As the Twig Is Bent: Law Student Insights Regarding Pro Bono and Public Interest Law

We talked to law students about how to get more people interested in public interest legal jobs and doing pro bono work. We were surprised that even the students who want to make a lot of money as lawyers had good ideas. We will share their suggestions and figure out who in the legal profession can make them happen. A report in 2008 found that fewer lawyers were doing volunteer legal work for people who can’t afford it. The reasons included lawyers being busy with family, work, and other community service, as well as not knowing about available programs. The report suggested that law schools should encourage students to do volunteer legal work early on, so they will be more likely to do it after they graduate. Law schools in Florida want to increase the number of students who do free legal work for people who can’t afford a lawyer. They want to do this by having lawyers who already do free work talk to law students about why it’s important. They also want to make sure that students have a good experience doing free legal work while they’re in school, so they’ll want to do it when they become lawyers. The schools also have programs where students can work with legal aid organizations, and they want to make sure that students continue to do this kind of work after they graduate. Some students are worried about paying back their student loans, so they feel pressured to get high-paying jobs at big law firms. But the schools want to encourage students to consider doing free legal work instead. Law students in Florida are trying to improve the legal field by encouraging law firms to support students who want to work in public interest law. They want law schools to teach about professionalism and give students more chances to work with real clients. They also want more help for students who want to work in public service and can’t afford to because of their student loans. Law students need more awareness about their duty to help people who can’t afford a lawyer. They should be told about this duty before they start law school. Nonprofits and law firms also need to do a better job of telling students about public interest work. Students should have more chances to work with people who need legal help, so they understand the importance of this work. This will encourage more students to do public interest or pro bono work after they graduate. Are private law firms really committed to helping people in need? Do they hire students based on their commitment to public service, or just to check a box? Some firms have programs that let their lawyers work at legal aid organizations, but not all firms do this. Law students want to work at firms that care about helping others, not just making money. Law schools debate about whether public interest and pro bono work should be required or voluntary for students. Most students think it should be mandatory but should also come with academic credit. They also want the programs to help with finding jobs after graduation. Some students worry that mandatory service hours might cause resentment, but others think it’s important to make it a requirement. The students also want their teachers to participate in pro bono work and to incorporate real-life cases into their first-year legal courses. The students had a great experience in their summer internships and externships at different law offices in South Florida. They learned a lot and are now more committed to helping people who can’t afford legal assistance. They hope to spread the word to their classmates. Some of their ideas and suggestions could help improve public interest and pro bono services in the legal profession. They believe that how law students are educated can shape them as future lawyers. Law schools have programs where students can work on real legal cases to help people who can’t afford a lawyer. This helps students learn and get interested in helping the public. After the 2008 recession, job prospects for lawyers have been tough and some law students have even sued their schools. The private law firms that pay the most money don’t always give new lawyers the chance to work on real cases. But public service jobs, like working for the government or helping people for free, do give new lawyers that chance. Some people think that working for the government is not as prestigious as working for a fancy law firm, but it’s just as important. You can find more information about these programs at www.equaljusticeworks.org/resources/student-debt-relief. The authors admit they didn’t read the lawyer’s oath before law school. Visiting a legal aid group helps students understand access to justice issues. There may be delays for students to intern in court. There are resources available for placing law firm attorneys in public interest organizations. The “One Campaign” asks every Florida lawyer to take a pro bono case and offers training and resources to help. The first text talks about how some people at a law firm believe that the meaning of life is just working really hard with people you don’t like, and that anyone who looks for meaning in other places will just end up disappointed. The second text talks about two people, Jan L. Jacobowitz and Judge Vance E. Salter, who have done a lot of good work helping people with legal issues for free. “We want to teach our members to do their jobs well, help the community, and make the legal system better.”

Source: https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-journal/as-the-twig-is-bent-law-student-insights-regarding-pro-bono-and-public-interest-law/