we help you do your own divorce. A family law attorney will be there to answer your questions and review your paperwork. You will be working with a volunteer attorney or law clerk to complete all of your papers. All of the required papers will be completed at the clinic. In some circumstances, SMRLS will file your case and serve your spouse. You represent yourself in court.

To join the list of participants for the next clinic, please contact us at 1-877-696-6529 for more information and see if you are eligible or apply online.

Olmsted County Eviction Prevention Project

SMRLS and Legal Assistance of Olmsted County (LAOC) provide advice and representation to eligible residential tenants at eviction hearings in Olmsted County. If you are a tenant facing eviction in Olmsted County and want help, please contact the Rochester Office at 507-292-0080 for an eligibility screening.

Ramsey County Housing Court Clinic

SMRLS and VLN run this clinic during the Ramsey County Housing Court first appearance calendar via zoom. Clients receive free legal advice from a volunteer attorney before heading into the courtroom. They can also apply for Emergency Assistance and work with a mediator from the Dispute Resolution Center to reach a settlement in their case. This clinic does not take advance sign ups through SMRLS-clients complete an income screening and request services during court hearings.

SE MN Eviction Prevention Project

SMRLS provides advice and representation to eligible residential tenants at eviction hearings in Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Mower, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, Waseca, and Winona Counties. If you are a tenant facing eviction in the listed counties and want help, please contact the Rochester Office at 507-292-0080 for an eligibility screening.

Dakota County Housing Court Clinic

SMRLS and Legal Assistance of Dakota County (LADC) offer a virtual Housing Court Clinic during the Dakota County Housing Court’s first appearance calendar. Held via Zoom, the clinic offers free legal advice from volunteer attorneys to clients facing housing-related legal issues. Participants can also connect with 360 Communities for support with housing stability and potential funding resources.  Please note: advance sign-ups are not available for this clinic. Clients are screened for income eligibility and request services during their court appearance.

At eviction expungement clinics, a volunteer attorney works with you to prepare the petition and discuss the process. The volunteer may be assisted by law students and legal secretaries. Clients will represent themselves in court and SMRLS staff will file and serve petitions. Evictions that can be expunged through this clinic are typically cases that are settled, were dismissed, or were paid off and the landlord supports expungement. To participate you must be income eligible and have an appointment. Eviction expungement clinics have a remote option and are available to eligible clients in any location in our service area.

Upcoming Clinics:

To join the list of participants for the next clinic, please contact us at 1-877-696-6529 for more information and see if you are eligible or apply online.

Speak with an attorney, identify your legal issues, and get advice. Please call or email to make an appointment at one of our sites.

Legal Checkups are similar, in ways, to a checkup at the doctor. When you complete your yearly exam at the doctor, they ask questions to assess your overall health. If the doctor notices anything concerning, they order more tests, gather history, and/or offer treatment. Medical checkups are important because you may have an issue that you aren’t even aware of until you meet with a doctor who knows the right questions to ask.

Similarly, when SMRLS staff completes a legal checkup with an individual, we are looking at someone’s overall situation to see if there are legal issues we can help with. We ask targeted, simple questions in 10 different areas of law. Oftentimes, folks don’t even know they are experiencing a legal issue until they are asked. And even if they know they’re experiencing a legal issue, they don’t know how to access help.

SMRLS’ goal with Legal Checkups is to ensure that low-income individuals are informed of their rights, obtain legal advice and information, and are provided with community resources.

If you'd like more information or would like to make an appointment call 507-396-6806 or email erika.boyer-kern@smrls.org

Wills for Seniors Clinics. At this clinic we will help you prepare a simple will, heath care directive, transfer on death deed, and/or a power of attorney. You will be working with a volunteer attorney to complete your documents. To join the list of participants for upcoming clinics, please contact us at 1-877-696-6529 for more information and to see if you are eligible or apply online.

Are you a single parent or caregiver of a child and concerned about what would happen if you could not care for them? Get your affairs in order with a simple Will, Power of Attorney, and Health Care Directive.  An attorney will be there to help you prepare your documents and answer your questions. To participate, you must be income eligible and have an appointment. Call us at 1-877-696-6529 for more information and to see if you are eligible or apply online.