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Public Interest/Public Sector Day Public Interest Law Certificate Develop a Public Interest Career |
"In engaging in public service, law students are awakened to the sense of personal --Justice Sandra Day O'Connor |
Why Should Law Students do Pro Bono?Pro bono work makes a tremendous impact on the lives of clients, society, and your own legal career. WHO BENEFITS? CLIENTS:YOU WILL PROVIDE VITALLY NEEDED SERVICES In California, more than 75% of the essential legal needs of the poor go unmet each year. Yet, the number of attorneys and amount of money available to help underrepresented people secure justice is shrinking. By doing pro bono work while in law school, you can help fill the justice gap. Last year alone, law students who were enrolled in PIC’s Public Interest Law Program (PILP) provided direct legal services to nearly 1,000 clients. SOCIETY: YOU WILL SERVE THE PUBLIC GOOD Pro Bono means to do an act “for the public good.” The law is only truly just when all members of our society have equal access to it. The entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court is inscribed with the motto, “equal justice under the law.” As a law student, you can serve the public good and make the motto a reality by participating in pro bono work! The ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 6.1 reinforces the notion that pro bono work is essential to the justice system, and states that “a lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year.” Additionally, Standard 302(e) of the Standards for Approval of Law Schools of the ABA, states that “a law school shall offer substantial opportunities for …student participation in pro bono activities.” LAW STUDENTS: YOU WILL GAIN EXPERIENCE, PRACTICE LEGAL SKILLS, & DEVELOP PROFESSIONAL CONTACTS IN THE LEGAL COMMUNITY By doing public interest work while in law school and beyond, law students gain opportunities to learn legal skills, develop professional contacts, and become involved in the broader legal community. You will get the opportunity to see classroom lessons put into action, to bring to life what you read and learn in school. At the same time, you will be giving back to the community and opening doors to justice. The Law Student Pro Bono Project connects law students to pro bono opportunities. For more information on how your school can become a member of PIC’s Law Student Pro Bono Project, contact an Americorps Equal Justice Legal Fellow at probono [at] pic.org or click on the Law Student Pro Bono Projectlink on this page. Find a Pro Bono opportunity in California today! If you are a student at USF School of Law or McGeorge School of Law, you have access to our Pro Bono Project. Please visit lawstudentprobono.org. Otherwise, find a pro bono opportunity in California by visiting the Pro Bono Programs Guide on www.probono.net/ca/ or www.LawHelpCalifornia.org, a resource that was not only created for clients and intake but for students to find an organization with volunteer opportunities. Articles about doing pro bono work while in Law School are listed below:
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