Public Interest/Public Sector Day

Public Interest Law Certificate

FOR ALL LAW STUDENTS

Why do Pro Bono

Develop a Public Interest Career

Finance a Public Interest Career

Helpful Materials

"In engaging in public service, law students are awakened to the sense of personal
satisfaction that comes from helping people, a feeling
they are not likely to experience in their other
classes."

--Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

Welcome!

Welcome to the world of public interest law! Whether you are a law student just starting out, a law graduate, or considering law school for the first time, congratulations on taking your first step to accessing information about public interest legal work and pro bono opportunities for law students! This website exists to support you as you navigate through the exciting, and often tumultuous world of public interest law!

PIC’s hope is that this website will provide a clearinghouse of information to be accessed by all law students who are interested in engaging in pro bono work today and who are planning a career in public interest law for the future!

Our site provides general information about doing pro bono work as a law student, exploring a career in public interest law, financing a career or opportunity in public interest law, and other helpful materials for law students. So, take a look around and start your career today!

REAL Trips

Click here to see pictures from our 2008 Fresno REAL Trip!

Click here to view our Red Bluff and Oroville Rural Education & Accesss to the Law (REAL) Trip webpage!

Click here to view our Glenn and Butte Counties Service Learning Trip webpage!

Click here to view our Orange Cove and Mendota Alternative Spring Break Trip webpage!

PI/PS Day

The 24th annual PI/PS Day took place on Saturday, February 9, and was a huge success! Detailed information about this year's event coming soon. For more information about PI/PS day please click here!

The Law Student Pro Bono Project

Law Student Pro Bono Project member schools include:

If you are a student at one of our member schools and would like to take advantage of the Law Student Pro Bono Project, please contact one of our staff members.

What Is the Law Student Pro Bono Project?
The Pro Bono Project matches students with short-term and long-term volunteer projects at legal aid agencies, court-based programs and social service providers. The Pro Bono Project works with students at the University of San Francisco Law School and University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, California.

Students at USF will receive additional benefits as participants in the Law Student Pro Bono Project. You will be eligible to attend the annual Public Interest Celebration/Graduation ceremony and will receive the Pro Bono Publico Award for completing 25, 50, 75, or more hours of pro bono work during your law school career.  For more information about the award, contact Krista Glaser, Program Director, at kglaser@pic.org.

The Law Student Pro Bono Project seeks to further students' interaction with legal services, to instill an interest in public interest law and to connect law students with organizations and clients.

What kind of pro bono opportunities are available?
There are flexible and varied opportunities available to provide you with options to fit your busy schedule.  

Student projects include:

• Certified court practice
• Case investigation
• Client intake/interviewing  
• Legal research and writing
• Legislative Advocacy
• Trial Preparation
• Policy analysis

How do I get Involved?

• Review the list of available opportunities in your Career Services Office or login to the website to review opportunities: www.lawstudentprobono.org
• Think about what fits within your schedule and contact your Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow at probono [at] pic.org. 
• With the help of PIC staff, identify a placement that best matches your interests and the amount of time you can commit. If you don't find a project or organization on our current list that matches your interests, you should still contact the Law Student Pro Bono Project.  We are happy to work with you to explore new placements that may better meet your particular interests and needs.

I've started volunteering, now what?
First, read and review the Student Handbook and sign and return the student contract. The most important thing for you to do once you've started volunteering is to stay in touch! At the end of the semester or your placement, whichever is sooner, complete a Log Sheet and turn it into you Career Services Office so that we can track your hours for the Pro Bono Publico Award given at Graduation/Celebration Ceremonies each May.

Drop us an email at anytime; we would love to hear about what you are doing and how your placement is going.

If you are an organization and would like to take part in the Law Student Pro Bono Project, click here.

Questions? Contact an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow at probono [at] pic.org.