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Laurie Barron Director, the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service

THE ROLE OF LAW SCHOOLS IN FOSTERING COMMITMENT TO PRO BONO PUBLICO. Laurie Barron Director, the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service Roger Williams University School of Law. PUBLIC INTEREST LAW ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Laurie Barron Director, the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service

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  1. THE ROLE OF LAW SCHOOLS IN FOSTERING COMMITMENT TO PRO BONO PUBLICO Laurie Barron Director, the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service Roger Williams University School of Law

  2. PUBLIC INTEREST LAW ____________________________________________________________________________________________ AT ROGER WILLIAMS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW • The Feinstein Institute for Legal Service • 1997: Creation of the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service • through major gift from the Feinstein Foundation • Mission of the Institute: To instill the ethic of pro bono • publico in our graduates • The Institute now administers: • Public Interest & Judicial Externship Programs • Public Interest Programs (speaker series, summer stipend, LRAP) • Public Service Program (20 hour law-related public service • graduation requirement) • Community Partnerships • Pro Bono Collaborative

  3. TEN YEARS ____________________________________________________________________________________________ OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE PROGRAM • 1997-2007 • Expanded pro bono placements from 6 to over 30 • Developed placements in non-profits, government agencies, legal services, private firms and legislative offices • Created law school-community partnerships to expand law school presence in the local community and address unmet legal need • 2000 Graduates • Average Pro Bono Hours: 34 • Percentage of students completing over 60 hours: 8% • 2007 Graduates • Average Pro Bono Hours: 59 • Percentage of students • completing over 60 hours: 25%

  4. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ____________________________________________________________________________________________ PRO BONO PLACEMENTS • Non-profits (Legal Services, Public Policy Organizations, Mediation) • Private Firms (Pro Bono Collaborative, Bar Volunteer Lawyer Program Cases) • Government (State Commissions & Agencies, City Legal Departments. AG. PD) • Legislative(State Legislative Policy Office, Individual State and Federal Legislators) • Group Projects (Special Education Project, Prison Projects)

  5. OPPORTUNITIES FOR PUBLIC SERVICE ____________________________________________________________________________________________ COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS • Volunteer Income Tax Assistance: tax clinic for low-income taxpayers at community-based organizations • Street Law: partnership with the Thurgood Marshall Law Society (minority bar) to offer law-related education in urban public high schools • RI Medical Partnership for Children: partnership with RI Legal Services, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Brown Medical School to offer legal services in health settings • Univocal Coalition: coalition of organizations representing minority communities in legislative efforts

  6. FOSTERING COMMITMENT ____________________________________________________________________________________________ EXPANDING PRO BONO OPPORTUNTIES THROUGH LAW SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS • Helping to Assess Legal Need through Community • Partnerships • Connecting Law Students with Pro Bono Opportunities • through Involvement of the Law School in the Community • Encouraging Law Firm Commitment to Pro Bono through • the Pro Bono Collaborative

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