Developing a Law School Pro Bono Program. Part II: Finding University Support

Transcription

1 Developing a Law School Pro Bono Program Part II: Finding University Support

2 Today s Panelists Anna Davis Director of Public Interest Programs UC Irvine School of Law Lisa Key Assistant Dean, Career Development & Student Services University of Missouri School of Law Angela Schultz Pro Bono Director Marquette Law Kim Bart (moderator) Assistant Dean for Public Interest & Pro Bono Duke Law School

3 Law School Pro Bono Programs Introductions Developing Pro Bono Opportunities Training to Provide Pro Bono Service Tracking Pro Bono Hours Incentivizing and Rewarding Pro Bono Participation Building the Value of Pro Bono Programs in Law Schools

4 Introductions

5 Kim Bart, Duke Law School Asst. Dean for Public Interest & Pro Bono Voluntary pro bono program, with an aspirational 50-hour pro bono pledge Over 75% of students fulfill the Pro Bono Pledge during their 3 years of school About 20 student-led pro bono projects, plus ad hoc individual pro bono placements Most are working with local legal services organizations, but some are national and international Any hours dedicated to the Pro Bono Project count towards the Pledge, including community education projects such as Street Law and VITA Clinic/externship hours do not count towards the Pledge

6 Anna Davis, UC Irvine School of Law Director of Public Interest Programs Voluntary pro bono program: Includes 2 staff (Director and Coordinator) Students are strongly recommended to complete 120 pro bono hours over three years (20 hours as 1L s; 50 hours each subsequent year) Over 90% of UCI Law students participate in the Pro Bono Program 2013: More than 40% graduated with Pro Bono Honors (120 hours); 20% with Pro Bono High Honors (200+ hours) Students work on 100+ pro bono projects each year Staff organizes 50 projects per semester, plus alternative breaks Individual students seek out additional projects Pro bono defined: (1) Legal work; (2) On behalf of an underserved community or cause; (3) Under the supervision of an attorney or faculty member; and (4) No pay or academic credit.

7 Lisa Key, University of Missouri School of Law Asst. Dean, Career Development & Student Services Voluntary pro bono program Recognition of students who perform more than 20 hours/year of pro bono work at annual awards banquet Director of Public Service & Public Interest Law has primary responsibility Student led projects: 4 in process, others in planning stages Pro bono defined as: Not for credit or pay May be legal or non-legal Must benefit persons of limited means or be done for a non-profit with 501(c)3 status

8 Angela Schultz, Marquette Law School Pro Bono Director Voluntary pro bono program, with induction into the Pro Bono Honor Society and graduation with honors for 50 or 120 hours ~ 70% of students get involved ~ 50% graduate with Pro Bono Honors Office of Public Service with one full-time and three part-time staff Law School led brief legal advice clinics ~ 210 volunteer attorneys, ~ 230 volunteer law students Five locations, six days per week Student led projects: About a dozen Pro bono must be: 1) Primarily legal in nature; 2) Not for pay or credit; 3) Supervised by an attorney; and 4) Of service to those with barriers to access to justice or an organization whose mission is to serve the same.

9 Developing Pro Bono Opportunities

10 Creating Pro Bono Projects/Opportunities Missouri: Brand new program Researched what other schools are doing Attended ABA Equal Justice Conference Encouraged input from students, faculty, law firms, and legal service agencies Created incentives for participation Formed partnerships Publicized program to students

11 Creating Pro Bono Projects/Opportunities Partnering with legal services organizations Missouri: Partnering with law firms, legal service agencies, campus groups, and area agencies on aging. Marquette: Partnering with local court, area law firms, domestic violence agency. Irvine: Partnerships with local legal services, plus many threeway collaborations with law firms and legal service organizations. Also partner with long distance organizations for research and alternative breaks. Partnering with other area law schools Duke: VITA partnership with NC Central, and Cancer Project with UNC-CH

12 Training to Provide Pro Bono Service

13 Training Marquette: In person training for six projects each semester Focus on access to justice issues (the big picture) Substantive law related to the opportunity (usually led by local volunteer attorney) Professionalism/ethical considerations Role play of student role in project Trainings recorded for online viewing mid-semester with a simple (often humor-infused) quiz to keep students focused on the video Ongoing supervision at in-house clinics by pro bono staff (administrator and adjunct staff)

14 Training: Online Option

15 Tracking Pro Bono Hours

16 Pro Bono Hours Tracking Duke: In-house designed web-based tracking program UC Irvine: Also an in-house designed web-based system, which students also use to rank pro bono project preferences, and receive project assignments. Marquette: Volunteer management software called Vsys Approx $3000 purchase price, ~$600 annual fee Students log in to enter hours, view hours, schedule shifts (for some opportunities only) Sophisticated mail merge, reporting and data sorting capabilities Missouri: Symplicity

17 UC Irvine Tracking System: Ranking Projects Students can review all pre-approved pro bono projects, and rank their project preferences.

18 UC Irvine Tracking System: Pro Bono Code Students must agree to the Pro Bono Code before submitting project preferences.

19 UC Irvine Tracking System: Tracking Time Once students are assigned to a project, they can track hours on the system. The Program also collects information about the students (phone number, language skills) and the supervisors.

20 UC Irvine Tracking System: Verifying Time The final step is for students to check a box indicating that they verify the hours (supervisors do NOT need to approve hours) The hours are then submitted, and must be approved by staff of the Pro Bono Program. Staff of the Program can run reports on students language skills, supervisor information, project assignments, and hours.

21 Marquette: Signing Up for Shifts Students indicate preferred shifts and are scheduled accordingly.

22 Marquette: Tracking Hours Students personal accounts let them view their pro bono clinic schedule and their credited hours. Students self-report hours online.

23 Marquette: Creating Reports How many students completed or are close to completing the pledge? How many have been trained for a certain project? How many participated last semester? Last year? In the last three years? Who has between 40 and 50 hours? Who signed up for training but did not come? Send mass mailings with data fields.

24 Missouri: Tracking Pro Bono Hours

25 Missouri: Tracking Pro Bono Hours

26 Incentivizing and Rewarding Participation

27 Incentivizing and Recognizing Pro Bono Irvine: Publicity: Work with Communications department; Create blog or newsletter. Use pro bono students as speakers at Admitted Students Day, orientation, and pro bono kickoff. Year End ceremony with a slideshow and awards (certificates for meeting minimum goal + larger awards for most hours, leadership, and community partners). Other Awards apply! Graduation Recognition Transcript notation Graduation regalia (gold cords for 120+ hours; gold stole for 200+ hours)

28 Incentivizing and Recognizing Pro Bono Marquette: Pro Bono Honor Society Graduation honor cord and listed in graduation materials Listed in bar association magazines, and honored for pro bono achievements at bar events Student Advisory Board Duke: Honor cord or pin at graduation Dinner with the Dean

29 Building the Value of Pro Bono Programs

30 Promoting Pro Bono: Value-Raising Highlight career services benefits ABA grant for pro bono project Alumni support/gifts Good press Admissions considerations Pro Bono service as a curricular component

31 Join Equal Justice Works for Part III Join us in November! Developing a Law School Pro Bono Program: Working with External Partners Details and registration information: