Staff
The staff of the Student Legal Service consists of three full-time attorneys and one full-time office support person. There may be one or more part-time law student interns from the University's College of Law who work under the supervision of the attorneys.
Thomas E. Betz, J.D.
Directing Attorney
Thomas E. Betz is the Directing Attorney for the office and began as a staff attorney at Student Legal Service in January, 1986. Betz is a 1981 graduate of Wayne State University Law School, a member of the Illinois Bar, and formerly a member of the Michigan Bar. He is a member of the Champaign-Urbana Tenant Union Community Advisory Board, and was involved in the drafting of the Urbana Landlord-Tenant Ordinance. Mr. Betz was an elected member of the Champaign County Board from 1996 to 2012, and served as Vice Chairman of the Board; Chairman of the Policy, Appointments, and Procedures Committee; and was a member of the Facilities and the Labor Negotiations Committees. Betz is, and for many years has been, the Chair of the "Elizabeth Berg Streeter Community Service Award" committee of the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association — Student Legal Services Section. In 2013, to his surprise, he was presented with the award, himself. He is also an active member of the University Student Legal Service Association -Western Region and the Triple I Student Legal Service Region, and a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He was selected to receive a prestigious Chancellor’s Academic Professional Excellence Award in 2016 at the University of Illinois.
Anthony L. Allegretti, J.D.
Staff Attorney
Tony Allegretti is a Staff Attorney at Student Legal Services. Prior to being with SLS he was a criminal defense attorney with the Champaign County Public Defender's Office. Tony attended Chicago-Kent College of Law and attended DePaul University in Chicago for his undergraduate degree. Tony spent two years living abroad in Kenya while serving with the United State Peace Corps after completing his undergraduate degree and before pursuing his law degree.
Susan Y. Hessee, J.D.
Staff Attorney
Susan Y. Hessee, a 1982 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, has been a staff attorney at Student Legal Service since March, 1988. Hessee is a member of the Illinois and Michigan Bar Associations. She is an active member of the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association — Student Legal Services Section, University Student Legal Service Association -Western Region, and the Triple I Student Legal Service Region. She is active with the Champaign County Bar Association, Health Care Consumers, Planned Parenthood, and the American Civil Liberties Union. A member of St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, she is member of the choir and serves on the Discernment Committee.
Emily C. Vock, J.D.
Staff Attorney
Emily C. Vock has been a staff attorney at Student Legal Services (SLS) since 2020. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law and Illinois Wesleyan University. Prior to joining SLS, Emily was a staff attorney at Land of Lincoln Legal Aid and an associate legal counsel at the State Universities Retirement System (SURS). She is an active member and past president of the East Central Illinois Women Attorneys Association.
Yolanda K. Thomas
Office Administrator