The Pro Bono Validation Program
seeks to encourage and recognize public service by law students who
have successfully completed at least 50 hours of pro bono legal work
at an approved placement. Such students receive a certificate signed
by the Dean and the Assistant Dean, public recognition at the Law School's
Honors Convocation, and the designation of Pro Bono Honoree on their
academic transcripts.
Program Requirements
- To participate, students must have completed the first semester
of the full-time law school program or the first year of the part-time
program and must be in good academic standing. Full-time students
may not devote more than 20 hours per week to any combination of employment
and pro bono work while enrolled in classes. The first step
toward participation is to submit an application packet to the Assistant
Dean for Career Services for pre-approval (both forms are available
from the Career Services Office). This application packet includes:
- A Proposal Form
- A Signed Supervisory Agreement
- The Supervisory Agreement must be signed by a licensed attorney
who will assign duties to the student and monitor the student's
performance. This form indicates that the supervising attorney
has received a copy of the program's requirements and agrees
to accept responsibility for ensuring compliance with these
requirements and to sign off on the student's timesheets.
- To receive recognition, participants must complete at least 50 hours
of pro bono work prior to graduating from law school.
- Participants may work with a government body, nonprofit organization,
or other entity if that entity is engaged in:
- Providing legal services without fee or expectation of fee to:
- persons of limited means; OR
- charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and
educational organizations in matters that are designed primarily
to address the needs of persons of limited means; OR
- Providing legal services through:
- delivery of legal services at no fee or substantially reduced
fee to individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure
or protect civil rights, civil liberties, or public rights,
or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and
educational organizations in matters in furtherance of their
organizational purposes, where the payment of standard legal
fees would significantly deplete the organization's economic
resources or would be otherwise inappropriate;
- delivery of legal services at a substantially reduced fee
to persons of limited means; OR
- participation in activities for improving the law, the legal
system or the legal profession.
- For this Program, pro bono legal services may include giving legal
advice or resolving a legal problem through litigation, legislation,
regulation, or alternative dispute resolution, but only to the extent
consistent with the ethical constraints on the authorized practice
of law.
- Participants may complete the 50-hour work requirement at up to
five sites but must submit a new Proposal Form and Supervisory Agreement
for each site.
Participants may receive neither compensation nor academic credit
for pro bono work.
- To obtain recognition, each participant must submit timesheets signed
by the supervising attorney to the Assistant Dean. The timesheets
must give detailed explanations of the participant's work, including
projects assigned, hours worked, and the nature of the legal work
performed.
- Once the Assistant Dean has determined that all criteria of the
program have been met, he or she will notify the participant and instruct
the Registrar to enter the designation of Pro Bono Honoree on the
participant's transcript. If all requirements have not been met, the
Assistant Dean will notify the participant of this determination.
Questions?
If you would like additional
information or wish to speak with someone, please contact the Career
Services Office to schedule an appointment with the Assistant Dean for
Career Services. Tel: (614) 236-6888.
