Pro Bono / Public Interest Programs

 PUBLIC INTEREST AUCTION ITEMS - AUCTION, FRIDAY, APRIL 5 - ALL INVITED

Recognizing that attorneys are called to be of service to the community, the college of law has established the following programs to encourage students in this high calling of our profession.

Pro Bono Voluntary Program – Second and Third year law students are encouraged to engage in pro bono legal services to the community. Students who complete thirty (30) hours of pro bono work during the fall, spring or summer semester will have a notation on their transcript that they did pro bono work while in law school. Opportunities for pro bono service include, but are not limited to the following: VITA (Tax Assistance to the Elderly), the Ohio Northern Legal Clinic, Legal Aid Programs, Street Law, Public Defender and Prosecutor Programs.

To sign up for the pro bono program, fill out the Pro Bono Registration Form. For programs listed on form, get the signature of the supervising faculty member and hand in the form to the front office. For non-listed programs, fill out the form and see the Associate Dean for approval.

On the last day of class for the semester, submit time sheets showing at least 30 hours of service, signed by the supervisor at the placement site. Submit these to the Associate Dean’s secretary in the front office. The registrar will then be directed to make a notation on the student’s transcript, for example, “Pro Bono Service: Legal Aid.” Such a notation will be made for each semester in which 30 hours of pro bono service are completed.

STUDENT PUBLIC INTEREST FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION (Link at the bottom of this page)– Students with an interest in a career of public interest employment may be awarded summer stipends for volunteer work during the summer. Since 1994, $90,000 in summer grants have been awarded. Students have worked in immigration services, legal services to the poor, public defender offices, farmworker legal services, and as parent advocates in dependency and neglect cases. Money for these stipends is raised at the law school’s annual Public Interest Auction, held in the spring of each year, supplemented by matching donations from alumni and others.

Additional Stipend Application information is posted under the student link, under Public Interest and inquiries may be made to the Law Career Services Office.

2012 Stipend Recipients - Isabel Machie, Amy Biegemann, Andrew Pugley, Lisa Homan, Nina Salazar, Steve Sneed, Justin MacCanan, Jared Baker, Yelena  Grinshpun, Jesse Rifflie

Proceeds from the Annual Law Career Services Public Interest Auction funds the Public Interest Fellowship Program and the stipends which are awarded annually to ONU law students interested in pursuing a Public Interest career. 

DONATION FORM  (Link at the bottom of this page)  The 2013 Public Interest Auction will be Friday, April 5, 2013.  Donations are being accepted in Law Career Services at this time.      

PUBLIC INTEREST BROCHURE  See link to brochure at bottom of this page for more information.

 PUBLIC INTEREST AUCTION ITEMS - AUCTION, FRIDAY, APRIL 5 - ALL INVITED