Why Pro Bono
For some students, the fact that they are providing desperately needed legal services to people who cannot afford them is sufficient reason. Doing pro bono work enables law students to touch and change the lives of others. Many students came to law school with the goal of helping people; doing pro bono work can help them reconnect to the motivation that brought them here.
Pro bono legal work can also advance your professional development and career planning goals. For example, performing pro bono legal work can help you better understand the substantive issues you are studying in your courses. Trying to use the law to help clients achieve their goals, pro bono volunteers learn about the power--and the limits--of the law and the lawyer’s role in resolving complex problems associate with poverty and powerlessness.
In addition, pro bono legal work can enhance marketable skills that you will need as practicing lawyers. For instance, pro bono programs offer great “hands on” experiences – such as interviewing and counseling clients, drafting pleadings, negotiating deals, or appearing in court – that are very attractive to prospective employers. Pro bono legal work can also help you identify areas of practice you may (or may not) wish to pursue when you graduate. Finally, pro bono legal volunteers meet practicing lawyers who may be helpful to them as they consider and search for employment opportunities.
