The Pro Bono Award

The Law School’s Pro Bono Award is presented to a graduating J.D. student who demonstrates an "extraordinary commitment" to service and who exemplifies the values of pro bono through delivery of critical legal services to underserved communities. Award recipients are selected, based not only their hours of pro bono, but also on the scope of their volunteer work and leadership in the law school community. The graduates who are honored with the pro bono award, have logged well in excess of the 75 hours required to meet the Pro Bono Challenge. Awardees are formally recognized at the Law School’s graduation ceremony and receive a gift commemorating their pro bono contributions.

Kylie Mignat

2025 Pro Bono Award Recipient Kylie Mignat

Kylie Mignat ’25 is this year’s recipient of the annual Pro Bono Award. Mignat was commended for providing more than 700 hours of pro bono service with numerous organizations, including The Advocates for Human Rights, the American Bar Association’s South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project, Catholic Migration Services and Kids in Need of Defense.

During her three years at the law school, Mignat served as an articles editor for the Virginia Journal of International Law and as vice president of the Immigration Law Society, as well as on the boards for Child Advocacy Research and Education and Virginia Law First-Generation Professionals. She was awarded the Virginia State Bar Family Law Book Award, which recognizes the graduate who has demonstrated the most promise and potential for the practice of family law.

After graduation, Mignat will continue dedicating her time to youth advocacy at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights headquartered in Washington, D.C. More

Previous Pro Bono Award Recipients

  • Evan M. Carcerano ’24
  • Kara Hafermalz ’23
  • Maggie Woodward ’22
  • Kolleen Gladden ’21
  • Miranda K. Russell ’20
  • Amy Fly ’19
  • Megan C. Keenan ’18 (co-winner)
  • Cory K. Sagduyu ’18 (co-winner)
  • Clayton Read Pasley ’17 (co-winner)
  • Rachel Ellen Simon ’17 (co-winner)
  • Jacob Edward Aronson ’16
  • Madeline J. Starbranch ’15
  • Carolyn Jean Rumer ’14
  • Thomas Samuel Silverstein ’13
  • Evan Grant Didier ’12
  • Erin Colleen Houlihan ’11 (co-winner)
  • Rachel Lauren Paul ’11 (co-winner)
  • Daniel Aaron Grossman ’10 (co-winner)
  • Kristin Jo Uicker ’10 (co-winner)
  • Rebecca Dopkins Vallas ’09
  • Ryan Scott Faulconer ’08 (co-winner)
  • Amy Lynn Woolard ’08 (co-winner)
  • Rachel Elizabeth Cella ’07
  • Ryan Tharen Almstead ’06
  • Heather Schroeder Eastwood ’05
  • Areshini Pather ’04
  • Angela Adair Ciolfi ’03
  • Maria Monique Mlynar ’02
  • Amy Julia Collins ’01
  • Jason Mark Zuckerman ’00 (inaugural recipient)