BU Law Public Service Programs
Public service is woven throughout the BU Law experience, and there are myriad ways you can engage in public service during your time here. These include:
Pro Bono Program
You can participate in BU Law’s pro bono program by volunteering to provide law-related service to persons of limited means or to organizations that serve them or other underrepresented groups. JD students who complete the pro bono pledge by performing at least 50 hours of pro bono work during law school are recognized with a special designation on their transcripts; LLM students can satisfy the pledge by completing 18 hours.
Pro Bono Trips
Each year, BU Law sponsors Spring Break Pro Bono Service Trips across the US, placing groups of students at non-profit legal organizations, where they assist attorneys representing low-income clients with a variety of legal issues, ranging from foreclosure prevention to deportation issues.
Public Interest Law Society
You can get involved with the Public Interest Law Society (PILS), one of the oldest, largest, and most active student organizations at the law school. PILS’s mission is to foster students’ commitment to non-profit, government, and pro bono work and to promote community service. PILS organizes networking events, discussions and panels on public interest opportunities, and coordinates community service activities.
Public Interest Retreat
The Public Interest Retreat is an annual event planned by BU Law students with the support of faculty and staff. The retreat is an opportunity for students interested in public interest law to connect with one another while engaging with leaders in the field and learning about emerging legal issues and approaches to public interest lawyering. Programming includes community building exercises, workshops on topics ranging from direct representation to movement lawyering, and discussions about how to plan for a career in the public interest.
Public Interest Scholars
The Boston University School of Law Public Interest Scholarship program provides scholarship awards from $40,000 to full-tuition for all three years to a number of JD students who have demonstrated their desire to pursue a career in public interest law. Public Interest Scholars are an important part of the public interest community here at BU Law and our alumni go on to make an impact in a variety of legal fields.
Public Service Fellowships
Since 2010, the School of Law has awarded year-long BU Law Public Service Fellowships to select members of the graduating class of JD students to support their work at under-resourced public interest and government organizations across the US and abroad, including Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Immigration Project, New York State Attorney General’s Office, Greater Boston Legal Services, Florida Public Defenders Office, Asylum Ecuador, and California Rural Legal Services.
Clinics
You can gain real-world legal experience in public service settings in a number of BU Law’s clinics. Opportunities include prosecuting or defending criminal cases in Boston or neighboring Quincy, representing clients of Boston Legal Services in civil matters, assisting victims of human trafficking, advocating for immigrants’ rights, or working for the state or federal government.
Pro Bono News
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December 22, 2023 Reflecting on 2023
Key moments from this year.
While this year presented its fair share of challenges, it also offered opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. The BU [More]