Notes & Comments
Uncompenensated
“Uncompensated” means that the student will not receive academic credit, money, or any other type of compensation. Hours in excess of those required for Clinic or Externship Placement credit units will qualify, however, so long as the other criteria are met.
Law-related
“Law-related work” is broadly construed. Up to 10 hours each academic year may be counted towards pro bono for community outreach and administrative work furthering pro bono activities.
Supervised
“Supervision of an attorney” is defined as followed: A licensed attorney must ensure that students receive appropriate training, guidance, and evaluation, as well as review all student work product before it is provided to clients or presented to the community, whether orally or in writing. While constant, physical presence may not be necessary, the supervisor should be readily accessible to answer questions that may arise in the course of the students’ work. Finally, the supervisor must ensure compliance with all applicable ethics rules and laws.
Training time
Training hours are only recognized if students perform the substantive legal work for which they are trained. Up to ten hours of training time (total over the course of the students’ time in law school) will qualify; training in excess of ten hours does not qualify.
Travel
Travel time does not qualify.
Generally excluded
Examples of other work that does not qualify:
- work for student organizations and journals,
- scholarship,
- fundraising,
- partisan political activities, and
- community service that is not related to the law (e.g., volunteering at a homeless shelter).
Summer Work
Work performed during a summer internship or job does not qualify as pro bono even if it is unpaid and otherwise satisfies the law Pro Bono definition.
Pro Bono work performed over the summer that is not part of a full- or part-time internship/job may qualify. Examples of work that will always qualify include:
- Pro Bono Executive committee work in preparation for the Fall and Spring terms;
- Continued pro bono work with an approved project; and
- Pro Bono opportunities advertised through the Pro Bono Program Opportunities email list.
Students should confirm whether other summer work qualifies as pro bono with the Director of the Pro Bono Program.