Legal Action and Judicare Merger – FAQs

Judicare Legal Aid and Legal Action of Wisconsin are excited to share that we have formally merged into one organization – Legal Action of Wisconsin – as of January 1, 2026.  

Unifying our organizations allows us to combine our strengths, reduce barriers to accessing legal help, and create more consistent, stable support for the people who need us most. Our mission and values stay the same; our capacity to pursue them grows. From our Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Oshkosh, Racine, and Wausau offices, our combined team will come together to provide high quality legal services to the entire state of Wisconsin, including our Tribal Nations. Our existing staff and programs are not changing. Together we hope to build a stronger future for civil legal aid in Wisconsin.  

Our centralized intake system is being finalized as our staff get up to speed on our new systems and combined eligibility criteria. Online and phone applications from former Judicare’s northern service area will start on January 12, 2026. Community members can apply online or by calling (855) 947-2529 to get connect with our statewide intake team.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Why are Judicare and Legal Action merging?  

Judicare Legal Aid and Legal Action of Wisconsin chose to merge because we believe we can serve our communities better together than we could alone. This merger brings together the knowledge, experience, and deep community roots of both firms—allowing us to share expertise, attract more resources, and advocate with one strong voice for justice in Wisconsin. This is a strategic, long-term investment in Wisconsin’s future. 

Together, we can:  

• Speak with one powerful voice when advocating for state and federal funding, rather than explaining our differences.  

• Serve all of Wisconsin with coordinated, community-rooted services and a strategy to reach clients across the state.  

• Expand what’s possible for civil legal help for all Wisconsinites by bringing together each firm’s unique and shared strengths.  

• Build a stronger future to fulfill our mission – to deliver exceptional civil legal services and structural change advocacy, free of cost, to those most in need. 

When will intake for new clients in Judicare’s former service area begin? 

Judicare’s service area covered northern Wisconsin and will be served by the same staff and programs under the banner of Legal Action of Wisconsin as Legal Action’s Wausau office. Intake for this service area is paused while we transfer systems and train staff. Intake for this area will begin via Legal Action of Wisconsin on January 12. To access our intake system, you can call us at 855-947-2529 or complete an online application at legalaction.org/get-help/.  

What will happen to existing clients?  

We anticipate very little change for clients who already have an open case with any one of our offices. For those receiving services out of the Wausau office (formerly Judicare Legal Aid), they will receive updated contact information for their caseworker. While phone numbers will remain the same, our staff formerly under Judicare’s name will have email addresses with the @legalaction.org domain rather than @judicare.org.   

Will community clinics continue?  

Yes! Our staff will continue all existing partnerships with courthouses, community agencies, and tribal communities to continue providing legal services across the state.  

How do partners of Judicare refer clients for services?  

For those who informally refer clients, please refer them to Legal Action of Wisconsin. You can have potential clients call our centralized intake at 855-947-2529 or complete an online intake at legalaction.org/get-help/.  For partners with formal referral contracts, you will hear from the Wausau office managing attorney, Amanda Mayer, about updates to that process soon. Remember, Wausau office intake is paused until January 12.

What does this mean for Judicare’s Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) Program ? 

We will continue our work with you, connecting you with new cases and clients that most need your help, both for pay and pro bono recognition. Judicare PAI attorneys will maintain any cases currently assigned to them, but those cases will transition to Legal Action of Wisconsin. You will continue to hear from your same staff contacts with unchanged phone numbers but new emails with the @legalaction.org domain. At this time, billing and payment requests remain under the same guidelines and with the same form. However, your payments will now be coming from Legal Action of Wisconsin. Keep an eye on your email! We’ll be alerting you of any future changes.  

What does this mean for Legal Action’s Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP)? 

At this time, there are no changes to our VLP projects, case assignments, referral methods, or staff. We will be in touch via email if any changes are made to our VLP program or processes.  

Will you continue to serve Wisconsin’s Tribal Nations and Native Americans? 

Yes. Judicare’s Indian Law Office will continue to operate with the same staff and programs under the Legal Action of Wisconsin name. We are committed to supporting tribal sovereignty, the success of tribal courts, and the legal needs of tribal members statewide as Legal Action of Wisconsin. You will continue to hear from your same staff contacts with unchanged phone numbers but new emails with the @legalaction.org domain. We believe that our services to Indian Country will be in no way diminished by this merger and may be enhanced due to the expanded expertise and resources that a statewide firm provides.  

Sharing the News: 

We are sharing information about this merger on Legal Action of Wisconsin’s social media while we phase out Judicare’s social media. Please consider sharing our posts and make sure you’re following us at the links below!  You can also share the link to this page or our press release HERE.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legalactionWI 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/legal-action-of-wisconsin-inc./ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/legalactionwi/ 

Final thoughts: 

If you have any Judicare Legal Aid brochures or other materials, please contact rfa@legalaction.org to request replacement Legal Action of Wisconsin materials. 

If you have further questions about the merger or what this means for your community, please reach out to rfa@legalaction.org