“I'd been ignoring the letters for a year. Renée went through every one of them with me in an hour and told me which ones actually mattered.”
Tasha R.Chapter 7, Sherman Park
Nonprofit debt law clinic
Collectors have lawyers. Now you do too.
Clearway gives Milwaukee households free legal help with bankruptcy, foreclosure and wage garnishment. No judgment, no sales pitch: a plan you understand, and an attorney who sees it through.
Why we exist
Debt is a money problem, not a character flaw.
Most people who call us got here the ordinary way: a layoff, a hospital stay, a divorce, a car that died the same month the rent went up. The collectors calling them have lawyers on staff. They don't.
We're a nonprofit law office, so we don't earn more by selling you a bigger case. We look at the whole picture, tell you plainly what bankruptcy would and wouldn't do, and sometimes tell you that you don't need it at all.
When you do need it, our attorneys prepare the case, file it and stand beside you through it, from the first form to the day the debts are gone.
The short version
What a fresh start takes
None
Our feeFor households that qualify
4 months
A typical Chapter 7From filing to discharge
3–5 years
A Chapter 13 planTo catch up on a house or car
1 meeting
With the trusteeUsually short, and we're there
The court's filing fee is separate from our help; the court can waive it or let you pay it in installments. Timelines vary with each case.
What we help with
Four ways out from under
Every case starts with a free meeting with an attorney, who looks at everything you owe and tells you which of these fits, if any.
Chapter 7 bankruptcy
Clear most credit card, medical and personal-loan debt in a few months, and keep the things you need to live.
About chapter 7 bankruptcyChapter 13 bankruptcy
A three-to-five-year plan to catch up on a mortgage or car loan while the court keeps collectors away.
About chapter 13 bankruptcyForeclosure defense
Answer the lawsuit, find the options the lender didn't mention, and use bankruptcy when it's the way to keep the house.
About foreclosure defenseWage garnishment
Stop a collector from taking part of every paycheck, and get back money they shouldn't have taken.
About wage garnishment
Who we're for
Neighbors, not case numbers
We work for the people collectors call: parents, retirees, nurses' aides, line cooks, small landlords. Here's what they come to us for.
Keeping the house on the block you know 
A paycheck that arrives whole 
A phone that stops ringing 
Room to plan for next year
In their words
What clients tell us afterward
“Daniel explained the plan in Spanish for my mother and in English for me. We kept the house, and we know what every payment is for.”
Luis M.Chapter 13, Clarke Square
“They took a quarter of my check for months. Amira had it stopped within weeks of our first meeting.”
Gloria P.Wage garnishment, Bay View
Each client's case is different, and what we did for one doesn't predict the result in yours.
Next step
Get help, or help someone get it.
Call or send a few details and an attorney will get back to you within two business days. If you're in a position to give, your support keeps this help free.
Our help is free for households that qualify. The court's filing fee is separate; the court can waive it or let you pay it in installments.