The Virtues of Law School Pro Bono

We’re a little behind.  The May, 2010 edition of the ABA Law Student Division’s Student Lawyer magazine just wound its way to our desk.  Here’s the magazine’s electronic home (some content is password protected, accessible to Law Student Division members and other subscribers).

The lead featured article is focused on law student pro bono.  “Don’t Wait to Work Pro Bono,” written by Prof. Mark E. Wojcik of the John Marshall Law School in Chicago, explains how pro bono fits into the rubric of attorneys’ ethical obligations, reviews some of the motivations for doing pro bono (which run from the entirely altruistic to the altruistic-but-also-self-serving), and explores the benefits that pro bono service offers.  The piece also offers resources for law students who wish to engage in pro bono service while in school, and reviews how to avoid “unauthorized practice of law” problems in performing pro bono before becoming a licensed attorney.

Some noteworthy info about law school pro bono programs (from the article):

  • 36 ABA-accredited schools have pro bono or public service graduation requirements;
  • 111 ABA-accredited schools have an administratively supported pro bono program

On a related note, last week the PSLawNet Blog highlighted a highly successful pro bono collaboration between the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law and Southern Arizona Legal Aid.