Established in 1999, the Law School’s Pro Bono Program develops and administers pro bono opportunities for students while responding to the volunteer needs of community groups and other outside organizations such as prosecutors, public defenders, legal services, nonprofits, government agencies and private law firms providing pro bono services. The Pro Bono Program administers several in-house projects, develops and identifies a variety of ad-hoc pro bono opportunities, and supports winter and spring break pro bono projects.
Fast Facts, 2010-11
249 students logged pro bono hours
15,502 hours logged (1Ls set a new record with 8,387 hours)
75 third-year law students completed 75 hours of public service in three years
53 students participated in the alternative spring break trip in five cities (students in Washington, D.C., above)
The term pro bono is derived from the Latin “pro bono publico,” meaning “for the public good.” The American Bar Association (ABA) encourages all lawyers to aspire to render, without fee, at least 50 hours annually of pro bono legal services. Due to limited government-funded legal services, pro bono has become an essential part of ensuring access to justice for the indigent and underrepresented. The ABA makes clear that lawyers have a professional and ethical duty to make access to justice a reality for all, stating in the Preamble to the ABA Ethical Code, “A lawyer has a responsibility as a ‘public citizen’ to act throughout their career to improve the delivery of legal services to the underrepresented.”
The Pro Bono Program offers law students an introduction to public service and professional values that promote a lifetime commitment to law-related community service. The Law School is committed to instilling this ethic of service and encouraging the provisions of pro bono legal services by its students and graduates.
Why Do Pro Bono?
Pro bono work enhances your law school experience by connecting academic work in the classroom to the real world of practice. In addition to providing critically needed legal services to the underrepresented, pro bono is:
- a structured way to gain practical experience in legal research and writing, client interviewing and other advocacy skills
- an opportunity to try different practice areas or career options
- a way to strengthen your resume or to demonstrate relevant work experience and legal skills
- an avenue to attain attorney mentoring and career-planning advice
- for personal satisfaction (see sidebar testimonials for what some of our student volunteers had to say about their pro bono experiences)
