March 4, 2015 – David Russell offers his free time – including evenings and lunch hours – to help La Crosse’s low-income residents with legal questions. With other volunteer lawyers, he began a free monthly legal clinic in 2006.
Not only has Russell been involved with pro bono volunteering since the 1980s, he also uses his legal expertise to help community service organizations in the area – especially the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse.
Where Do You Volunteer?
I’ve volunteered with the La Crosse County Bar Association’s Free Legal Clinic since it was launched in September 2006. Several lawyers and paralegals staff the clinic one evening a month at the First Baptist Church.
I’ve also been taking pro bono cases from our local legal aid office since the 1980s – back when it was Western Wisconsin Legal Services before the merger with Legal Action of Wisconsin.
The Family Law Information Center at the courthouse is another place where I volunteer monthly over the lunch hour. In addition to my pro bono legal work, I also serve on Legal Action of Wisconsin’s board of directors, and I’ve been on the board for the Boys & Girls Club for almost 20 years.
What Sorts Of Legal Issues Do You Handle in Your Pro Bono Work?
In the Free Legal Clinic, we typically see 10-15 people per session for about 10-15 minutes each. The people we see in the clinic are mostly very low income. The most common questions we get are about family law, but we also see people with issues related to their finances, landlord-tenant issues, or public benefits. Fifteen minutes isn’t much time, but we try to answer their questions and provide appropriate referrals to helpful resources. Sometimes, one of the volunteers will also provide some follow-up help. Legal Action will typically refer clients to me who need help with bankruptcy issues.
Know a Member We Should Highlight for Pro Bono Service? Tell Us!
Pro Bono Spotlight is an InsideTrack™ series that salutes members who make a personal commitment to providing access to justice for low-income Wisconsin residents through pro bono service.
The State Bar of Wisconsin is proud to salute members who make a personal commitment to providing access to justice for low-income Wisconsin residents.
Do you know a member who should be highlighted for pro bono service? Contact Pro Bono Coordinator Jeff Brown at (608) 250-6177 or (800) 444-9404, ext. 6177.
Sometimes my community service leads to pro bono legal work. I helped with the legal work necessary to develop a new recreational facility shared by the Boys & Girls Club and Viterbo University. The Boys & Girls Club has made a huge difference in the lives of a lot of low-income children in this area, so that was a great project.
What Happens When You Get a Question Outside Your Practice Area in One of the Legal Clinics?
Well, I don’t practice in the area of family law, but I’ve been able to pick up some basic knowledge that allows me to help pro se litigants with simple questions. At the Free Legal Clinic we schedule other attorneys to handle the more complicated family law questions. Members of the La Crosse County Bar have always stepped forward to help at the Free Legal Clinic. If I get a question where I need help, I contact other attorneys.
David Russell is a partner with Hale, Skemp, Hanson, Skemp and Sleik in La Crosse, where his practice includes a mix of business law, bankruptcy and Social Security Disability matters. In 1993, he was the recipient of the State Bar’s Pro Bono Attorney of the Year award.
