About Legal Services for Students
Because knowing the law is your best defense...
LSS provides legal advice, assistance, and education to students at the University of Kansas. Our licensed attorneys and trained legal interns work with students to help prevent legal obstacles from getting in the way of academic success. LSS is free, confidential, and conveniently located on the KU Lawrence campus.
Office Overview
Legal Services for Students was created in 1979 by KU Student Senate and is an example of Student Senate's commitment to providing students with services critical to support personal and academic success. LSS is funded by Student Senate through a portion of the required student fees.
Our mission is to prevent and resolve legal problems that confront students by providing qualified, professional legal counseling, representation, and education. Our experienced legal staff provide advice, consultation, negotiation, litigation support, representation, and educational programming for a wide variety of legal issues ranging from misdemeanors and traffic violations, to landlord/tenant disputes, tax filing, and immigration.
Conversations between students and LSS staff are confidential. Information is not shared with any third parties, including parents, without the explicit permission of the student client.
Legal Services for Students is not a mandatory reporter.
LSS is a fee-based service funded by the KU Student Senate. Students must be enrolled for the current academic term and have paid their required student fees to be eligible for services. Students are never charged or billed for any services provided to them by LSS staff.
Notary public services are free and open to the public.
Students are not required to use Legal Services for Students for any legal matter.
LSS offers a variety of legal services including:
- Advice and consultation on most legal matters.
- Court representation in landlord-tenant and consumer cases in Douglas County.
- Preparation, drafting, and review of legal documents.
- Negotiation and correspondence with adverse parties or their attorneys in efforts to settle cases without litigation.
- Tax workshops and individual income tax assistance for all students as well as international faculty and staff.
- Links to free online tax filing software, available to the public.
- Referrals to appropriate resources within the community.
- Advice only on problems arising from disputes with the University of Kansas, its officers, agents, or employees. LSS is prohibited from negotiating on behalf of students or representing students in any University proceedings.
- Notary public services, free and open to the public.
All services are provided by appointment only. To request an appointment, email us at legals@ku.edu or call 785-864-5665.
Legal Services for Students offers court representation subject to the following limitations:
- The lawsuit must be a landlord-tenant or consumer law case within the jurisdiction of the Douglas County District Court.
- The attorneys may advise use of Small Claims court when appropriate.
- The attorneys may refuse to pursue any unwarranted claim on behalf of a student.
LSS provides notary public services by appointment. Notary services are free and open to both the KU community and the broader public. A valid, government-issued photo ID is required for all notary services. Appointments are required. Specific instructions for your appointment will be provided at the time of scheduling.
LSS is NOT able to provide the following services:
- Representation in the University of Kansas Traffic Court. Law students at the KU School of Law handle appeals of KU parking tickets.
- Advice regarding disputes or legal proceedings between KU students or where another student is an adverse party.
- Advice or representation regarding any matter that involves any Legal Services for Students attorney or staff member in any potential violation of the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct as adopted by the Kansas Supreme Court.