Marquette University Law School will receive the 2026 Pro Bono Publico Award from the American Bar Association for its Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics, recognizing its commitment to volunteer legal services for low-income and disadvantaged persons. This is only the fourth time that the awards, begun in 1984, have recognized a law school’s work.
The Pro Bono Publico Awards are the top honor given by the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and spotlight pro bono efforts of individual lawyers and small and large law firms, government attorney offices, corporate law departments, and other institutions in the legal profession.
“The Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics began, 25 years ago, with a spark from a group of students and women alumni,” said Dean Joseph D. Kearney. “The effort has engaged the Milwaukee legal community and more recently begun to reach throughout Wisconsin. We are most grateful for this opportunity to serve and for the widespread embrace of the Marquette University mission.”
The Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics have developed into a lifeline for unrepresented litigants facing civil legal challenges. From 2002, with 106 client visits, the MVLCs have grown exponentially, recording 6,160 client visits in 2025 alone. Each year, more than 250 volunteer attorneys and an equal number of law student volunteers donate their time to clients through the clinics. The MVLCs now operate across multiple locations, including the House of Peace on Milwaukee’s north side, the Milwaukee Justice Center at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, the United Community Center on the south side, the Milwaukee County Veterans Service Office, a Mobile Legal Clinic van traveling to underserved urban areas, and virtual clinics on Zoom reaching across Wisconsin.
The clinics provide legal guidance across a wide array of civil matters, including family law, child support, small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, evictions, debt resolution, probate, guardianships, and immigration law. This expansive and adaptable service model helps those facing legal obstacles receive the assistance they need. In a state where only one legal aid attorney is available for every 4,300 individuals living at or below 125% of the federal poverty level, pro bono programs such as the MVLCs both serve as a legal aid ecosystem and engage with legal aid providers, seeking to ensure that individuals seeking assistance do not fall through the cracks.
Marquette Law School will be honored in October at an ABA awards ceremony in Chicago.
The American Bar Association, founded in 1878, is a membership organization committed to defending liberty and pursuing justice.
