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Pro Bono: Frequently Asked Questions

Can 1Ls participate in the pro bono program?

First-year students are encouraged to get involved in pro bono as early as possible in their law school career. Some first year students will do a pro bono project during their first semester, but others will decide to wait until the winter break or the spring semester. Before committing to a pro bono project during your first semester, consider your ability to successfully take on such a project in addition to your academic and other commitments. Some projects are not available to first-year students due to the need for advanced legal skills.

How do I get hours credit for the Pro Bono Challenge?

In order for your hours to count for the Pro Bono Challenge, you must submit an online work log at the end of the semester in which the work is completed. All hours for the year must be submitted by the last day of classes. Before your hours will qualify, you must also complete a student evaluation. All students must have a completed volunteer agreement on file with the Pro Bono Program before they may apply for any pro bono projects.

What type of volunteer work qualifies for the Pro Bono Challenge?

Qualifying work must be:

• law-related and necessitate the use of legal skills (examples of qualifying work include: client representation, legislative drafting, witness interviews, case investigation, legal policy and advocacy, or community legal education)
• supervised by an attorney or law school faculty member
• on behalf of a nonprofit organization, a legal services organization, a government agency (including both prosecutors and defenders), or a private law firm providing pro bono legal services
• not for academic credit or financial compensation
• completed while the student is enrolled at the Law School

Does work for a student public service organization qualify?

Work with a student public service organization that is unsupervised and/or not law-related such as tutoring, donating blood, fund-raising, home-building projects, or Big Brother/Big Sister does not qualify for the Pro Bono Challenge. Any appropriately supervised legal work will qualify. If you have a question as to whether or not a particular project qualifies, please contact us at lawprobono@virginia.edu before volunteering.

Is work with a law school clinic pro bono?

Work done in association with a law school clinic will count as pro bono if the hours are supervised by a clinical faculty member, the student confirms that they are not currently enrolled in the clinic, and/or they provide written verification that the work is not being done for academic credit.

Can work with a law school faculty member qualify as pro bono?

Volunteering for a faculty member on a pro bono matter for which the student is uncompensated (i.e. not working as a student research assistant) will qualify.  Scholarly research does not qualify.

Does work done over the summer qualify?

Pro bono work completed over the summer will qualify for the Pro Bono Challenge if it is done in addition to any work normally required by the student’s summer employer and the student is uncompensated during the period the work is performed. Please e-mail lawprobono@virginia.edu before you take on any summer projects to be sure they qualify for pro bono credit.

Do judicial clerkships qualify as pro bono?

Clerking for a judge does not qualify, but volunteer work for a court program (i.e. Drug or Family Treatment Courts) may count if the work otherwise meets the definition of qualifying pro bono. You should contact the Pro Bono Program in advance to verify that any volunteer assignment with a court qualifies for the Pro Bono Challenge.

Does work for a political campaign qualify?

Work for the campaign’s general counsel or legal staff would qualify.  Fundraising and other organizing projects are not considered pro bono.

Does translating work qualify?

Translation (written or oral) work that is performed for a pro bono case or project qualifies.

Does travel time qualify?

Training and travel time directly related to the provision of pro bono services qualifies.

How do I find a qualifying pro bono project?

The Pro Bono Program strives to find an appropriate pro bono opportunity for every student that requests one. All available projects are posted on the pro bono database and are also advertised to students through e-mail alerts.

In-House Projects: These projects require either a semester- or year-long commitment of approximately 3-8 hours per week. They offer students hands-on experience with a variety of legal tasks including research, writing, client interviewing or intake, and for third-year practice certified students, the opportunity for in-court appearances. Applications are required and space is limited. Examples of such projects include the Hunton & Williams Pro Bono Partnership, the Medical-Legal Partnership and the Access to Justice Partnership

Ad-Hoc Projects: These are shorter-term pro bono opportunities typically initiated by outside organizations, local attorneys or Law School faculty members. These projects generally have more limited time commitments. 

Student-Initiated Projects: Students may develop their own pro bono projects. However, projects that are not supervised by an attorney or a Law School faculty member will not qualify as pro bono. Student-initiated pro bono projects must be approved in advance by e-mailing lawprobono@virginia.edu.