Wendy Willson Legge retired in 2018, but her work was just getting started. Now, she focuses on pro bono work for housing cases and is a strong defender for abuse survivors. Since her retirement, Legge has spent well over 1000 hours assisting over 550 clients with housing issues. In 2022, she massively outdid herself, providing well over 125 diverse types of services and logging 691 hours of pro bono work, easily qualifying as an MSBA North Star Lawyer.
When we look at Legge’s work, structure allows her the capacity to tackle such an intense workload. In housing law, she engages in 6 primary ways to provide the best services to her clients and to balance out her time. She covers 2 phone advice shifts per month, appears in multiple court clinic shifts per week, assists with eviction expungement, and provides representation in eviction defense and rent escrow representation. In one rent escrow case, Wendy was able to negotiate a settlement where the property owner made all the requested repairs and credited her client $1500 in rent abatement. Her impact is life changing. But Legge is also a holistic attorney, providing strong advocacy for low-income landlords. In another case, she assisted a blind man who was subletting a room in his home for additional income. He needed assistance evicting a tenant who became violent and would not let him back in the house after he returned from vacation. With Legge’s assistance, her client was able to happily and safely return to his home.
Wendy Willson Legge has made a critical impact on the lives of so many Minnesotans, and her peers are particularly appreciative. Elizabeth Kelly, a staff attorney at VLN (Volunteer Lawyers Network) says of Legge:
“Wendy Willson Legge is an incredible lawyer. She comes up with creative legal arguments to help her clients and is also tenacious. When she takes a client, I am always confident that she will serve that client to the best of her ability.”
This sentiment is echoed by her clients who write:
“[She] made sure I understood the entire process and at first, I was overwhelmed by this case but once I started working with her, I was at peace. I am very satisfied with the service I receive and will refer others.”
Legge’s impact is felt by many, and low-income Minnesotans have had life altering experiences under her guidance. Muria Kruger, Housing Program Manager at VLN, says it best:
“Wendy’s passion for justice has left an indelible mark on her clients and VLN’s Housing Program.”
To learn more about ways you can get involved in pro bono, visit our Pro Bono page or reach out to us at kdrahos@mnbars.org.