Winter and Spring Break Pro Bono

Winter Break Pro Bono

Winter break offers the opportunity to volunteer full-time for a week or two in early January. and is an excellent option for students who are unable to participate in pro bono during the academic year or for those who need additional hours to qualify for a Public Service Summer Grant or to meet the New York State Bar Pro Bono Requirement. In 2025, 208 students participated in winter break pro bono projects, volunteering over 5544 hours at 91 organizations across the country including nonprofits, legal services providers and governmental agencies.

While the Pro Bono Program solicits and develops winter break projects to post on GoodWorks, students may also follow the simple steps below to develop their projects. The staff of the Pro Bono Program is available to assist with this process.

1. Decide where to volunteer

Many students want to volunteer in their hometowns or other places where they can live cheaply or for free. In addition, remote projects provide the opportunity to volunteer from any location. This list of winter break pro bono projects from the past ten years demonstrates the wide variety of host organizations and project types available.

Winter Pro Bono Project Host Organizations - 2014-2025

Another easy way to search for winter break host organizations is by using PSJD. PSJD is a database of more than 12,000 public service and nonprofit organizations. PSJD allows volunteers to access information and contacts for thousands of organizations and to search by geographic location or substantive area of law. Students can register for their free account at psjd.org.

2. Determine how many hours to volunteer

Potential pro bono supervisors generally prefer volunteers who can offer at least 40 hours of service early in January. You should schedule and confirm any other winter break activities such as travel, job interviews, or J-Term courses before committing to a pro bono opportunity.

3. Consider what type of pro bono

Qualifying pro bono projects can be hosted by nonprofit organizations, legal services providers, prosecutors, public defenders, or state/local governmental agencies (winter break pro bono projects with federal governmental agencies can be difficult to arrange due to the necessity of lengthy background checks.) Please be aware that volunteering for federal, state, or local judges does not qualify as pro bono (FAQ 7).

In addition to the type of host organization, consider what kinds of projects interest you. For example, do you want to practice research and writing?, try policy advocacy?, have regular client contact?, or are you seeking a project that provides courtroom experience?

4. Contact possible host organizations

Unless you have a prior personal connection, it is best to reach out to potential host organizations via email. Here is a sample script to use as a model. You should also include an updated copy of your resume. If you do not receive a response within several business days, send another email or follow up with the organization by phone and ask to speak to the volunteer or intern coordinator.

Contact one organization at a time beginning with your first choice and moving down your list.  Most students will secure a winter break placement after sending just one or two emails. Public service alumni or other contacts at specific organizations are available by emailing us at @email.

5. Log your pro bono hours

To qualify for the Pro Bono Challenge or for a Public Service Summer Grant application, winter break pro bono hours must be logged in GoodWorks. To log your hours in GoodWorks, your supervising attorney will need to submit a pro bono project form, here. 

Spring Break Pro Bono

Another option for students seeking pro bono hours is to volunteer is during  the Law School’s spring break in March. In recent years, spring break volunteers have done pro bono projects in Richmond, Virginia; Washington, D.C.; Bronx, NY; Charlotte, Durham, and Greensboro, North Carolina; Whitesburg, KY; and New Orleans, Louisiana.

Spring break pro bono opportunities developed by the Pro Bono Program are posted on GoodWorks. Students can also create their own projects by following the steps outlined above for winter break pro bono.
 

Alternative Spring Break Host Organizations - 2014-2025