Share Your Experiences
"The Pro Bono Program is a tangible example of BU Law's commitment to encouraging students to use their skills and education to give back to the community. Through the Pro Bono Program, I had the opportunity to assist indigent criminal defendants in New Orleans and to help Gulf Coast residents secure pro bono legal counsel to represent them against FEMA." - Kristina Petronko, Class of '08
"Every time I walk into the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans I have a similar amalgam of emotions. Devastation. Anger. Hope. Confusion. Betrayal. Smallness. Bigness. Amazement. Fear. Separation. The overwhelming power of the experience is undeniable and indescribable. And, as I continue to experience it over and over again, it would seem the emotions would subside, but instead it becomes increasingly powerful. Seeing what has happened on the ground, speaking with those most affected, witnessing the families living on the street, and experiencing the apathy of a nation amplifies the emotions in a way words can't convey. The cynicism is inescapable and the need is ever-increasing.
But, through all this, I'm always amazed by the resiliency of the people of New Orleans. I'm amazed by their perseverance. I'm amazed by their ability to overcome the worst. It is this all-encompassing will and ability to adapt that comforts me. Because of this I am certain that the people of New Orleans will bring their city back. They will overcome the complete failure of their government. They will overcome the generations of racism and classism. They will overcome the short attention span of the media. Most importantly, they will overcome the apathy of their country. The people will return, the people will rebuild, and the people will improve their own future." – Jon Anderman, Class of ‘08
"My name is Maggie Weir, and I completed pro-bono work at Accion International. I was thrilled to work with an international organization that is focused on microfinance initiatives in the United States and abroad. As an LL.M. student at BU, it was very gratifying to see the collaboration of law and banking within the legal department, in an organization that is actively working toward allieviating poverty. Founded in 1961 as a student-run volunteer effort in Venezuela, the organization today works with a network of lending partners in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the United States. As a legal intern, I was able to work on projects that directly impact a global organization, while contributing time to a cause that matched my own values. Interested independently in microfinance issues, this is one of the few organizations in the Boston area where I could get practical exposure to the field. I found the legal team at Accion approachable, friendly and helpful. I was given significant responsibility and projects that kept me interested and engaged throughout the semester. As the committment drew to a close, I looked back upon the experience as a positive use of my time, and only regretted that I could not work with the organization further. If I were able, I would have worked with there long-term, since their organizational goals are admirable and sustainable - and since my experience at the time was so positive. I could not recommend the organization more for a future student's pro bono committment. I can only say that I hope the organization benefited from my service to them, as I benefited from the time spent in their legal department." - Maggie Weir, Class of 2008
“Doing pro bono work gives students a way to try out different aspects of the law without having to commit to a full time job. Since being at BU I've traveled to New Orleans with the Student Hurricane Network, worked on criminal record reform with the CORI Project, and helped veterans with civil legal issues through Shelter Legal Services. The CDO has been encouraging the students to get more involved in both the local and national community through pro bono work and it is wonderful to see so many students take advantage of these opportunities to help others while getting legal experience for themselves.” – Tracy Walts, Class of 2008
“Now when I network, attend interviews, or interact with public interest lawyers, I am able to point to a concrete way that BU has supported my public interest work.”- Margaret Barusch, Class of 2009
“The BU Law Pro Bono Program has helped me to reconnect the public interest and community work I have been involved in with my education at BU.” - Margaret Barusch, Class of 2009
"Pro bono work provided me the opportunity to serve as an advocate for communities affected by environmental hazards and to ensure that government agencies tasked with protecting the environment are meeting their obligations. I want to thank BUSL for providing encouragement and recognition those who invest their time and energy in pro bono service." – Joseph Osborne, Class of 2008
"I have found volunteering at the Legal Services Center very fulfilling. Prior to pursuing my LL.M. at B.U., I was an associate attorney at two law firms. While I learned a lot at these positions, I would feel drained at the end of a hard work day. In contrast, at the end of a particularly hectic and busy day at the Legal Services Center, I feel fulfilled. I know that I am helping someone that really needs my help (and the clients that I have had at the Legal Services Center are some of the most appreciative clients that I have ever had)." – Colin Darke, LL.M. Class of ‘08
“Over the last three years, I have had a number of pro bono opportunities that have enhanced my legal education. My first year, I volunteered with Shelter Legal Services, which gave me my first experiences in counseling clients. I further developed those skills during the summer after my first year, at the Hale and Dorr Legal Services Center. There, I counseled non-profits and small businesses in the Boston area. In my second year, I chose to enter the field of estate planning, so I volunteered with Community Tax Aid in Boston. Not only did CTA give me an opportunity to help low-income people in the Boston area, but it allowed me to put the tax concepts I had learned in the classroom to work. And as a summer associate in 2007, I worked with a low-income identity theft victim to defend a judgment by a credit card company. My experiences have convinced me that pro bono work is not just the right thing to do for the community, but it is also a valuable educational tool.” – Carissa Wright Brown, Class of ‘08
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.