Printer-friendly version
About CAPSILS
The Consortium for the Advancement of Public Service in Law Schools (CAPSILS) is a working group consisting of representatives from:
- The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the ABA Center for Pro Bono
- The Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities Section of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS)
- Equal Justice Works, and
- NALP (National Association for Law Placement) and NALP's PSLawNet website.
CAPSILS has been formed to foster dialogue and collaboration among national participants in the law school pro bono and public interest arenas. Its members, individually and through joint undertakings, all encourage law school-related pro bono policy and program development and provide services to law schools and students seeking pro bono and public interest opportunities, resources and support. We are dedicated to effectively promoting opportunities for public-interest minded law students and lawyers, and to efficiently supporting the work of law schools and public interest law organizations.
Through CAPSILS members' efforts, a number of best practice approaches have been developed to integrate and incorporate equal justice and public service throughout the law school experience. Across the country, public interest has been infused into aspects of law school ranging from recruitment and admissions; to curricular offerings that include clinics and externships; and even to graduation, placement, and alumni experiences.
The CAPSILS Law School Public Service Resource Handbook
CAPSILS first publication is the Law School Public Service Resource Handbook. The Handbook is a free resource for law school career services professionals and pro bono program administrators. It is geared specifically as a resource for those who are new to public interest career counseling and pro bono administration. It offers useful tips from more experienced professionals and points newer professionals to the many resources that are available to them through the ABA, AALS, Equal Justice Works, NALP, PSLawNet, and elsewhere.
Download a PDF of the CAPSILS Law School Public Service Resource Handbook now, or view its full content below...
CAPSILS Law School Public Service Resources Handbook
Foreword
On behalf of the Consortium for the Advancement of Public Service in Law Schools (CAPSILS), we welcome all law school faculty and staff who support law school pro bono and public interest programs and curricula.
CAPSILS is a working group that has been formed to foster dialogue among national participants in the law school pro bono and public interest arenas. A number of national organizations and associations, as all or part of their overall mission, encourage law school-related pro bono policy and program development and provide services to law schools and students seeking pro bono and public interest opportunities, resources and support. These groups are dedicated to promoting equal justice and public interest law-related activity and innovation.
Through their efforts, a number of best practice approaches have been developed to integrate and incorporate equal justice and public service throughout the law school experience. Across the country, public interest has been infused into aspects of law school ranging from recruitment and admissions; to curricular offerings that include clinics and externships; and even to graduation, placement, and alumni experiences.
Presently, CAPSILS participants include individuals who have been able to share insights and expertise related to their role in key national organizations:
- American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service and the ABA Center for Pro Bono;
- The Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities Section of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS);
- Equal Justice Works; and
- The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) and NALP’s PSLawNet Public Service Job Database and Career Center – http://www.pslawnet.org.
CAPSILS is pleased to offer the Law School Public Service Resource Handbook. The Handbook is intended to provide a brief, user-friendly overview of helpful information and resources for new (and not-so-new) faculty and staff who support law school pro bono and public interest programs as part or all of their job.
CAPSILS acknowledges the efforts of its contributing authors Melanie Kushnir, ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono & Public Service and the Center for Pro Bono; Arlene Rivera Finkelstein (University of Pennsylvania Law School) and Pamela Robinson (University of South Carolina School of Law), both past leaders of the Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities Section of the Association of American Law Schools; Charlene Gomes and Karen Lash, Equal Justice Works; and Steve Grumm, National Association for Law Placement (NALP). Without their work, the Handbook would not have been possible. We also thank Adrian Shin, University of Pennsylvania Class of 2010, for his invaluable assistance in editing and producing this Handbook.
This publication is now available free of charge in a print version and as a downloadable PDF file at PSLawNet: http://www.pslawnet.org/capsils
If you have any questions or comments about the Handbook, please contact any of the CAPSILS participant authors. Their contact information may be found at the end of this Handbook.
TABLE OF CONTENTS (CLICK ON A TOPIC TO DROP TO ITS CONENT)
INTRODUCTION TO LAW SCHOOL PRO BONO PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
- Law School Pro Bono Programs
- What is Pro Bono?
- Governing Rules and Standards
- Starting a Pro Bono Program
- How Can I Get More Information?
COUNSELING STUDENTS ABOUT PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: THE ESSENTIALS
- Law School Public Service and Pro Bono Positions
- Pro Bono
- Career Counseling
- Public Interest Programming
- Externships and Teaching
- Committees and Reporting
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: IN YOUR INSTITUTION
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING OUTSIDE YOUR LAW SCHOOL: HOW TO GET RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES AND INSPIRATION
- Alumni
- Foundations
- Judiciary
- Law Firms
- Legal Services Organizations
- Local Banks, Utilities & Other Businesses
- Non-Profit Community Organizations and Social Service Providers
- Pro Bono Programs
- Regional Educational Institutions and Law Schools
- State Access to Justice Commissions
- State IOLTA Program
- State, Local & Diversity Bar Associations
RESOURCES: EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
PUBLIC INTEREST CONFERENCE CALENDAR
- American Bar Association Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service .
- Association of American Law Schools (AALS) Section on Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities
- Equal Justice Works
- NALP & PSLawNet
*****
INTRODUCTION TO LAW SCHOOL PRO BONO PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
Over the last two decades there has been unprecedented growth in the number of law school pro bono programs. One reason is that law schools recognize the enormous benefits generated by these programs. They provide a much-needed legal service to the community, provide students hands-on opportunities to develop legal skills and instill a sense of professional responsibility early in their careers. Pro bono programs can also enhance a law school’s ties and reputation in the community and can assist the law school in recruiting prospective students.
Law students are often unclear about the precise definition of pro bono and what it encompasses. The term comes from the Latin "Pro Bono Publico," which means "for the public good." The American Bar Association has described the parameters of pro bono for practicing lawyers in the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Model Rule 6.1 states that lawyers should aspire to render – without fee—at least 50 hours per year of pro bono legal services, with an emphasis that these services be provided to people of limited means or nonprofit organizations that serve the poor. Model Rule 6.1 also allows for free or substantially reduced service on behalf of a variety of professional, governmental, educational, and civic organizations.
Pro bono in the law school setting is similar with some important distinctions. Students are encouraged to provide pro bono legal services, but only under the supervision of a practicing lawyer. And students may not receive compensation – neither income nor academic credit – for doing pro bono work.
It is important to remember that all pro bono work is public service, but not all public service work is pro bono. Although some law schools permit students to count credit-bearing public interest clinics and externships toward their school’s pro bono goal or graduation requirement, these activities are not typically considered "pro bono." Similarly, non-legal community-based volunteer activities such as painting a school in a low-income neighborhood or serving meals in a homeless shelter are not pro bono, either, because they do not involve the use of legal skills.
Since 1952, the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association has been recognized by the United States Department of Education as the national agency for the accreditation of programs leading to the J.D. degree in the United States. The Standards for Approval of Law Schools contain the requirements that a law school must meet to obtain and retain ABA approval. Interpretations that follow the Standards provide additional guidance concerning the implementation of a particular Standard and have the same force and effect as a Standard.
The American Bar Association Standards, Standard 302(b)(2) – Curriculum provides that "a law school shall offer substantial opportunities for . . . student participation in pro bono activities."
The rule does not mandate law students to perform pro bono service but requires law schools to offer these opportunities. In August 2007, the ABA provided further clarification of this Standard when it adopted Interpretation 302-10 which provides the following:
Each law school is encouraged to be creative in developing substantial opportunities for student participation in pro bono activities. Pro bono opportunities should at a minimum involve the rendering of meaningful law-related service to persons of limited means or to organizations that serve such persons; however, volunteer programs that involve meaningful services that are not law-related also may be included within the law school’s overall program. Law-related pro bono opportunities need not be structured to accomplish any of the professional skills training required by Standard 302(a)(4). While most existing law school pro bono programs include only activities for which students do not receive academic credit, Standard 302(b)(2) does not preclude the inclusion of credit-granting activities within a law school’s overall program of pro bono opportunities so long as law-related non-credit bearing initiatives are also part of that program.
The interpretation conforms with the essence of Model Rule 6.1 by requiring law schools to offer traditional law-related services to those unable to pay without compensation or academic credit. It also states that law school volunteer programs that involve meaningful services that are not law-related also may be included within the law school’s overall program. In addition, while law schools are not precluded from including credit-granting activities, they must also have law-related non-credit bearing initiatives as part of that program.
In addition, the Preamble to the Standards mandates that law schools "must provide an educational program that ensures that its graduates…understand the law as a public profession calling for the performance of pro bono legal services." Finally, Standard 404(5) – Responsibilities of Full-time Faculty requires schools to establish policies with respect to full-time faculty members’ obligations to the public, including participation in pro bono activities.
At the outset, schools need to examine their current pro bono projects and all other measures they take to encourage public service by students. After surveying a school’s current pro bono activities, the school will need to decide its goals for the program, including whether participation should be mandatory or voluntary, how best to structure the program, and the possibilities for projects available in the nearby area. The kinds of programs that will seem appropriate for each school will differ greatly, depending particularly on the size of the city in which the school is located, the socio-economic conditions in the area, the financial resources available for programs, and the interests of students and faculty. For descriptions of various models of law school pro bono programs, see the Directory of Law School Public Interest and Pro Bono Programs, www.abaprobono.org/lawschools.
A number of resources exist with tips on building and sustaining a pro bono program, including developing opportunities, tracking pro bono, ensuring quality control, recruitment and recognition, and building institutional support. These include the following:
- Building and Sustaining An Effective Law School Pro Bono Program With A Baker’s Dozen Tips
- Everything You Wanted to Know About Law School Pro Bono But Were Afraid to Ask
- Law School Guide to Public Interest Careers, NALP 2007
HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
The first step is to look at the websites of the CAPSILS participants’ organizations. Each one has links to multiple resources. There is also a compilation of organizations listed in the resources section of this Handbook.
*****
COUNSELING STUDENTS ABOUT PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: THE ESSENTIALS
Law students come in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of backgrounds, interests, and aspirations. But they all have one thing in common: They want answers. Of course, as we all know, there are no clear answers in the law. Similarly, there are no clear answers in law school counseling. Solutions to problems are as varied as the students who visit our offices. As a result, if we directly solve our students’ problems, we’re not doing our jobs. Of course, we’re also not doing our jobs if we just point them to a few websites, give them a handbook, and say good luck. Law students in general, and those interested in public service in particular, need to learn effective strategies that will benefit them throughout their careers. We can offer them the information and the skills they need to be successful legal professionals. In short, we need to teach students how to solve their own problems while they are in law school, so that they may learn to navigate the professional challenges ahead of them.
To best counsel students about pro bono and public interest opportunities, it is important to understand the different needs of students who may have very different goals. These students may fall into several broad categories: The Die Hard; The Passionate; The Curious; The Reluctant; and The Last Resort. With each of these students, very different strategies can help you achieve very different goals.
THE DIE HARD
This student seeks a career in public interest law and seeks to engage in every opportunity to gain public interest and pro bono experience throughout law school in order to achieve this long term goal. Counseling the Die Hard is a challenge and a pleasure. These students enter law school with the ultimate goal of advocating for social justice. Connect with these students early to make sure this desire does not subside.
Goals: Nurture their desire to pursue a public interest career; preserve their idealism and ambition; expose them to many different ways of pursuing social justice; help them narrow down their interests over time; help them develop an organized strategy to achieve their immediate and long term goals.
Strategy: It is helpful to take a comprehensive approach in counseling these students – never talking about pro bono or summer internships in a vacuum, but instead looking broadly at how they can be strategic about filling their résumés with hands-on public interest work throughout law school in order to make them the most marketable candidates upon graduation. Networking and developing professional contacts in the market in which these students ultimately wish to work should begin early, so opportunities should be examined not only with regard to their substance, but also with an eye towards exposure to the key individuals and organizations with which these students may ultimately launch a career.
It is never too early to encourage these students to think about postgraduate fellowships. In fact, with these students plan to discuss internships, externships, clinics, courses, and pro bono work all in the context of immediate and long term goals. If some of these topics fall outside your area of responsibility, learn enough about them to communicate basic concepts, and direct students to the appropriate individuals for next steps. This comprehensive counseling will help students make the most of their time in law school and will equip them to navigate the challenges of the public interest job search well.
THE PASSIONATE
This student is planning a career in the private sector (for financial or other reasons) but is deeply committed to social justice. She wants to devote time to pro bono work in law school, and ultimately throughout his or her legal career. Counseling the Passionate is empowering for you and the student. It enables you both to think out of the box about how a deep commitment to service can be sustained throughout a legal career.
Goals: Fan the flames of their passion; promote confidence in their ability to maintain a sustained commitment to social justice from the private sector; explore their reasons for working in the private sector in a non-judgmental way to ensure that they have made an informed decision; encourage a long term strategy that may include plans to switch into the public sector after a few years if that is what they ultimately desire; develop a plan for developing skills and expertise relevant to their passion, while cultivating and nurturing relationships with organizations that can yield pro bono opportunities throughout a private sector career.
Strategy: With the Passionate student, you too should be passionate. Let their enthusiasm for particular causes or clients motivate you both to explore all opportunities for learning about and working in this area of social justice. Listen so that you may learn from the experience these students have undoubtedly already gained. Probe gently about their assessment that this passion is best kept as a side dish, rather than as the main course of their legal career. Finances are frequently but not always the reason for this assessment. If the decision is debt-driven, take the time to ensure that these students are fully aware of all the resources available to help lawyers afford public interest careers, and that they have made an informed decision. If the decision is driven by another motivation, respect this and positively reinforce students’ active steps to ensure an ongoing commitment to social justice from the private sector.
Talk about all of the opportunities to engage in coursework, clinics, externships, and pro bono opportunities related to their passion. Instruct students in how to assess law firms based upon their pro bono commitments, and encourage them to research their job prospects carefully based on how likely those employers are to allow time and opportunity for lawyers to pursue their passion for social justice. For students who may ultimately wish to switch from the private to the public sector, discuss the importance of remaining active with the organizations that do this work, while at the same time developing the strong professional portfolio that will enable them to be a powerful advocate for their cause.
THE CURIOUS
This student is planning a career in the private sector, but has a sense that there is something to be gained from public interest/pro bono work. Counseling the Curious student is fun. This student has the intellectual and/or ethical capacity to understand that much can be gained in legal education, and ultimately in the legal profession, by helping others.
Goals: Validate their sense that pro bono offers them strong opportunities to learn; educate them about the wide assortment of opportunities available to them; empower them with a sense of the impact they can have; identify the work most likely to resonate with them for a lifetime of professional commitment.
Strategy: With the curious student, it helps for you to be curious as well. The curious student may come to your office with a very specific question. Don’t be fooled! Ask the student questions. Learn about his or her motivation and interests. Get a sense of these students’ objectives and priorities in order to ensure their best pro bono or public interest fit. These students are likely to maintain their interest in pro bono and public service only if they are fully engaged from the beginning. Explore all options with students – particularly ones they have never considered. Connect these students with opportunities that provide a direct, meaningful impact on others. Maintain an ongoing dialogue with these students so that you can ensure a good match.
THE RELUCTANT
In schools with mandatory pro bono programs, this is the student who engages in pro bono work only because it’s required. Counseling the Reluctant student is fun for those who like a challenge, and challenging for the rest of us. These students can be problematic because they often delay their pro bono work until the last possible moment. They will benefit most from our patience, persistence, and planning.
Goals: Minimally, prevent student procrastination that may limit options and result in unsatisfactory pro bono experiences; maximally, get students to engage in opportunities that can promote an appreciation for the value of pro bono.
Strategy: A patient, non-judgmental approach is essential with the Reluctant student. The focus should be on the educational value of pro bono more than anything else. More importantly, because you will take a highly customized approach with these students, you must have a wide array of opportunities to suit the educational needs of all. Explore what is causing the students’ hesitation. Is it a lack of confidence, interest, or time? Often, the real problem is a lack of information.
Get to know these students, no matter how hard they make it for you. Take time to determine what motivates them: learn about their hobbies, academic interests, likes and dislikes. With this information, you can identify pro bono opportunities that will meet their individual needs. Also take the time to understand their schedules and work habits so that you can assess whether these students should work directly with poverty clients, or instead engage in service at a distance through research and writing projects. It will also help you determine what kind of supervision these students need to stay on track.
Do not make the mistake of thinking you can turn every student into a True Believer. But do express optimism and confidence that, with a bit of planning and exploration, all students can satisfy their pro bono obligations in a meaningful and educational way.
THE LAST RESORT
This student has always been interested exclusively in the private sector, but, seeing no other options, believes public interest work is a viable last resort. Counseling the Last Resort requires patience and understanding, but probably not too much time. These students often lack a basic understanding of how competitive and challenging public interest work can be. Simply taking the time to educate them on the nature of public interest work, the effort required for the public interest job search, and the scarcity and competitiveness of these positions may offer the reality check these students need.
Goal: Explore the students’ motivations; educate them about the competitiveness of public interest work; dispel myths about public interest being a last resort.
Strategy: Be inquisitive, informative, and non-judgmental. Explore the students’ reasons for asking about public interest work. Sometimes, these students are very honest about feeling like they have no other options. Ask about prior work experience, courses, and other indicators that may make it readily apparent that public interest has never really been an interest before. Be direct and ask these students their reasons for considering public interest now. Their reasons may help guide the conversation.
If it is a student who believes his or her academic credentials are not strong enough for a private sector position, educate the student about the competitiveness of the public interest job market, and explain that a sustained, demonstrated commitment to service is often a necessary qualification. If it is an academically talented student for whom the private sector is not currently yielding opportunities, but for whom the private sector remains an ultimate goal, communicate opportunities with the government or courts that may offer strong stepping stones into the private sector, while not necessarily requiring the same demonstrated commitment to public service.
A SPECIAL NOTE ON COUNSELING STUDENTS IN CRISIS
At any time, any of the students described above may become particularly emotional, upset, or angry. Don’t try to conduct business with students who are upset or angry. Instead, pull back and address what is causing the students to feel this way. Once emotions are in check, you can discuss the substantive matters.
In extreme circumstances, know your limits. Even if you are trained in crisis counseling, there are limits to what you can or should do. Maintain close communication with your Dean of Students. Be aware of students who may have special needs or circumstances. Educate yourself on all resources available in your school, university, and community so that you may properly refer students to professional assistance when they need it.
For a more comprehensive discussion of public interest counseling, please see NALP’s Law School Guide to Public Interest Careers. It is available in NALP’s bookstore: http://www.nalp.org/bookstore/.
*****
LAW SCHOOL PUBLIC SERVICE AND PRO BONO POSITIONS
Public interest administrator positions at law schools come in all shapes and sizes. No matter what the various duties are of your particular job, you will undoubtedly have the opportunity to teach, mentor and inspire the students you work with. The energy and enthusiasm of the students can help see you through even the most trying times of bureaucratic strife!
Here is a sampling of job titles from the list of attendees from the October 2008 NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference:
- Career Advisor
- Public Interest Advisor
- Externship Director
- Field Placement Coordinator
- Assistant Dean for Public Service Programs
- Director of Pro Bono and Public Service
- Director of Public Interest Programming
- Public Interest Coordinator
- Director of Career Services/Public Interest Advisor
- Assistant Professor of Pro Bono
- Pro Bono Manager and Attorney Advisor
- Assistant Director of Career Development
- Associate Director, Public Sector and Externships
- Career Advisor in Government and Public Interest
Very few positions are so discreet as to focus on a single area of public interest, such as pro bono or public sector career advising. Most positions are pulled from an à la carte menu of tasks that fall more or less under the umbrella of public interest. A sample ?menu? of job duties in several categories appears below.
No matter what your job duties, you’re NOT alone! Reach out to colleagues in your local area, attend conferences and get involved. We are a welcoming and collaborative community with opportunities for newcomers, veterans, second-career professionals, and private sector refugees alike. We all bring something of value to the table.
- Coordinating annual pro bono/public service projects
- Assisting students with student-run pro bono projects
- Reaching out to legal services agencies to create new pro bono partnerships
- Collecting and maintaining records of student pro bono participation
- Organizing an annual event celebrating students who meet or exceed the minimum number of pro bono hours
- Referring students to legal aid organizations seeking pro bono assistance
- Training and supervising students participating in pro bono projects
- Maintaining a web page, listserv and/or database of pro bono opportunities
- Counseling students interested in nonprofit and government careers
- Counseling students interested in judicial clerkships
- Assisting alumni with career moves both into and out of the public sector
- Organizing an annual public service career fair
- Organizing public-service oriented programs for students
- Inviting alumni and other local practitioners to speak on panels
- Creating materials to assist students seeking public sector careers
- Evaluating and providing feedback on resumes and cover letters
- Assisting students with government honors programs and/or postgraduate fellowship applications
- Recruiting public service employers for on-campus interview programs
-
Overseeing the public interest scholarship application and selection process
-
Facilitating the school’s summer grant program and/or assisting with the coordination of an annual auction or other events
-
Overseeing the school’s work-study program
-
Overseeing the school’s loan repayment assistance program (LRAP)
-
Organizing programs for public interest students and alumni
-
Meeting with prospective students to discuss public service programs and courses
-
Nominating students for internal and external public service awards
-
Planning fundraising and other events to support/highlight public interest
-
Acting as advisor to public interest student groups
- Teaching an externship (field placement) seminar
- Teaching doctrinal courses related to or incorporating public interest issues
- Supervising student progress in externships
- Teaching clinical courses
- Supervising students’ client interactions and representation
- Supervising students pursuing independent projects
- Organizing and supervising experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom
- Reviewing students’ work product for clients
- Hosting regular office hours or scheduled meetings with students
- Bringing in local practitioners and alumni as guest lecturers
- Creating, administering and grading exams
- Serving on academic committees related to public interest and pro bono
- Participating in projects undertaken by committees or working groups
- Drafting regular progress reports for the dean or other supervisor
- Overseeing departmental budgets
- Supervising and evaluating subordinate employees
- Creating marketing materials for public interest programs or courses
- Completing all or part of annual survey(s) the school participates in
- Providing information obtained at conferences and other professional development opportunities to the administration
*****
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: IN YOUR INSTITUTION
WHO’S WHO AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?
Welcome to the community of public interest law school administrators and faculty! If you are also new to working at a law school, you may have questions about identifying your natural as well as unlikely allies, and how to think about the possible intersection between your job and theirs, and cultivating professional relationships.
One thing about public-service-focused law school jobs is clear: whatever your own job status (i.e., faculty, lecturer, Director, Assistant/Associate Dean, etc.) your success and ability to impact the public service culture depends on the extent to which you engage not only students, but faculty, staff, administration, and sometimes the school’s graduates. If you are not connected in some way to the general curricular and extra-curricular activities, you risk becoming isolated and marginalized. Getting to know the various players, understanding the roles they typically fill, and who reports to whom, will make your job a lot more fun and also make you more effective.
One important caveat: every school is different. School "A" may collaborate well among departments, administrators and faculty, and have a deep demonstrated commitment to public service. On the other hand, School "Z" might prefer keeping all departments isolated, creating a strict hierarchy where staff refer to "Professor Smith" rather than Joe. In this case, supporting pro bono is something you and you alone are expected to do, and the Alumni Relations, Career Development, and CLE offices all maintain separate alumni lists. Whether you are at School "A" or "Z", or someplace in between, some generalities can still be useful as you navigate the halls of your new workplace.
By now you’ve probably skimmed everything on your law school’s website. Have you also reviewed the Viewbook, any other admissions and marketing materials, and perhaps most important of all, the alumni magazines? Typically targeting the broadest audience, alumni magazines can be a treasure trove of information, often describing in more detail any planned building and capital expansions, the most recent research initiatives of Centers and professors, new or innovative courses, prominent alumni, and the dean’s column – her bully pulpit for whatever is most important to her. You may also learn who is doing pro bono, which faculty members teach social justice topics, and whether or not the dean is touting the school’s public service activities. All of this information can help you figure out whom to approach for advice about how to implement your public service vision, and who might be especially interested in partnering with you.
Students are also great resources. The public interest students in particular will know who has done what, and help you think about possible resources and allies.
And every school will have at least one – more likely many – obvious public service proponents. It may be the Career Development Director, a professor who runs the Immigration Clinic, the dean who has served on the student public interest organization board, or the tenured professor who covers poverty and racial justice issues in first-year Property Class. Choose the one who seems to know the most as your first target. Ask him or her to lunch, and take lots of notes!
GETTING TO KNOW THE LAW SCHOOL PLAYERS
THE DEAN
The Dean is responsible for the overall vision, and the health and wealth of the law school. The job involves multiple stakeholders including: students, faculty, administrators/staff, trustees or advisory board members, graduates and donors, the University President, state legislature at public universities, accrediting bodies (AALS and ABA) and opinion-makers and the media.
The Dean probably spends well over half of her time fundraising. The majority of funds come from graduate donations, though typically the next largest chunk comes from tuition dollars. At private schools, and an increasing number of public schools, the cost of tuition doesn’t even cover half of each student’s education, creating enormous pressure to raise money. Relations with the main campus (if your school is part of a larger university system) can be important, and the need to retain and attract great professors is key. Increasing the yield of what the school considers ?the best? students – in terms of diversity, drawing regionally or nationally, mix of degrees and prior work experience, and especially GPA and LSAT scores – is typically a high priority.
US News & World Report’s annual rankings is a persistent and pernicious influence on all levels of decision-making at most law schools. Law school deans are under extreme pressure from students, faculty, alumni, donors and advisory boards to rise in the rankings or at least maintain their current status. Even a small drop in the rankings can result in an uproar as well as a decline in donations. Become familiar with the US News criteria, your school’s performance history, and get a sense of how much your work is perceived to be relevant to any of the criteria.
Further, you can offer the Dean some concrete assistance. Over the last few years, pressure has increased throughout the academy to be more innovative, control rising tuition, increase experiential learning opportunities for students, and generally better prepare students to actually practice law and not just to "think like lawyers." Several leading studies (see the Bibliography at the end of this Handbook) and reports have criticized the legal academy for failing to teach ethics and practical skills. Your work can be helpful in addressing these critiques in myriad ways. It is helpful to better understand your dean’s vision for her deanship, and the particular pressures she may be under. It will often be helpful to consider developing programming in ways that advance the dean’s vision, and help alleviate some of these internal and external pressures.
ADMISSIONS DEAN/STAFF
The Admissions staff works to deliver the best incoming class possible—one that includes great and interesting students. This can at times be a numbers-driven process. Factors often considered include the number of applicants, GPA, LSAT score, yield, and undergraduate schools and states represented. Because GPA and LSAT scores are US News ranking criteria, there can be pressure to keep these numbers up. Your programs can provide stories about interesting and engaging student activities that will be attractive especially to public interest minded recruits, and you may be called upon to talk to those prospective students about the law school’s pro bono and public service opportunities. There is self interest in helping to recruit as well. If more students start law school excited about your public service programs, more students will participate.
CAREER DEVELOPMENT DEAN/STAFF
The Career Development staff provides students with a broad range of services, including resume writing, interviewing, job searching, and helping students develop relationships with public and private sector employers. They run an on-campus interview program that, along with other innovative strategies and aims to match students with prospective employers, facilitate participation in regional and national career fairs, and provide career counseling to alumni. Because you are likely to be working with public interest, government and even private sector attorneys who are also prospective employers, mentors, guest speakers, and mock-interviewers, the Career Development Office is a natural ally.
GRADUATE (ALUMNI) RELATIONS/DEVELOPMENT
The alumni relations and development staff are important allies. At many law schools these departments are either combined or share office space because of their overlapping functions. In addition to coordinating fundraising efforts for public interest initiatives, these departments may be able to help you identify alumni working in public interest and pro bono careers. At most schools, as much as 90% of non-tuition funds come from alumni giving. Because volunteerism goes hand-in-hand with charitable giving, these departments may be helpful in identifying graduates interested in pro bono activities, or to otherwise show support of student – and staff and faculty -- public service activities.
FACULTY
Faculty at most schools are an extremely diverse group in terms of age, scholarly interests, teaching styles, levels of interaction with students beyond the classroom, and interest in demonstrably supporting public service. Arguably, the faculty is the back bone of the school, and finding your allies should be a top priority. Tenured faculty members can be in the best position to help support and advocate for public interest programs, and to help educate students about the importance of public service in any legal career. Studies show that faculty interaction is the most important influence to developing a code of ethics among students, including a commitment to pro bono. You should understand more about which professors will actively work with you, in or out of the classroom, and develop a menu of ways they can be involved. Some professors will be willing to do pro bono themselves, others might co-teach a course with you about pro bono, invite you into their class to talk about public service opportunities, or speak at your lunchtime events.
Most schools have some kind of a faculty hierarchy that is largely based on job protection. In other words, at the top are tenured professors with endowed chairs or professorships, then tenured professors, those on tenure-track, and faculty on contract. The status of clinical professors has been hotly debated over the last 10-15 years. With varying degrees of success from school-to-school, they have been advocating for job protection that parallels tenure. Teachers with a "lecturer" or "instructor" title typically have little or no job protection, or at best an annual contract. At some schools, a teacher’s status affects his influence, and willingness to support additional curricular or extra-curricular activities. At others, it doesn’t matter at all. For example, a tenure-track professor is under enormous pressure to get great teaching evaluations and publish highly respected scholarly articles. Though they may be strongly inclined, the junior professor may be less likely to be actively involved, and counseled by mentors to focus on teaching and writing at least until after achieving tenure.
Newer faculty, visiting faculty, teaching fellows, adjuncts and practitioners-in-residence can be very energetic allies. The enthusiasm they bring as new members of the profession as well as their close proximity to real-world experience make for wonderful panelists, student mentors, and connections to public sector employers. Professors’ status should have no bearing on whether you approach them for support. But it is helpful to have a good sense of the law school culture as you work within it.
MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS
Most schools now have staff members dedicated to promoting the law school, especially to external audiences like alumni, the legal profession, and the media. Often these same staff members also have responsibility for the website and law school publications. They are constantly on the search for interesting stories about students, faculty, staff and alumni that illustrate the school’s strengths. Public service stories could potentially be a treasure trove for the school’s communications staff. It’s helpful to find out what kind of information they would be most interested in and how you can work with them to highlight your public service programs, students, faculty and alumni.
ACADEMIC DEAN
Every school has someone who determines who teaches what, and what courses are offered. Often the "Academic Dean" is a tenured professor who rotates into the job for a few years, and in exchange gets a reduced teaching load and extra money. If your job description includes teaching, or you aspire to teaching a class, you’ll want to get advice and input from this person. If you are interested in proposing a pro bono or public service component to some existing courses, the academic dean might also have suggestions about which teachers would be most receptive.
The academic dean is often a wonderful source of ?institutional memory? and can provide you with background information and insight into the overall culture of the school with respect to public interest and pro bono.
FACULTY COMMITTEES
ABA accreditation standards require faculty governance of law schools. All law schools have a faculty committee structure that gives professors substantial say in everything from finances, hiring, curricula, and myriad academic policies. As you endeavor to propose new programs and policies, it will be helpful to understand the committee structure, and who the decision-makers might be with respect to any proposal. Ask your supervisor or academic dean for information on existing committees, how members are selected, and whether your position is eligible to serve on a committee.
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Every school has dozens of student organizations. Some are public interest focused. Some are not, but may undertake public service activities. And some student bar associations have required public service for an organization to qualify to receive any funds. Regardless, student organizations are rich with opportunities to partner, promote and lead pro bono and public service projects and are high priority for your get-to-know list. A good way to do this is to attend their initial open meetings at the beginning of the school year and introduce yourself. Personal contact is much more effective than merely sending an email.
As discussed in the next section, there is an extensive community of support outside your law school. Reach out especially to any nearby schools or those in your region. We are a very collegial community, and most of your counterparts will be eager to welcome you and offer advice, support and resources. They can offer you sample documents for launching a program, ideas about how to approach a particular issue or advice on addressing a particular student problem. There’s no reason to reinvent the wheel. Whatever the issue is, it is likely that someone at another school has already figured it out and will be happy to share his experience with you.
*****
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING OUTSIDE YOUR LAW SCHOOL: HOW TO GET RESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES AND INSPIRATION
Working relationships are essential to an effective law school pro bono or public service program. These relationships enable you to connect students with pro bono projects and public interest opportunities that address the most pressing legal needs in the community and the greatest opportunities for students to make a difference. They also provide sources for potential funding and publicity. There are a number of important local, state and regional players with which the public service director should cultivate relationships. The list below describes the various stakeholders and the ways in which you can benefit from building relationships with them.
By committing time and effort to building working relationships with these organizations, you will be better educated as to the community’s legal needs and better positioned to match students and faculty with meaningful pro bono and public interest opportunities. These relationships will also enhance the quality of students’ education by providing opportunities for students to develop legal practice skills and connect legal theory with the practical issues faced by low-income individuals. Establishing active, cooperative, and collaborative relationships with these programs can enhance the school’s ties, reputation, and stature within the local community.
Alumni can contribute to law school pro bono efforts in a number of ways, including serving on the pro bono program’s advisory board, conducting trainings or serving as mentors or supervisors for law student pro bono projects, and speaking on panels for career-related programs or at the school’s recognition ceremonies or recruitment events. Alumni in positions of prominence can also lend credibility to your programs and initiatives. These included alumni in the judiciary, executive directors, law firm partners, and current or former public interest fellows.
Foundations frequently provide funding for public service efforts and initiatives. The law school public service program may be well-suited to solicit foundation funding for unique projects such as those based on an area of need or those that place students with private lawyers rather than agencies.
There are a number of creative and effective ways in which judges can support law school public service efforts. Through court-based programs, students can assist pro se litigants, provide language translation services, and perform client intake. Judges can also appear at the school’s pro bono recognition events and present awards to recipients.
In addition to supervising students on the law firm’s pro bono projects, firms can be a source of funding, especially if offered the opportunity to attach their name to part of the program such as the room where students meet, awards, loan forgiveness programs for public service, funding, and summer pro bono internships among others.
Legal services and legal aid programs provide free legal services to persons of limited means. Most legal services programs handle civil – not criminal - cases, including family law, housing, consumer, public benefits, access to health care, special education and unemployment compensation. These programs often have a myriad of law-related student opportunities, including internships, pro bono projects, credit-bearing externships, law school clinical collaborations and fellowship placements.
LOCAL BANKS, UTILITIES & OTHER BUSINESSES
Businesses that draw from a wide-ranging segment of the population, such as banks and utilities, are often open to funding opportunities that demonstrate their commitment to the community. Many are generous to public service programs and should be contacted with specific budget items in mind or to generate funds for an endowment if applicable. In addition, businesses can be solicited for in-kind contributions, such as office equipment for student pro bono offices.
NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIAL SERVICE PROVIDERS
Non-profit and community service organizations are valuable sources for both law-related and non-law related community service projects. Maintaining relationships with these organizations will help the Public Service Director recognize growing or additional substantive legal areas of need and more importantly, help develop previously untapped volunteer student resources to address such needs.
Pro bono programs recruit, train and mobilize volunteer attorneys and students (under attorney supervision) to provide free civil legal services to persons of limited means. Some pro bono programs are independent 501(c)(3) organizations while others are operated by a legal services or bar association program. Each program sets its own priorities based on organizational priority, client need, volunteer resources, and available funding. In addition to direct representation, volunteer opportunities may include advice and referral services, substantive legal clinics, self-help clinics, community legal education, mentoring opportunities, and materials development. These programs are often eager to partner with law schools on pro bono initiatives.
REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND LAW SCHOOLS
Interdisciplinary collaborations on pro bono and public service projects between law schools and undergraduate and local graduate degree programs (such as medical/legal partnerships) are on the rise. Their development is consistent with a growing recognition that clients often have multiple problems that require a variety of specialties to resolve and the consequential, expanding interest in holistic delivery throughout the legal services community. The director should work within the University framework as well as with other local and regional educational institutions to explore involvement in cooperative projects.
STATE ACCESS TO JUSTICE COMMISSIONS
Access to Justice Commissions bring judges and other representatives of the courts, the organized bar, legal aid providers, and other key stakeholders together to expand access to civil justice for low-income and disadvantaged people. These commissions assess the civil legal needs of low-income people in the state and develop, coordinate, and oversee initiatives to meet those needs. Law schools are key Access to Justice partners as well as civil legal assistance providers through clinical, pro bono, externship and internship programs, and should seek to be included in any Access to Justice efforts.
IOLTA – Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts – is a method of raising money for charitable purposes, primarily the provision of civil legal services to indigent persons. IOLTA programs currently operate in 50 states, including the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Several IOLTA programs provide funding to law school pro bono projects and clinics or may be eager to fund a consortium effort among the law schools in the state that have pro bono programs. The public service director should explore current allocation of these funds among the statewide legal service and pro bono providers and develop proposals to submit in the next funding cycle if appropriate.
STATE, LOCAL & DIVERSITY BAR ASSOCIATIONS
State, local and diversity bar associations are often involved in several pro bono projects that lend themselves to student participation. Bar programs are often eager to collaborate with law schools and law students on projects that address a legal need in the community. Bar associations can also be an excellent source for obtaining speakers to raise student awareness of the importance and value of pro bono. In addition, bar associations may be interested in sponsoring a student pro bono award or hosting a recognition ceremony.
*****
Today’s graduates carry higher levels of educational debt than previous generations. The mortgage-sized debt burdens of law school graduates have far-reaching effects that harm the legal profession and our justice system. According to the American Bar Association Section on Legal Education, the average amount borrowed by law school graduates in 2007-2008 was $71,436 for graduates who attended public schools and $91,506 for graduates who attended private schools.
Many students, who enter law school with the goal of doing public service work after graduation, feel they are too overwhelmed with debt to pursue those careers when the time comes. Alternatively, many enter public service careers only to abandon them after a few years of struggling to make ends meet.
Educating students and alumni about the resources available to help them minimize and manage their debt is no longer an option, and much of the burden of doing this now falls to the law school public interest administrators. For guidance on counseling students about debt, refer to the Student Counseling section of this manual, and be prepared to provide students with the resources listed below.
The following links to the Equal Justice Works web site provide a wealth of information for you and your students on the numerous issues surrounding the acquisition of debt and debt management both during and after law school.
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief/default
This section includes facts and figures regarding student debt including average amounts borrowed for law school.
LOAN REPAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LRAP)
Comprehensive information about Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Programs including which law schools have programs, how the programs work, and how to start or expand a law school based Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Tools include searchable data, a model program, podcasts and an interactive forum.
FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN ASSISTANCE
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/files/ejw_ccraa.pdf
Public Service Loan Forgiveness cancels the remaining balance on Federal Direct loans after 10 years of qualifying monthly payments. This six-minute podcast explains what constitutes a qualifying monthly payment.
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief/law-school-grants-scholarships
Facts about the availability of grant and scholarship aid for law school including which law schools have public interest scholarship programs, how the programs work, and how to research which law schools offer the best options for you. Tools include searchable data and an interactive forum.
Public service is a calling for many, and a career that provides countless rewards. However, in recent years, salaries of attorneys in public service have not kept pace with those of attorneys in the private sector. Also, this relative stagnation in salaries has made it more and more difficult for law graduates and junior attorneys with considerable educational debt loads to remain on public service career paths.
NALP’s Public Sector and Public Interest Attorney Salary Report is published every two years. This unique, comprehensive resource provides salary data – broken down geographically and by years of practice experience – for public interest and government attorneys working in:
- Prosecutor’s offices
- Public defender’s office
- Offices of attorneys general
- Civil legal services office
- Federal government
- Other nonprofit law offices.
The report is available in NALP’s online bookstore: http://www.nalp.org/bookstore/.
Equal Justice Works maintains a webpage highlighting salary figures at: http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief/public-service-salaries
RISING COSTS OF TUITION AND FEES
http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief/law-school-tuition-fees
Current facts about the costs of attending law school including tuition, fees and the availability of financial aid. Tools include a searchable database and an interactive forum.
HIGHER EDUCATION REAUTHORIZATION ACT
Even for students who wish to work in the private sector after graduation, spending a summer in public service can give students invaluable experience and introduce them to the intellectually complex and fascinating work that public service lawyers do. Moreover, it will introduce them to the multitude of underserved legal needs addressed by pro bono work.
Because most public service employers, both government and non-profits, operate with minimal staffing, they often give their summer law clerks and interns substantial projects with significant responsibility. A summer in public service enables students to refine legal researching and writing skills, develop other lawyering skills, and serve clients with compelling needs.
Unfortunately, many non-profit organizations and government agencies cannot afford to pay their summer interns, so students need to seek out financial support through both internal and external avenues. Many schools have public interest offices and/or student groups that raise money to support students pursing public service work during the summer. Some schools have the added benefit of participating in a federal work-study program that provides money for public service work with select employers.
PSLawNet maintains a comprehensive list of funding sources in ?Summer Funding Sources? at www.pslawnet.org. The range of funding criteria varies from source to source, so it is important that students read the information provided by each funder carefully, and plan to apply to multiple sources.
Finally, Equal Justice Works provides summer funding for law students providing legal services to those in need through its Summer Corps program. Summer Corps is an AmeriCorps-funded program that in 2010 will provide more than 600 law students with the opportunity to earn a $1,000 education award voucher for dedicating their summer to a qualifying legal project at a nonprofit public interest organization. Applications are available to Equal Justice Works member schools on or around April 1.
More information is available at http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/programs/summercorps/general
*****
RESOURCES: EMPOWERING STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
The majority of a career counselor’s or pro bono program manager’s work is done through direct, person-to-person interaction with students and alumni or through group programming. But as was noted in a prior section, a successful law school administrator will also expose students and alumni to the broad array of self-help resources available to them. This is particularly so in the electronic age, with so many online resources which place opportunities and career-building resources at our fingertips. This is a very small sampling of the available resources and many have additional links.
GENERAL PUBLIC INTEREST CAREER RESOURCES
PSLAWNET
NALP’s PSLawNet site is the nation’s premier online public service job clearinghouse and career center for public-service minded law students and attorneys. The site includes an extensive database of job opportunity listings - including internships, postgraduate fellowships, and attorney listings for all experience levels – and over 12,000 public service employer profiles from the nonprofit and government sectors. This database is made freely available to all students and alumni of PSLawNet’s 200+ subscribing laws schools: http://www.pslawnet.org/subscriberlawschools.
PSLawNet also includes a host of publicly available job search and career development resources, including:
- Information and resources on fundamental job search skills, like interviewing and drafting public service cover letters: http://www.pslawnet.org/jobsearchfundamentals
- A calendar of public service law job fairs held throughout the country: http://www.pslawnet.org/careerfairs
- Summer funding resources for students taking public service summer jobs: http://www.pslawnet.org/summerfundingresources
- Extensive information on postgraduate fellowships - http://www.pslawnet.org/informationandresources- including a continuously updated fellowship application deadline calendar:
http://www.pslawnet.org/applicationdeadlinecalendar. Every year, NALP culls all postgraduate fellowship listings from the PSLawNet database and produces a conveniently formatted print directory called The PSLawNet Comprehensive Fellowship Guide. It is made available each September in NALP’s online bookstore: http://www.nalp.org/bookstore/.
- Resources on careers in federal government, including NALP’s freely downloadable Federal Legal Employment Opportunities Guide, which is updated annually: http://www.pslawnet.org/federalgovernmentresources
- More useful resources are found in PSLawNet’s ?Career Central? Library: http://www.pslawnet.org/careercentral
NALP administers The PSLawNet Blog - http://pslawnet.wordpress.com/ - which offers news affecting public service attorneys, event announcements and career resources, advice from experienced attorneys and career professionals, and more.
CAREERLINK
http://www.wcl.american.edu/career/, or https://law-american-csm.symplicity.com/students/
Positions on American University’s CareerLink are updated daily. The listings include student positions, alumni positions, volunteer opportunities, judicial clerkships, and fellowships. New users must first register with CareerLink to access these postings.
IDEALIST (ACTION WITHOUT BORDERS)
Comprehensive listing of public service positions, both legal and non-legal, in over 140 countries. This is an especially good site for post-graduate job listings. Searchable by subject matter, country, type of position, and other categories.
NATIONAL LEGAL AID & DEFENDERS ASSOCIATION
http://www.nlada.org/jobop.htm
This is the best site for post-graduate jobs in civil legal services organizations, defender organizations, and some other public interest organizations. Searchable by state.
DEATH PENALTY
http://www.law.berkeley.edu/capitaldefense.htm.
The Berkeley Law's Death Penalty Clinic maintains a website that lists internship and employment opportunities in capital defense offices.
GOVERNMENT HONORS & INTERNSHIP HANDBOOK
http://www.law.arizona.edu/career/honorshandbook.cfm
Contact OCPD for the username and password, which changes annually. Contains information on federal government post-graduate honors programs and summer internship programs.
OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
This is the federal government’s official one-stop source for federal jobs (postgraduate and internships) and employment information. Searchable by position, salary, and geographic location. Updated every business day. Can create an ?agent? to email particular kinds of opportunities as soon as they are posted. Note: when searching for federal jobs, you should also check the agency site, as not every job makes it into USA JOBS.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL (NAAG)
The most comprehensive online site for the latest developments in the offices of the state Attorneys General throughout the country, including ground-breaking litigation, new appointments, and job opportunities.
PUBLIC SERVICE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
VOLUNTEER FOR PRO BONO
http://www.volunteerforprobono.org/
This site will link volunteers with national, regional and local pro bono opportunities.
VOLUNTEER MATCH
http://www.volunteermatch.com/
VolunteerMatch strengthens communities by making it easier for good people and good causes to connect. The organization offers a variety of online services to support a community of nonprofit, volunteer and business leaders committed to civic engagement.
SERVE.GOV
Serve.gov is an online resource for finding volunteer opportunities in communities across the U.S. Serve.gov is managed by the Corporation for National and Community Service.
HANDS ON NETWORK
http://www.handsonnetwork.org/
This online resource is a link to a network of more than 250 Hands On Action Centers, both national and international where you can find volunteer projects and programs, get trained to become a volunteer leader, or use your professional skills to get a local non-profit organization on track.
GENERAL PRO BONO AND PUBLIC INTEREST ORGANIZATIONS
NATIONAL LEGAL AID AND DEFENDERS ASSOCIATION (NLADA)
NLADA is the nation's leading advocate for front-line attorneys and other equal justice professionals - those who make a difference in the lives of low-income clients and their families and communities. Representing legal aid and defender programs, as well as individual advocates, NLADA is proud to be the oldest and largest national, nonprofit membership association devoting 100 percent of its resources to serving the broad equal justice community.
PRO BONO INSTITUTE
The Pro Bono Institute is a small non-profit organization that provides research, consultative services, analysis and assessment, publications, and training to a broad range of legal audiences
PRO BONO NET
This online service provides resources for pro bono and legal services attorneys and others working to assist low income or disadvantaged clients.
SOCIETY OF AMERICAN LAW TEACHERS (SALT)
A community of progressive law teachers working for justice, diversity, and academic excellence. Every year, SALT sponsors three public interest/social justice retreats for students, practitioners, and law professors, each designed to help create and maintain communities of lawyers and scholars committed to lawyering for social justice.
*****
Public Interest Conference Calendar
Fall Semester Conferences and Events
- The NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference takes place each Fall, directly preceding Equal Justice Works' Conference and Career-Fair. The Mini-Conference, a one-day program, is an opportunity for law school public service career counselors and program managers to gather and network with their counterparts from across the country. Attendees may participate in 1) NALP's Public Service Section meeting, 2) the representation of the annal PSLawNet Pro Bono Publico Award to a law student, and 3) a broad array of substantive programming that focuses on how to run the best public interest and pro bono programs and to link students to career opportunities in public interest government. The Mini-Conference also includes a popular "Nuts & Bolts" program for newcomers to the profession, which takes place on the afternoon preceding the one-day event. Registration for the event typically opens after the July 4th holiday. Contact NALP's Director of Public Service Initiatives, Steve Grumm, at 202-296-0057 or sgrumm@nalp.org.
- The Equal Justice Works Conference and Career Fair is the largest national public interest legal career fair, held annually each Fall in the DC metro area. In addition to the career fair, Equal Justice Works also holds an annual conference for law students that focuses on emerging issues, student leadership and job skills. On average, over 1,200 people attend this event as employers, job seekers and conference participants. While there is no formal program for law school public interest and career administrators, the conference and career fair follows the NALP/PSLawNet Mini-Conference and many law school professionals attend to support their students, attend the plenary and awards luncheon, and to work with employers. http://www.equaljusticeworks.org/events/ccf/general.
- The National Legal Aid & Defender Association's (NLADA) Annual Conference typically takes place each November. It is "the leading national training event of the year for the civil legal aid, indigent defense and public interest law communities. The conference offers advocates the latest substantive information and progessional skills they need to creatively and effectively meet the legal needs of low-income people, and provides unparalleled opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with colleagues from across the country while fulfilling continuing legal education requirements." The conference's attendees are primarily directors and practitioners from the indigent defense and civil legal services communities. Learn more at http://www.nlada.org/Training/Train_Annual/Train_Annual_Home
Spring Semester Conferences and Events
- Each January the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) annual meeting brings together faculty and administrators from law schools across the country to discuss issues of importance to legal education. The purpose of the Association is "the improvement of the legal profession through legal education." This goal is furthered in a number of ways, including professional development programs for law professors and administrators, a complement of over 90 sections organized by faculty and senior administrators, and a membership process that is designed to further the core values of the Association. Sections hosting annual programming include: Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities, Clinical Programs, Teaching Methods, Student Services, and Part-Time Division Programs. http://www.aals.org/events_annualmeeting.php.
- Regional Retreats: Every spring, the Robert M. Cover (Northeast), Norman Amaker (Midwest), and Trina Grillo (West) retreats bring together public interest law students, faculty, and practicing attorneys for a weekend dedicated to the discussion and exploration of social justice issues. The retreats are co-sponsored by the Society of American Law Teachers (SALT) and local schools.
http://indylaw.indiana.edu/clinics/amaker/retreat.htm http://www.law.yale.edu/news/coverretreat.htm http://www.law.uoregon.edu/grillo/
- The Rebellious Lawyers (RebLaw), conference is an annual, student-run conference hosted by Yale Law School each spring. RebLaw brings together practitioners, law students and community advocates from around the country to discuss innovative, progressive approaches to law and social change. http://islandia.law.yale.edu/reblaw/
- The NALP Annual Education Conference, typically help in April, is the premier event bringing together career professionals from law schools and legal employers for four days of plenary and concurrent educational programs. Topics addressed include career counseling, entry-level and lateral recruiting, lawyer and law students professional development, diversity management, and more. The conference also features a range of opportunities for attendees to network, as well as a broad array of public service programming including the annual Public Service Luncheon. Learn more about the Annual Education Conference and other NALP events at http://www.nalp/org/aboutnalpconference.
- The Equal Justice Conferece (EJC) is an annual meeting, typically held each May, sponsored by the American Bar Association and the national Legal Aid & Defender Association. The EJC "brings together all componenets of the legal community to discuss equal justice issues as they relate to the delivery of legal services to the poor and low-income individuals in need of legal assistance," with an emphasis on "strengthening partnerships among the key players in the civil justice system." Each year, the ABA Center of Pro Bono hosts a half-day, substantive preconference event for law school pro bono and public service advisors, coordinators, directors, deans, and students. The pre-conference program offers an opportunity to develop relationships with employers, law firm pro bono professionals, and other stakeholders in the legal services community. Learn more at http://equaljusticeconference.org.
Summer Conferences and Events
The American Bar association's (ABA) Annual Meetings, which typically takes place in early August, is the national bar association's primary gathering, and features extensive conference programming, ABA buisiness and programmatic meetings, and networking opportunities. Learn more at http://new.abanet.org/annual/pages/default.aspx.
*****
This is a list of articles, books and reports that have proven to be valuable to professionals in the field of pro bono management. This is just the tip of the iceberg
Allies Not Adversaries: Teaching Collaboration to the Next Generation of Doctors and Lawyers to Address Social Inequality. Elizabeth Tobin Tyler. 11 J. Health Care L. & Pol'y 249 , 2008
Clinical Law Review Fall 2005 Clinical Legal Education: An Annotated Bibliography (third edition), Part Three: Synopses of Articles, Essays, Books, and Book Chapters. J. P. Ogilvy with Karen Czapanskiy. 12 Clinical L. Rev. 101
Cultures of Commitment: Pro Bono for Lawyers and Law Students. Deborah L. Rhode. 67 Fordham L. Rev. 2415 , 1999
From the Margins to the Core: Integrating Public Service Legal Work into the Mainstream of Legal Education. Russell Engler. 40 New Eng. L. Rev. 479 , 2006
In the Spirit of Public Service: Model Rule 6.1, The Profession and Legal Education. James L. Baillie. 13 Law & Ineq. 51, 1994
Institutionalizing Public Service in Law School: Results on the Impact of Mandatory Pro Bono Programs. Robert Granfield. 54 Buff. L. Rev. 1355, 2008
Law School Guide to Public Interest Careers NALP (National Association for Law Placement), 2007 Learning and Serving: Pro Bono Legal Services by Law Students. David L. Chambers. 79 Mich. B.J. 1056 , 2000
Preparing Students to Become Lawyers: Judicial Insights on Legal Education Today. Jack B. Weinstein. 15 St. John's J. Legal Comment. 337 , 2009
Priming for Pro Bono Publico: Inculcating a Norm of Public Service in New Lawyers (March 2007). Schmedemann, Deborah A., William Mitchell Legal Studies Research Paper No. 64. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=972200
Private Lawyers and the Public Interest, Robert Granville, Lynn Mather, Editors, Oxford University Press, 2009
Pro Bono: Assessing Aims and Achievement. Lisa A. Kloppenberg. , 2009
Pro Bono in Principle and in Practice: Public Service and the Professions Deborah L. Rhode, Stanford University Press, 2005 Professionalism in Professional Schools. Deborah L. Rhode. 27 Fla. St. U. L. Rev. 193, 1999
Public Interest Drift Revisited: Tracing the Sources of Social Change Commitment among Black Harvard Law Students. Jenée Desmond-Harris. , 2007
Reflections on Teaching Law as Right Livelihood: Cultivating Ethics, Professionalism, and Commitment to Public Service from the Inside Out. Laurie A. Morin. 35 Tulsa L.J. 227, 2007
The Role of Legal Education in Instilling an Ethos of Public Service Among Law Students: Towards a Collaboration Between the Profession and the Academy on Professional Values. Stephen F. Befort. Stephen F. Befort. 13 Law & Ineq. 1994
Tending the Generous Heart: Mandatory Pro Bono and Moral Development. Reed Elizabeth Loder. 14 Geo. J. Legal Ethics 459 , 2001
Too Long Neglected: Expanding Curricular Support for Public Interest Lawyering. Louis S. Rulli. 55 Clev. St. L. Rev. 547 , 2007
The Unfinished Agenda for Law Schools in Nurturing a Commitment to Pro Bono Legal Services by Law Students. Larry R. Spain. 72 UMKC L. Rev. 477, 2003
The Value of Public Service: A Model for Instilling a Pro Bono Ethic in Law School. Jill Chaifetz. 45 Stan. L. Rev. 1695 , 1993
*****
As noted in the Foreword, CAPSILS was created to facilitate collaboration and communication between key national players in the law school pro bono and public interest arenas.1 Specifically, CAPSILS was formed to 1) maintain a forum for communication among its participants, 2) provide an opportunity for CAPSILS partners to work in collaboration on its projects and initiatives, and 3) avoid duplication of our partners’ efforts. Those specific goals are intended to help us all achieve our overarching purpose: supporting the work of law school public service and pro bono professionals, and promoting peer-to-peer networking and resource-sharing among professionals from around the country.
1 The authors of this Handbook came together to share the expertise gained from their work with key national organizations. Any opinions expressed in this Handbook, however, reflect those of the authors - not those of their employers, their affiliate organizations, or the memberships of these organizations.
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION STANDING COMMITTEE ON PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE
Melanie Kushnir,Assistant Staff Counsel ABA Center for Pro Bono 321 North Clark Street, 19th Floor Chicago, IL 60654-7598 T: (312) 988-5775 F: (312) 988-5483 kushnim@staff.abanet.org www.abaprobono.org
The ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service is the national source of information, resources and assistance to support, facilitate, and expand the delivery of pro bono legal assistance. The Standing Committee and its project, the Center for Pro Bono, encourage lawyers and law students to do pro bono work and help them connect with opportunities that meet their needs. Our programs, projects and services help pro bono programs, advocates and policymakers address the legal needs of the poor.
The Center for Pro Bono offers a number of resources to assist law students, law school administrators, and faculty seeking information and support on pro bono and public service initiatives. Our resources include an on-line Directory of Law School Public Interest and Pro Bono Programs, consulting on issues related to creating or expanding a law school pro bono program, the annual Equal Justice Conference, including the Law School Pro Bono Advisor Preconference, a Law School Resource webpage and a clearinghouse of pro bono related materials.
The Standing Committee for Pro Bono and Public Service and the Center for Pro Bono staff manage a number of discussion lists.
ABA/NLADA Annual Equal Justice Conference
This annual Spring Conference, co-sponsored by the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid and Defender Organization, brings together all components of the legal community to discuss equal justice issues and attend workshops, trainings, and networking sessions presenting the latest trends in the delivery of pro bono legal services.
The Conference includes a half-day preconference event specifically for law school pro bono advisors as well as additional law school related programming during the main conference. The Conference celebrates the ongoing collaboration between pro bono and legal services and explores additional partnerships that must be created, the resources that must be tapped, and the new issues facing clients. Request for proposals are due in the early Fall of the year preceding the Conference.
ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN LAW SCHOOLS (AALS) SECTION ON PRO BONO AND PUBLIC SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Arlene Rivera FinkelsteinAssistant Dean & Executive Director Toll Public Interest Center, University of Pennsylvania Law School 3400 Chestnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 Phone: 215.898.0459 Fax: 215.573.5806 arfinkel@law.upenn.edu AALS Pro Bono & Public Service Opportunities Section Chair, 2009
Pamela RobinsoDirector, Pro Bono Program University of South Carolina School of Law Main and Green St Columbia, SC 29208 1-803-777-3405 1-803-777-6944 Fax Robinspd@law.sc.edu AALS Pro Bono & Public Service Opportunities Section Chair, 2008
The AALS Section on Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities includes a diverse group of faculty and administrators committed to pro bono and public service in law schools. AALS members teach in a variety of areas across the law curriculum and work in law school offices ranging from career services, student services, financial aid, dean’s offices, and public interest offices. This Section has something to offer everyone, particularly those for whom the use of pro bono and public service to enhance legal education is a priority. In January of each year, the law school academy gathers at the AALS Annual Meeting. The AALS Section on Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities prepares a workshop for each year’s conference, and organizes a service project that offers a chance for law school faculty and administrators to reconnect with the educational value and inspiration of public service.
Throughout the year, the Section maintains a listserv that keeps its members informed of public interest announcements and events. It also circulates a newsletter that highlights the work of the Section, and offers a vehicle for sharing news and innovative projects at schools across the country.
Each year at its annual meeting in January, the AALS Section on Pro Bono and Public Service Opportunities presents two awards. The purpose of these awards is to honor those who have dedicated significant efforts towards increasing access to justice through the law school environment and to inspire similar efforts from others. The intent is to honor those who personally design and manage pro bono programs, those leaders in legal education who promote these programs, and those who personally give of their time and talents in pro bono service.
The Deborah L. Rhode Award is awarded to a full-time faculty member or Dean who has made an outside contribution to increasing pro bono and public service opportunities in law school through scholarship, leadership, or service. The Father Robert Drinan Award is presented to a professional faculty or staff member at a law school who has forwarded the ethic of pro bono service through personal service, program design or management. Nominations for both awards are solicited via email in the fall of each year.
Charlene Gomes, EsqSenior Program Manager Law School Advocacy and Outreach 2120 L Street, NW Suite 450 Washington, DC 20037 202-466-3686 x108 cgomes@equaljusticeworks.org www.equaljusticeworks.org
The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice by providing a continuum of programs that begin with incoming law school students and extend into later careers in the profession. Equal Justice Works also provides the nation’s leading public interest law fellowship program and offers more postgraduate, full-time legal positions in public service than any other organization.
Programs and Resources provided by Equal Justice Works Include:
- Law School Membership: membership is available to all law schools in the U.S., regardless of their ABA Accreditation status. Students at member schools are eligible to apply to all of our programs: the Equal Justice Works Fellowships Program, the AmeriCorps Legal Corps Program and the Summer Corps Program.
- Annual Conference: Equal Justice Works Conference & Career Fair:
Equal Justice Works hosts the largest national public interest career fair, held each October in the DC metro area.- The College Cost Reduction and Access Act (CCRAA):
Equal Justice Works compiles and makes available on its web site a wealth of information on the CCRAA, which allows law school graduates working in public service careers to pay back their debts as a percentage of their income and enables graduates to secure debt forgiveness of federally backed loans after 10 years of public service.- The Equal Justice Works Guide to Law Schools:
Where to Find Public Service Programs, Financial Aid and Hands-on Learning Opportunities, is a free interactive online resource of public service opportunities, curricula and financial programs at law schools in the United States.- Equal Justice Works Fellowships:
Launched in 1992 to address the shortage of attorneys working on behalf of traditionally under-served populations and causes in the United States and its territories, the two-year public interest fellowships offer salary and generous loan repayment assistance, a national training and leadership development program, and other forms of support during the term of the Fellowship.- Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps:
Available to law school graduates, Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps (founded in 2003 as the Pro Bono Legal Corps) works to improve access to justice by increasing the availability of pro bono legal services nationwide to low-income clients.- Summer Corps:
The Equal Justice Works Summer Corps program provides $1,000 educational awards to law students around the country who are expanding the delivery of legal services to those who need it most.
How to get involved: Equal Justice Works also hosts a National Advisory Committee (NAC) comprised of law school professionals and current students. NAC applications are available in early summer. To get information on the NAC, school membership benefits, updating records, or to receive regular email updates, contact Nada El-Eryan, Membership Coordinator at mailto:neleryan@equaljusticeworks.org
Steve GrummDirector of Public Service Initiatives 1025 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1110 Washington, DC 20036 P - 202.296.0057 F - 202.835-1112 sgrumm@nalp.org www.nalp.org - www.pslawnet.org – http://pslawnet.wordpress.com
NALP, a member association of law schools and legal employers from all sectors of the market, is dedicated to continuously improving legal career counseling and planning, recruitment and retention, and the professional development of law students and lawyers. NALP’s mission is to connect its members by providing vision, expertise, research, and education; cultivating fair and ethical practices; and advocating for diversity and inclusion in the legal profession. NALP drives innovation and collaboration in the legal industry through lifelong education and career development.
NALP Resources, Programs, and Publications for Law School Public Service Professionals
- NALP’s PSLawNet website is the nation’s premier online public service job clearinghouse and career center for public-service minded law students and attorneys. http://www.pslawnet.org. Also, visit the PSLawNet Blog for news, analysis, resources, and other announcements related to public service legal careers: http://pslawnet.wordpress.com/.
- NALP’s Public Service Email Discussion List allows public-service and other career professionals at all NALP member institutions to share resources, announce events, and ask questions of their colleagues. To learn more, visit http://www.nalp.org/emaildiscussionlists.
- NALP’s Law School Guide to Public Interest Careers offers serves as a comprehensive resource for public interest advisors, careers services professionals, pro bono administrators, and other law school staff. It is available in NALP’s bookstore: http://www.nalp.org/bookstore/.
- The PSLawNet Comprehensive Fellowship Guide extracts all postgraduate fellowship listings from the PSLawNet database and puts them into convenient, hard-copy form. NALP releases an updated version of the Fellowship Guide each September. This publication is available in the NALP Bookstore: http://www.nalp.org/bookstore/.
- The NALP/PSLawNet Public Service Mini-Conference is an annual, one-of-a-kind gathering of law school public service and pro bono professionals from schools throughout the country. Information about the Mini-Conference and other NALP conferences is found at http://www.nalp.org/aboutnalpsconferences.
CONTACT PSLAWNET
1025 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 1110
Washington, DC 20036-5413
Phone: (202) 296-0076 | Fax: (202) 835-1112 | E-mail: pslawnet@nalp.org