Grad Council Legal Advising

Graduate Council Legal Advising is available to students with questions about legal matters including landlord/tenant issues, false identification matters, criminal issues, immigration, credit and debt issue, contract questions, domestic issues, dissolution of marriage, automobile accidents, probate, parking/traffic violations, litigation, personal injury, business formations, and consumer rights issues.

Grad Council Legal Advising services are not for use by students seeking advice on (1) non-legal issues, (2) legal or non-legal issues involving the University or University affiliates, or (3) University policies or procedures. Students seeking advice on those issues should contact Amanda Young, Director of Graduate Student Affairs (amanday@uchicago.edu) or their Dean of Students.

Grad Council Legal Advising is provided through a company called Perspectives. Conversations with Perspectives and with any lawyer referred by Perspectives will be confidential and information will not be shared with the University. Students seeking advice related to unlawful harassment, discrimination, or sexual misconduct, may also report the matter to the University. To learn about support and resources or to make a report to the University, students should contact UChicago CARES.

Perspectives will not provide any legal advice, support, or referral services to students in connection with any matter involving a dispute or proceeding with the University of Chicago or any of its affiliates, or any of their respective trustees, directors, officers, employees, students, or agents, as an adverse party or any employee benefit or benefit plan established by the University of Chicago or any of its affiliates.

HOW IT WORKS

To access Grad Council Legal Advising:

Phone number: 1-888-523-9570

Access code: GCLEGAL

Students should inform the intake specialist that they are calling in order to access legal advising.

The intake specialist will speak with the student about the matter on which they need legal advice. If the student has a legal issue not involving the University or University affiliates, the intake specialist will refer the student to a lawyer for a free 30-minute consultation. For legal services beyond the initial thirty minutes, participants receive a discount rate of 25% off the referred attorney’s normal hourly fee. There is no obligation for students to consult the referred attorney.

ELIGIBILITY

All currently enrolled, full-time University of Chicago graduate students who pay the Student Services Fee as part of their registration status are eligible to receive legal consultation. Graduate Council is funded in part through the Student Services Fee. Students enrolled full-time, but not charged the Student Services Fee are not eligible.