GETTING INVOLVED IN PRO BONO Office of Public Interest 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 Grossman Copyright 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 placements Copyright 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: Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law

WCL Pro Bono Honors Pledge Program  Honors  Level of honors Honors: hours Outstanding Service Honors: 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 Interest Suite (phone) (fax) Copyright 2008 American University Washington College of Law