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Resources

Get Informed about a Legal Issue

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The Women's Center Free Legal Clinic provides information about legal issues to community members and University employees. If you would like help understanding your options for addressing a legal problem, please contact the clinic to request an appointment. 

Local attorneys volunteer their time to provide 30-minute appointments through the clinic on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month (with exceptions around holidays). Legal Clinic appointments are typically conducted over the phone. 

Please note:

  • Clinic services are limited to one 30-minute appointment to help you become better informed about a legal question.
  • The lawyer you meet with for an appointment with the clinic does not become your attorney or represent you in the legal matter you are asking for information about. 
  • Attorneys volunteering with the clinic are able to provide information about legal issues in the state of Virginia. The clinic does not have attorneys who can offer information about legal issues in locations outside of Virginia. 
  • Neither the University nor the Office of the University Counsel provides any legal advice or counsel at the Women's Center Legal Clinic. The local Charlottesville attorneys and other attorneys who may volunteer to participate in the legal clinic are not employees or agents of the University and are not acting on behalf of the University.

Request an Appointment

If a clinic appointment would be helpful for you, please use one of the following options to provide us with your name, phone number, email address and a brief description of the legal issue you would like information about: 

We typically respond to appointment requests within 1-2 business days. If an appointment with an attorney who is knowledgeable in the area of your question is available at upcoming clinic date, we will ask you to confirm your appointment and provide some additional information about your legal question. 

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Common Legal Issues for Clinic Appointments

Appointments with the clinic can provide information for people affected by common legal issues such as:

Child Custody and Visitation Rights  Child Support
Divorce Eviction
Landlord-Tenant Dispute Wills

Other Sources of Legal Information & Support

Do you have a legal question in an area other than contracts, estates/wills, or family law? We have some other options for connecting you with the information you need. Members of our team may be able to refer you to another office that provides services or information in the area of your legal issue. We occasionally host legal clinics focused on specific legal issues not included in our regular Wednesday evening clinics.

Legal Services Corporation offers a search tool that you can use to find legal resources in your area at lsc.gov

We also recommend browsing the Resources for the Public page of the Virginia State Bar Association website which provides links to:

  • sources of legal information available online 
  • legal aid offices around the state that provide pro-bono representation for a variety of common civil legal issues, and
  • organizations in Virginia that provide information about or representation for issues in specialized areas of law

Attorney Insights

“The legal process can be intimidating and confusing for anyone. If you find yourself overwhelmed or uncertain, the UVA Women’s Center Legal Clinic provides an opportunity to sort through the issues and develop a plan.”
John Ralston, Law Office of E. Randall Ralston
 
“I thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Women’s Center’s Legal Clinic. It is well organized and the participants have interesting legal questions. I urge all local attorneys to volunteer. It’s a great way to give back!”
Lynn Bradley, Lynn Bradley, JD
 
“I think and hope that my willingness to learn and to bring (gently) an objective perspective to bear, had some value for the women who sought legal advice at the clinic that evening. I commend the Women’s Center for making this worthy program possible.”
Meghan Cloud, McGuire Woods