Testimonials: Share Your Experiences
“The NOLA pro bono trip reaffirmed my commitment to helping the community and provided me my first opportunity to use my legal skills in a truly meaningful way. During my time at Legal Services, the persistent social and economic disparities within the city became very evident. I assisted the Government and Employment Benefits Unit where I had the opportunity to do client intake, research issues, prepare memorandum, and attend case review at the end of the week. I met potential client after client that had had their SSI benefits terminated, been denied health insurance, had been wrongfully terminated, etc.
Getting to know my fellow pro bono trip members was also truly inspiring. The group was a great mix of passionate individuals with whom I was truly honored to share the pro bono trip experience. We exchanged stories from our placements and the 2Ls were generous with career and general law school advice. It was exciting to meet other BU law students who are dedicated to pro bono work and share a similar progressive attitude. I know that we will all go on to do great work in other places, and hopefully always take a piece of NOLA with us.” Samantha Rauer - Class of 2013
“BU Law’s pro bono trip to Harlingen, Texas [working with ProBar] stands out as one of the most transformative experiences of my legal education. I had done immigration law research and writing in my second summer and knew that it was a field of interest to me, but the pro bono trip both solidified my desire to work in some capacity with immigrants and introduced me to others who are passionate about immigration issues.” Beth Goldstein - Class of 2011
“Spending my spring break volunteering at Michigan Legal Services (MLS) was extremely rewarding. Our spring break coincides exactly with MLS’ busiest time of the year. They were truly grateful for the help we were able to give them by serving so many clients in need. As a 3L, I was glad that I was able to counsel clients effectively and quickly gain a solid grasp of the basics of foreclosure and property tax law in Wayne County, Michigan. The need was truly great. So many people’s homes were jeopardy of going into foreclosure. Driving around Detroit, we had already seen the corrosive effect of widespread vacancies on Detroit neighborhoods. In helping our clients avoid foreclosure, I felt we were helping to stem the tide of neighborhood destruction.” Adrian Angus – Class of 2011
“I had the incredible opportunity to travel to Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri to get a first hand look at death penalty litigation, one that I would otherwise have never experienced. Going to Kansas City, I knew that I would be meeting with inmates and working with a group of dedicated individuals in situations I had never before encountered, but I had no knowledge of the quality of people I would meet that would leave me with lasting impressions and memories.
As our Pro Bono trip leader pointed out, Progress, in the big sense of the word, may not be so easily achieved, but that truly connecting with other people is a significant step within itself. This was evident at the Death Penalty Litigation Clinic, and I can attest to the progress made daily through the monstrous efforts emanating from those I worked with in recognition of the crucial work that needs to be done in mitigating injustices within our legal system.” Katharine Schanz – Class of 2012
“I came to law school with a background in education policy and an interest in finding and exploring the area where that intersected with the law. Though I've danced around this intersection for years, my spring break pro bono placement at the Center for Law and Education
(CLE) was my first real exposure to that nexus in a practical sense.
Spending the week with Kathleen Boundy, Co-Director of CLE and head of the Boston office, and two other BU law students was an incredible experience and one which re-affirmed, one hundred percent, my desire to pursue a career in the field of education law." Sarah Rubin - Class of 2013
“By far the most valuable part of the trip for me was the insight I got into the workings of my future profession. I was working with a lawyer at Southeast Louisiana Legal Services who was helping people affected by 2010’s oil spill file claims against Transocean, BP, as well as get reimbursed by the Gulf Coast Claims Facility (GCCF). In my work, I had to navigate different legal issues and translate my writing, research, and language skills into practical use that really impacted people’s lives. The experience left me with a refreshing dose of perspective that not only brought the purpose of my studies into focus, but also made me look forward to becoming a lawyer.” Rebecca Wirakesuma - Class of 2013
Please let us know about your pro bono work. We need your feedback about organizations/agencies to better advise students. We also would like to post some quotes on this website to inspire and inform the BU Law community. Please send an email to probono@bu.edu to share your pro bono experiences, thoughts, or inquirires.