Pro Bono: Frequently Asked Questions
What type of volunteer work qualifies for the Pro Bono Challenge?
To qualify for purposes of the 75-hour Pro Bono Challenge, the law-related work must be:
- Supervised by a licensed attorney or law school faculty member
- For a nonprofit organization, government office or agency, or private law firm providing pro bono services to under-represented people or groups
- Not for academic credit or financial compensation
- Completed while the student is enrolled at the Law School
- Undertaken during the academic year; students can get pro bono credit for volunteer legal work done over the summer for an organization that otherwise fits the above criteria so long as the work is done outside of the student’s 35-hour required work week
Student volunteers MUST submit an online work log at the end of the semester in which the work is completed in order for their hours to be appropriately recorded for the Pro Bono Challenge. Hours not logged by the end of the semester will not count for purposes of the challenge.
Generally, work completed for student organizations such as PILA or DVP does not qualify for the Pro Bono Challenge because there is no supervising attorney and/or the skills involved, such as fundraising or community outreach/education are not primarily legal. In addition, non-legal service projects such as tutoring, donating blood, home-building projects or Big Brother/Big Sister does not qualify as pro bono work. The Pro Bono Program encourages community service of all kinds and while such volunteer efforts are worthwhile credit toward the Pro Bono Challenge can be awarded only for those activities that meet Challenge’s requirements.
How do I find a qualifying pro bono project?
There are many ways to find opportunities to do pro bono. Listed below are the three typical ways that student volunteers find an appropriate project. Project opportunities are advertised to students through pro bono e-mail alerts.
Pro Bono Program-Administered Projects: These projects require a semester- or year-long commitment of approximately 3-5 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.
Pro Bono Opportunities Initiated by Outside Attorneys or Law School Faculty: These are shorter-term ad hoc pro bono opportunities which are publicized to students through e-mail alerts and in the Pro Bono Project Database. All are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Projects such as these with more limited time commitments may be particularly suitable for 1L students.
Pro Bono Opportunities Initiated by Students: Students may also develop their own pro bono projects. However, projects that are not supervised by a licensed attorney or a law school faculty member will not qualify for pro bono credit. Student-initiated pro bono projects should be approved in advance by the Assistant Dean of Pro Bono.
Does work done in a clinic count toward the Pro Bono Challenge?
Work done outside of normal requirements of the clinic can count towards the Pro Bono Challenge if the hours are supervised by a clinical faculty member and the student confirms that they are not currently enrolled in the clinic or provide verification from the professor that the work is not being done for academic credit.
Does work done over the summer count toward the Pro Bono Challenge?
Otherwise qualifying pro bono work completed over the summer does not count for purposes of the Pro Bono Challenge unless it is done in addition to the requirements of the student’s primary internship or employment.
How do I log my pro bono hours?
Student volunteers submit an online work log at the end of the semester in which the work is completed in order for their hours to be appropriately recorded for the Pro Bono Challenge. Hours not logged by the end of the semester will not count for purposes of the challenge. Training and travel time directly related to the provision of pro bono services may be logged.
Do judicial clerkships count toward the Pro Bono Challenge?
No, but internships with a court may qualify if the work otherwise meets the definition of qualifying pro bono work.