Frequently Asked Questions

SLS is located in the Husky Union Building at the Seattle campus of the University of Washington. We are in HUB 306.

Because SLS has moved to hybrid operations, we are currently a bit slower with responding to calls and emails. Since our office is mostly staffed by undergraduate and graduate students, these students may not be monitoring our communications as closely as we are able to when we are physically in the office. This may also be due to our office checking for conflicts with your case (issue occurring in another state, the opposing party being a UW student or entity, missing opposing party information or graduation date, etc.). Regardless, if you do not hear from our office, please email us at slsuw@uw.edu and we will try to get back to you as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience!

To begin the scheduling process, fill out our Intake Form. You must be logged into your UW NetID to access the intake form. If you are not already logged onto your UW NetID on your browser, you will see an error page when you click on the link above. If you are not a current student, you will not be able to access the form. 

The intake form provides us with information that we use to verify your student status with the University and to get more information about your specific issue. SLS cannot provide same-day consultations, nor can we provide legal advice by phone or email. If you are unable to access or complete the intake, please call our office at (206) 543-6486 or stop by our office in HUB 306.

After the intake form has been completed, SLS staff will screen your intake to confirm your eligibility and identify any conflicts of interest. Make sure you click “Submit” and not “Save progress and exit” to ensure that we receive your intake. If no conflicts arise, a separate link will be emailed to you to schedule your appointment. Appointments are typically scheduled one week in advance. After your appointment has been scheduled, you will be emailed a link to our Conditions of Consultation form, which must be filled out electronically prior to your appointment.

Fill out the Intake Form

Our office does not schedule same-day appointments unless it is an emergency. If the situation escalates and becomes an emergency, please call our office and we will do our best to accommodate you. If you or someone you know is in imminent danger, call 911 immediately.

Please call us at (206)543-6486 or send us an email at slsuw@uw.edu.

You will be meeting with a licensed legal intern who is in their last year at the University of Washington Law School.  They have a license to practice law in Washington state under the supervision of our staff attorney. Rule 9 under the Washington Supreme Court Admission grants a limited license to law students and recent law school graduates to practice law under supervision of a lawyer who has at least three years of active legal experience.

No, SLS is only able to provide legal advice for matters that involve the student directly. SLS cannot assist students who want advice for family members, friends, other persons, or student organizations.

Conflicts of interest may occur when the opposing party is a UW student or entity, cases that are out of state, or contested family matters. In some cases, we can provide a resource-based consultation. For more information, view our limitations page.

In a resource-based consultation:

1. SLS can provide information and tools about legal processes, court resources, applicable statutes, and legal and non-legal resources on and off campus.
2. SLS acts as a neutral campus resource to educate the client about legal rights and responsibilities.
3. SLS does not evaluate the client’s position.
4. SLS informs the client that because of the subject matter, the client cannot hire SLS for ongoing representation.

SLS provides unlimited consultations, as long as for each consultation, there is a separate legal issue each time. SLS is unable to provide legal advice without the client hiring us once a consultation has ended, so be prepared to take notes during your consultation.

Please view our limitations and hiring process page to view the kinds of cases we typically take on. Whether or not SLS is hired to take on a case is at the discretion of the staff attorneys and if we have the capacity to take on your case.

SLS has an administrative office fee of $10. SLS will bill you $20 per hour for all matters filed in courts in the city limits of Seattle, Shoreline, Bellevue, and Redmond, and for matters not filed in any court. Reciprocal estate planning with a spouse is billed at $40 per hour. SLS will bill you $40 per hour for matters filed in other courts in King County, and rarely accepts cases outside of King County. If SLS accepts representation in these counties, you will be billed $50 per hour and will not be eligible for a fee waiver or reduction.

The HUB is now taking online payments! To pay your bill, visit TouchNet and select “Student Legal Services Invoice”. If you have any questions, please email hubcash@uw.edu.