Strategic Plan

Student Legal Services, 2020-2025

Mission Statement

The mission of the Student Legal Services is to:

  • Provide preventive legal education
  • Provide legal counseling and advice
  • Provide individual legal representation
  • Positively impact student retention

The underlying premise of the mission is to “enhance student life and student knowledge of their rights and responsibilities” through the provision of the first three services.

Vision: Develop and/or enhance the practical legal competencies of students.

Values:

  • Respect differing levels of student acumen/insight regarding their legal issue.
  • Respect cultural diversity regarding legal issues, courts, and the role of lawyers.
  • Respect and encourage client investment and participation in their case/legal issue with client being kept informed of process, decisional choices and their potential consequences.

For purposes of the Student Legal Service Strategic Plan the Proposed Standards for College or University Student Legal Services Programs (CAS) of 2013 are being used. For purposes of the Student Legal Service Strategic Plan, the term “remote” or “remotely” includes video conferencing, such as Zoom, Skype and other approved video teleconferencing applications, and telephone appointments.

The Student Legal Service Strategic Plan below has seven sections with each section / Student Legal Service Unit Goal being aligned to:

  • CAS Standards for Student Legal Service Programs 
  • The Next 150 2018-2023 Strategic Plan, hereafter, “Campus Plan”
  • 150 Student Affairs 2021-2026 Strategic Plan, hereafter “SA Plan”

Section 1

Unit Goal 1: Provide quality legal advice and counseling to students regarding their legal rights and responsibilities. Students will gain knowledge or direction, in-person or remotely, for the practical and ethical legal decisions that need to be made.

CAS Standard: The unit goal is consistent with Part 2. “Practical competence” and “knowledge acquisitions….application.”

Campus Plan Goal 2

SA Plan Goal 2

Objective: Students will learn competent and appropriate legal information regarding the legal issue for which they sought consultation.

Initiative: Continue to provide one-on-one and remote legal counseling services in eligible service categories to qualifying students using the experienced staff attorneys.

Criteria for Success: Success regarding the provision of advice and counseling to students will be measured by survey responses. If 75% of those surveyed indicate that the knowledge gained from counseling regarding their legal issue(s) helped them resolve or clarify their problem with knowledge of next steps that should or can be taken this goal will be deemed successful.

Assessment Plan: Each student who has received counsel and advice will receive a unique link via email to a comprehensive survey which will ask on a Likert scale how the counseling met their needs. Staff will generate a report for Student Legal Service Advisory Board and the Annual Report that quantifies these results.

Section 2

Unit Goal 2: Provide quality legal representation in court or through settlement/resolution which ethically resolves or significantly assists in the resolution of an individual student’s legal issue, thus removing barriers to academic success and enhancing the ability of students to become their own advocate in and handle similar matters in the future.

CAS Standard: Part 1, goals: “Assure student’s equal access to justice, protect rights of students, facilitate and encourage respect for the rule of law.”

Campus Plan Goal 2

SA Plan Goal 2

Objective: Continue to provide quality in-court representation/settlement/legal assistance to students in categories of service consistent with the Student Legal Service Plan and the expertise/competency of attorneys, and when appropriate, make referrals to qualified legal counsel or sources for making such a selection, e.g., www.illinoislawyerfinder.com (ISBA) and/ or for other resources on or off campus.

Initiative: Continue to provide sufficient qualified staff to resolve matters in court or through negotiation/settlement of student legal issues in a timely and ethical manner.

Criteria for Success: Success regarding quality legal representation will be measured by survey responses. If 75% of those surveyed indicate that they were satisfied with the case outcome/process, attorney competency, and analogous assessment measures, representation will be deemed a success. If 15% agree that services impacted their retention and/or positively reduced issues related to academic success, the representation will be deemed successful. The survey respondents acknowledge obtaining knowledge about other legal or non-law related resources.

Assessment Plan: Each student who has an open/representation case will receive an email via campus labs with a unique link to a comprehensive survey giving them an opportunity to evaluate the quality and success of representation on a Likert scale. Results will be compiled and shared with the Student Legal Service Advisory Board and in the Annual Report.

Section 3

Unit Goal 3: Provide students with quality preventive legal educational programming that educates students about their legal rights and responsibilities.

CAS Standard: The unit goal is consistent with Part 1. Mission, “to provide … education to students to assist students to resolve legal issues” and the CAS goal statement to “Educate the campus community about relevant legal issues.”

Campus Plan Goal 2

SA Plan Goal 2

Objective: Students attending preventive legal education in- person and virtual workshops/ presentations will learn about legal resources on and off campus and gain sufficient legal information to assist in making ethical/legal decisions.

Initiative 1: Create, revise and/or expand educational PowerPoints in topical areas, e.g., Consumer Rights, New Alcohol Laws, Traffic Law Issues, etc., for presentation to student groups.

Initiative 2: Create and maintain new materials for a Scam/Fraud awareness and prevention program of scams prevalent in the community, and disseminate this information to students using a variety of technology and media, including digital meetings (e.g., Zoom), podcasts, PowerPoint available for download, Social networking (Facebook, LinkedIn), Microblogging (Twitter), Photo sharing (Instagram), and Video sharing (YouTube, Facebook Live), and networking with other university programs/offices/departments.

Initiative 3: Develop and implement an online survey to evaluate events and materials.

Criteria for Success: Success of the educational programming will be measured by survey responses of those who attend events. If 75% of those surveyed indicate that the knowledge they gained from attending a legal education seminar, workshop, or special presentation will be beneficial in their future or acknowledge learning about at least one legal issue or what they would do differently as a result of the experience; the event will be deemed successful.

Assessment Plan: Use virtual “Student Legal Service Presentation/Event Evaluation” form at the conclusion of each event, via a link, to capture data regarding utility of program, assess skills/knowledge obtained, and suggestions for other topics or improvements. A report will be generated and shared with the Student Legal Service Advisory Board and in the Annual Report.

Section 4

Unit Goal 4: Maintain and increase the availability and reach of preventive education materials online, increase student awareness of the materials available, and expand the reach through social media, which will increase student engagement with the resources of Student Legal Service. More effectively reach students who are non-native English speakers by continuing to provide and increase the number of translations of SLS materials into other languages.

CAS Standard: Part 7. Equity and Access. Unit goal amplifies access through translations that are responsive to linguistic needs of student population. Part 3 mandates that programs, “incorporate sustainability practices in the management and design of programs, services, and facilities.”

Campus Plan Goal 2 D

SA Plan Goal 2 C V

Objective 1: Increase the timeliness and number of postings to social media and website of pertinent/relevant legal topics.

Objective 2: Increase the number of translations of brochures, PowerPoints, court documents, help aids and other office documents into languages other than English, currently at 70, to 85 by December 31, 2025.

Initiative 1: Create an inventory or chronology of key campus events to pre-schedule postings on social media and allow for immediate insertion for unique or high-interest topics, such as “COVID-19 and Student Leases.”

Initiative 2. With the translation skills of International LL.M students who intern with the office and through using language skills of work-study students, brochures, PowerPoints, flyers, information sheets and other documents will be translated.

Criteria for Success: Updated legal material and publications will be posted online, and new materials based on evolving student needs and issues will be produced. Regular postings will be made to social media with a goal of at least once every three weeks.

Assessment Plan: Annually review brochures, publications, PowerPoints, and alerts posted on the website and/or in paper form to determine if updates are required due to changes in law. Use office intake data to determine the issues of most concern to students and tailor preventive materials accordingly. Count the number of available translations of brochures, PowerPoints and other documents as the metric of success of having a total of 85 by December 31, 2025, pursuant to Objective 2. Access to materials on the website and to social media postings will be tracked, as possible.

Section 5

Unit Goal 5: Create and enhance partnerships and collaborations with the internal/external community to build community knowledge of the program, legal issues, and enhance common goals.

CAS Standard: Part 10. Coordinate and collaborate, where appropriate, in offering programs and services to meet the needs of students and promote their achievement.

Campus Goal 3 B

SA Goal 3 G

Objective: Identify natural stakeholders such as College of Law International LL.M Program, Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), Off-Campus Community Living (OCCL), and The Counseling Center for collaboration on preventive education efforts.

Initiative 1: Continue to provide complementary services with OCCL, including possible educational programs, such as the “COVID-19 and Student Leases,” live event, podcast, and PowerPoint. Create and deliver Zoom presentations on other issues that arise.

Initiative 2: Continue to provide orientation services for ISSS.

Criteria for Success: Success is measured through internal/external partnerships, presentations, and collaborations that enhance or have the potential to enhance the services and mission of Student Legal Service.

Assessment Plan: Success can be measured by the number of such efforts and a qualitative analysis by professional staff.

Section 6

Unit Goal 6: Professional development including journal/bar publication as well as presentations at regional and national legal conferences where continuing legal education credits for Student Legal Service staff can be earned.

CAS Standard: Part 4 requires appropriate professional development opportunities to improve competency and skills. Attorney staff member must hold an earned Juris Doctorate degree, must be in good standing, and must be licensed…….to practice law in the jurisdiction in which institution is located. (In Illinois continuing legal education is mandatory to maintain license). Part 3 states that student legal service programs must: “encourage and support scholarly contribution to the profession”.

Campus Goal 3 B ii

SA Goal 4 J

Objective: Maintain licensure of staff attorneys and inculcate scholarship and professional education through both teaching and engagement as learners.

Initiative: By December 31, 2025, each attorney will provide evidence that they have either published an article germane to Student Legal Service, the Legal Profession or has taught or co-presented continuing legal education materials that are accredited by the profession.

Criteria for Success: Each professional staff member shall have a professional development plan/continuing legal education plan, to be reviewed annually by the Directing Attorney, which meets Rule 1.1 of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct and Mandatory Minimum Continuing Legal Education requirement of the Illinois Supreme Court. During the time frame of the Student Legal Service Strategic Plan, and subject to the allocation of funds in the Student Legal Service budget, each staff attorney will either present or co-present one Continuing Legal Education session at a regional or national conference or publish an article on a legal topic germane to the mission of the program.

Assessment Plan: The Directing Attorney will review the plan to insure sufficient credits to meet requirements and will recommend sufficient money in annual budget to insure ability of licensed staff to meet mandatory requirements that insure competency pursuant to Rule 1.1 of the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct. Any published articles or presentations will be noted in the annual report and the report to the Student Legal Service Advisory Board.

Section 7

Unit Goal 7: Provide mentoring and or practical experience for law students who are pursuing a legal career.

CAS Standard: Part 4. Interns must be trained and supervised adequately by attorney staff members. Interns must be trained in ethical and confidentiality obligations that pertain to working in the legal profession.

Campus Goal 2 E

SA Goal 2 E i

Objective: Continue internship opportunities with College of Law International LL.M program.

Initiative: Mentor one or two International LL.M Student Interns per semester.

Criteria for Success: Success is measured by LL.M International Students acquiring the following skills: practical/observational knowledge of legal process and procedures, observation and analysis of client interview techniques, interpersonal communication with clients and staff attorneys, knowledge of confidentiality and the professional code of conduct, and the ability to critique the learning experience.

Assessment Plan: Each intern must provide a minimum of 50 hours of work for the office which will be evaluated by the Directing Attorney with input from other staff attorneys with the written evaluation being given to the student and the College of Law LL.M internship liaison.