Student Legal Services Appointments & Drop Ins

How to Request Services

All University Park and Commonwealth Campus students who are enrolled in a campus that participates in the Student Initiated Fee and have personal legal needs qualify for our services. We provide referrals, consultations, or document drafting. Representation within Centre County may be offered in certain matters. The level of service we can provide depends on the facts and circumstances of the individual case.

Appointments

The advantages of making an appointment are:

• We'll pre-screen your intake request for conflicts and email you in advance of the meeting if we identify any. If we do, we'll provide referral information via email to save you a visit.
• An attorney has time set aside to meet just with you.

You'll typically hear back from us within one business day after you submit the intake form. Appointments will be scheduled during regular business hours (8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) when University offices are open. Complete an online intake form or call us at 814- 867-4388 for information on how to request an appointment.

Appointments are available for meeting with an attorney in person, via Zoom, or by phone.

If you're unable to keep your appointment for any reason, please let us know so we can offer that time to another student.

Drop-In Tuesdays

No appointment is needed for Student Legal Services' Drop-In Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Students can visit drop ins in person at 204 East Calder Way, Suite 200 or virtually via Zoom.

Drop-In Tuesdays are sometimes the quickest way to get in to see an attorney. We'll give you an estimate on the wait time when you arrive, and you can make an appointment for another day if you'd rather not wait for an attorney to be available. We will have you meet with the next available attorney, so if you need to schedule a follow up visit with a specific attorney, we'd be happy to schedule you for an appointment for another day.

• Students are seen first come, first served.
• Students must still complete our intake form to see an attorney.
• Stop by our office or drop in to our Zoom reception room during the scheduled hours. You'll meet with a receptionist who will arrange for you to meet with the next available attorney.

Prefer an appointment? Complete our intake form and we'll be in touch soon, usually within one business day.

Preparing to Meet with an Attorney

We love helping students! Here are some ways to get the most out of your appointment with one of our attorneys:

1. Bring all documentation or other information relating to the legal problem to the initial meeting. It is helpful if  you provide copies of long documents, such as leases, in advance of the meeting. Do not email social security numbers, driver's license numbers, bank account numbers or other confidential information! For sensitive information, we can provide a link to a secure portal to allow you to send the information securely.
2. Be honest. An attorney must know the whole situation, even the bad parts, to help you.
3. Our services are free, but you are responsible for all filing fees, fines, and court costs associated with your case.
4. Be prompt for scheduled appointments and court hearings.
5. Advise us of any changes in your mailing address, email, or telephone number as long as your case is being handled by our office.

Notary Services

Notary services are free to Penn State students. Fill out our intake form to get started. After your intake, we will contact you to schedule a notary appointment. Appointments are required for notary services so that we can ensure we have sufficient time to meet your needs.

Information about Notary Services

You should complete any required information (except signature) on the document prior to the visit to the notary. Enter N/A where not applicable.

• DO NOT sign nor date the document prior to the visit to the Notary. This is very important! The notary MUST witness your signature on the document.
• The notary is not responsible for the legality or accuracy of the document’s content and cannot offer legal advice.
• Notaries may decline to complete any transaction that falls outside the scope of their authority, training, and/or comfort level.

What to Bring

Please be prepared to show current photo identification. Examples of acceptable forms of identification include:

• Driver’s license from the United States
• State-issued identification card
• U.S. Passport
• Passport issued by a foreign government (must be stamped by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services)
• U.S. military identification card with the required photo, personal description, signature, and identification number (Note: Some military identification cards do not contain all the required information.)

Documents We Cannot Notarize

Please understand that the notaries may not be able to notarize your document(s) due to various reasons, restrictions, limitations, or unavailability; the decision to notarize a document is solely at the discretion of the notary and the notary reserves the right to refuse to notarize a document for any reason. Some examples of documents that cannot be notarized by these offices are as follows:

• Vehicle titles – these documents may be presented to AAA or Tri-County Tag in State College.
• Real estate closing, mortgage, or refinancing documents – due to the volume and time associated with processing these documents.
• The HUB notary service is unable to notarize wills. Student Legal Services may notarize wills on a case-by-case basis.
• Penn State diplomas or transcripts – certified copies of these documents must be requested through the Registrar’s office. 
• Other diplomas or transcripts - certified copies of these documents can be requested from the issuing institution.
• I-9 or other citizenship or immigration documents.
• I-20--copies can be obtained at the Global Programs office.
• International documents will be reviewed on a case by case basis.
• Documents that require preparation – the notary will not draft documents or provide documents to be notarized. Students may contact Student Legal Services to inquire whether an attorney can assist with document preparation.
• Vital documents such as birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, and adoption certificates. Official copies of these documents can be obtained from the vital records office from the county where they were filed.