getting involved in pro bono office of public interest wcl pro bono honors pledge program
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GETTING INVOLVED IN PRO BONO
Office of Public Interest
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program“Our law school is uniquely dedicated to creating
and sustaining an educational culture that emphasizes the power of the law as a tool to achieve social justice and basic human rights. Our faculty, our alumni, and our students fully recognize that a law degree confers not only special responsibilities to the community, the nation and the world, but also provides tremendous opportunities to bring about positive change for humankind. The recognition of these responsibilities is found in our commitment to pro bono and public service. This commitment is an essential component of the educational mission of our law school.”
- Dean Claudio GrossmanCopyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program What is Pro Bono?
ABA Model Rule 6.1 Value of Pro Bono?
Personal and Professional Benefits What is the WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge
Program? Requirements Placements Tracking Work Honors
In short: how does this work? How have other students earned their hours?
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program What is Pro Bono?
ABA Model Rule 6.1: Every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year. In fulfilling this responsibility, the lawyer should: (a) provide a substantial majority of the (50) hours of legal
services without fee or expectation of fee to: (1) persons of limited means or (2) charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and
educational organizations in matters which are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means; and
(b) provide any additional services through: (1) 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;
(2) delivery of legal services at a substantially reduced fee to persons of limited means; or
(3) participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession.
In addition, a lawyer should voluntarily contribute financial support to organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Value of Pro Bono?
Benefits: Personal & Professional Connecting knowledge to the real world Networking Resume enhancement Discover various areas of the law Improve/refresh foreign language skills Gain knowledge about the greater community Reminder of your ethical obligation Professional development
Client interviewing, case preparation, legal research and document drafting, experience with clients in the courtroom
Be inspired by your clients!Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program What is the Pro Bono Honors Pledge
Program?
The formal recognition of the voluntary, uncompensated work on behalf of low-income and underrepresented populations undertaken by WCL students
Available to JD students and LL.M. students
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge – Requirements
JD Students Minimum of 75 hours of pro bono and community
service projects at organizations working on behalf of low-income and underrepresented populations
At least 50 hours completed with organization primarily in law-related or legal work
Up to 25 hours may be non-legal community service work
LL.M. Students Minimum of 25 hours of law-related or community
service work All hours may be completed in non-legal community
service work Due to special difficulty of non-U.S. LL.M. students
securing a traditional law-related pro bono placement No penalties for not meeting the pledge
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Requirements (Continued)
Community Service Placements (up to 25 hours) Any nonprofit engaged in work on behalf of low-
income or underrepresented people Pro Bono Placements (50+ hours)
Nonprofit, government agency, or WCL program Engaged primarily in law-related work on behalf of
low-income or underrepresented populations Work must be substantially legal in nature No compensation of any kind
Academic credit, financial compensation, grants, stipends
Supervised by an attorney Local, national or international in scope
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Placements
Responsibility of the student
OPI list of suggested placements Already approved by WCL
Any organization that meets the requirements Must be approved by WCL before work can begin If approved, will be added to list of suggested
placementsCopyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Placements (Continued)
Off-Campus Over 100 pre-approved placements Topic areas include:
Civil Liberties/Civil Rights Consumer Rights Criminal Law/Death Penalty/Criminal Justice Disability Law Education Employment Environment Family Law/Children’s Issues General Legal Services Health Care Immigration Probate Voting Rights Women’s Issues
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Placements (Continued)
On-Campus Qualifying WCL activities include (but aren’t limited
to): Marshall-Brennan Teaching Hours Action for Human Rights – Alternative Winter Break Clinical Programs (including as volunteer translators) Various WCL faculty-led projects and programs
War Crimes Research Office, Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian law, Health Law Project, etc.
Election Protection Activities Immigrants’ Rights Coalition Projects
Adopt a Jail Program Domestic Violence Outreach Project First Raids Response Student Team Ayuda Llama y Vive (anti-trafficking hotline)
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Tracking Work
Record hours Student Time Log – pro bono hours Community Service Time Verification Form –
community service hours Supervisor Signature
Must be by supervising attorney if pro bono hours Complete student evaluation Have supervisor submit his or her evaluation All forms online:
http://www.wcl.american.edu/publicinterest/probono.cfm
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program Honors
Level of honors Honors: 75-124 hours Outstanding Service Honors: 125-174 hours Exceptional Service Honors: 175+ hours
Special notation in graduation bulletin Dean’s Certificate of Achievement Honored at the Cicchino Public Service
Awards Dinner
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program In short: how does this work?
Sign the Student Pledge Form Review/contact selected placements Track hours Obtain supervisor signatures Complete student evaluation and have
supervisor complete his or her evaluation Complete the pledge and be honored at the
Cicchino Public Service Awards Dinner and graduation
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law
WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program
Contact:Jarrod Shirk
Public Interest Coordinator
Office of Public InterestSuite 122
202-274-4099 (phone)202-274-4096 (fax)
Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law