var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || []; googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.pubads().disableInitialLoad(); });
device = device.default;
//this function refreshes [adhesion] ad slot every 60 second and makes prebid bid on it every 60 seconds // Set timer to refresh slot every 60 seconds function setIntervalMobile() { if (!device.mobile()) return if (adhesion) setInterval(function(){ googletag.pubads().refresh([adhesion]); }, 60000); } if(device.desktop()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.tablet()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } else if(device.mobile()) { googletag.cmd.push(function() { leaderboard_top = googletag.defineSlot('/22018898626/LC_Article_detail_page', [320, 50], 'div-gpt-ad-1591620860846-0').setTargeting('pos', ['1']).setTargeting('div_id', ['leaderboard_top']).addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.pubads().collapseEmptyDivs(); googletag.enableServices(); }); } googletag.cmd.push(function() { // Enable lazy loading with... googletag.pubads().enableLazyLoad({ // Fetch slots within 5 viewports. // fetchMarginPercent: 500, fetchMarginPercent: 100, // Render slots within 2 viewports. // renderMarginPercent: 200, renderMarginPercent: 100, // Double the above values on mobile, where viewports are smaller // and users tend to scroll faster. mobileScaling: 2.0 }); });
Download App | FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
 Upload Your Resume   Employers / Post Jobs 

University of Oregon School of Law Pro Bono Program Wins State Bar Association Award - Recognition & Impact in Legal Pro Bono Services

published April 16, 2023

Published By
( 18 votes, average: 4.6 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.
Summary

The University of Oregon School of Law recently won the State Bar Association's Pro Bono Award in recognition of its legal aid and pro bono services. The award is given to an organization, law firm, lawyer, or law school that has demonstrated an exceptional commitment to providing pro bono services to the public.


The University of Oregon School of Law has long been committed to providing free legal aid to those in need in the local community. It has established several pro bono programs, including a legal clinic, an externship program, an annual pro bono publico award, and a student-run legal aid program. Through these programs, students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, while providing assistance to those in need.

The award recognizes the University of Oregon School of Law's dedication to providing free legal assistance. Since its founding, the school has made pro bono service a priority, and has worked with the local bar association and legal aid groups to expand the level of service available to those in need.

The Pro Bono Award was presented to the University of Oregon School of Law by the Oregon State Bar Association (OSBA). The award is given annually to an organization or individual that has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to providing pro bono services. This year, the University of Oregon School of Law was selected for its dedication to providing quality legal aid and its continued focus on working with the legal aid groups and community organizations to provide assistance to those in need.

The University of Oregon School of Law is committed to providing access to justice and pro bono services to the public and is honored to receive the OSBA Pro Bono Award. This award is a testament to the university's dedication to helping those in their community who may not otherwise have access to legal aid. The University of Oregon School of Law will continue to work with local legal aid organizations to provide free legal assistance to those in need.

The University of Oregon School of Law's Pro Bono Program recently won the State Bar Association's (OSBA) Pro Bono Award in recognition of its exemplary commitment to providing free legal aid and services to those in need throughout the local community. Through their various pro bono programs, students are given the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, while providing assistance to those in need. The award recognizes the University's dedication to providing access to justice and pro bono services to the public and is a testament to the university's commitment to helping those in their community. It is an honor for the university to receive the OSBA Pro Bono Award, and the university will continue to work with local legal aid organizations to ensure that all people have access to quality legal services.
 

University of Oregon School of Law Wins State Bar Association Award

The University of Oregon School of Law was recently recognized by the Oregon State Bar Association for its exemplary pro bono program. This is the second time the School of Law has won the award, having previously won it in 1998.

The pro bono program at the University of Oregon School of Law encourages students to provide legal services to those in need who are not able to afford legal representation. In 2018, the program facilitated over 1600 hours of pro bono work.
 

Award Highlights Commitment to Public Service

The award recognizes the commitment of the University of Oregon School of Law to public service. The school's pro bono program, which is one of the most extensive in the nation, is designed to teach students the importance of providing legal services to people in need. According to the American Bar Association, every law student should have the opportunity to assist in providing legal services to those who need it.
 

Outstanding Service Provided by Students

The pro bono program at the University of Oregon School of Law has seen the outstanding work of its students in a variety of areas, including immigration and refugee law, criminal justice, civil rights, environmental justice, and domestic violence. The program enables law students to become proficient in the field of public service while helping those in need.

The thousands of hours worked by Oregon Law students were done on a truly volunteer basis, since pro bono work is not required for graduation. The bar association will present a plaque to the law student who worked the highest number of pro bono hours.

Pro bono work gives a law student "an instant sense of gratification," says Jane Steckbeck, Associate Director for Career Service a the law school and Pro Bono Service Director. There are real life problems that the law students can help to solve, and this serves to take the law out of the textbook and "make it real" for the student, she says.

The University of Oregon School of Law's pro bono program gives a certificate to any student who completes 40 hours of pro bono work over the three years of law school. This year, 65 out of about 180 third-year law students will receive the certificate.

Currently, students simply have to choose a venue in which to work, start working there, and track their hours, have a supervisor sign off on those hours, and then notify the career services office. The program will move to an honor system soon to mirror the reporting requirements for the Oregon Bar's Pro Bono Challenge. The Bar asks that students record their hours on line, with no confirming signature required. The law school will follow the same model, but it will also conduct spot checks with organizations to confirm student hours, says Steckbeck.

Last week, the law school had an awards ceremony of its own, recognizing students who had worked 40 hours or more in the program and lauding the members of each class who had worked the most hours, with a special award for most impact made.

Third-year Misha Dunlap worked the longest pro bono stretch in her year, clocking 530 hours working for clients at the law firm of Lauren Regan. Tippi Pearse topped the second-years, working 520 pro bono hours for the Multnomah County District Attorney. And Jeremy Dickman won the award for greatest impact for his work in the Street Law program.

Oregon Law is working to increase the number of in-house pro bono opportunities available to students, says Steckbeck, as part of the effort to encourage more students to participate in the program. One example of an in-house program is Street Law, which sends law students to local high school classrooms to teach students about their constitutional rights in a practical context.

Another in-house program at the law school is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). A law school alum comes to the school and teaches an IRS-supplied curriculum over the course of four Saturdays, giving law students certification to do tax preparation. Law students then assist low-income and elderly clients with filing their income taxes.

The Oregon Law program allows for a "broad definition" of pro bono work, says Steckbeck, saying that Legal Aid is not for everyone. The goal of the program is to "cultivate that service ethic," she says. "Where students are doing that is less of a concern."

Above and beyond giving back to the community, and possibly winning an award, doing pro bono work can both focus and forward a student's career goals, says Steckbeck. One law student, who graduated last year, came to Steckbeck as a first-year and told her that she was unsure about her career goals. Steckbeck recommended that the student work with victims of domestic violence. The student did the work pro bono during the summer after her first year and then in a paid position for her second summer. Now, the student wants to pursue this path professionally. The pro bono work "helped shape a career," says Steckbeck.

In another example, Steckbeck tells of a student who did a federal judicial clerkship two summers ago in Washington, DC. While the student worked full time for the judge, he also did 40 hours of pro bono work for Catholic Charities that summer. He cited this work in a cover letter to a large law firm to demonstrate his commitment to public service, and he will start at the firm after graduation.

Sometimes, pro bono work can help a student define what he or she does not want to do in a future legal career. One student Steckbeck knows was sure, at the start of law school, that work with juveniles was her vocation. The student did pro bono work with the Juvenile Rights Project, in Portland and, by her third year, felt burnt out on the field. The student went on to work in mainstream legal aid, says Steckbeck, and now "she is loving it."

Overall, Steckbeck says, "The things these students do are impressive. Public service is the heart and soul of the law."

Learn the 10 Factors That Matter to Big Firms More Than Where You Went to Law School

published April 16, 2023

( 18 votes, average: 4.6 out of 5)
What do you think about this article? Rate it using the stars above and let us know what you think in the comments below.