Pro bono spotlight: MaryCathleen Fenske

MaryCathleen Fenske of Halvorson Legal in Buffalo (a two-attorney law firm serving clients in Wright County and the surrounding area) provides full representation for divorce and custody matters. She also serves as a mediator, parenting consultant, or custody evaluator for cases where there is at least one pro bono attorney through Central Minnesota Legal Services (CMLS).

Pro bono has been important to Fenske since she graduated from the University of St. Thomas School of Law. “Having an attorney makes a significant difference in the outcome of a case,” she notes, “and income limitations shouldn’t create a barrier to equal access.”

Attorneys often wonder how they will find time for pro bono cases. For Fenske, it started with saying yes to one case. “After that,” she remembers, “it was part of my regular caseload. There are times that I have private cases that need significantly more time. When this happens, I shift the volunteer work I take to shorter term services like mediations or advice clinics instead of full representation.” 

From her pro bono practice, Fenske learned that equal access to representation matters. “There are many reasons in family law that people decide to settle a case, or at times, not start one. Without the ability to afford an attorney, the full array of options isn’t known to that person, and it can have significant impact on their and their children’s lives for years.”

Her advice about pro bono is simple: “No matter your practice area, there is always a way that you can help.”

Central Minnesota Legal Services has offices in St. Cloud, Willmar, Anoka, and Minneapolis. To learn more about their pro bono opportunities, please visit their website at centralmnlegal.org and click on the Volunteer Attorneys tab.