FAQ for Students
Michigan's Pro Bono Pledge encourages student pro bono work for two main reasons: 1) to expose students to a range of legal issues and give them an invaluable experience that will shape their education, and 2) to help students make contacts with professionals already working in a field of law that they may pursue.
In fact, it's likely that you will get as much, if not more, out of the projects than the organizations requesting your help, including practical experience with case preparation, research and writing skills, professionalism, leadership, networking, client contact, and interviewing skills – basically, all of those skills that are easier to teach in the "real world" than the classroom. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to explore a practice area that interests you without having to spend one of your summers or class choices trying it out.
There is actually a third reason for the Pledge—to familiarize students with their professional legal obligation to their communities and underserved populations while they’re still in school. The American Bar Association (ABA) Rule 6.1 states that "every lawyer has a professional responsibility to provide legal services to those unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year."
Michigan's Pro Bono Pledge asks students to perform 50 hours or more of "qualifying" pro bono work over their three years in law school.
To qualify for the Pledge, students’ work must be:
- law related;
- supervised or approved by an attorney;
- provided to the client free of charge or at a substantially reduced rate;
- not for credit and uncompensated;
- at least 10 of the 50 hours must be completed while classes are in session; and
- provided to underrepresented persons, interests, or communities on behalf of a non-profit or government organization approved by the Office of Public Service.
Graduating students performing at least 50 hours of pro bono work will receive a Certificate of Pro Bono Service from the Dean, recognition at an annual pro bono banquet, and acknowledgment during the Honors Convocation.
The Office of Public Service has created a password-protected online database where non-profits and government agencies post projects and students log in to select the project(s) of their choice. The projects include both long-term and short-term assignments, and are offered by our own student groups, local and national non-profit organizations, and law firms engaging in pro bono work through a non-profit. You can even work with OPS to create a pro bono project with an organization of your choosing. Visit our Pro Bono Project Listings to see the variety for yourself!
Yes, LL.M.s must complete 25 hours to satisfy the Pledge.
Yes. Many 1Ls have done so quite successfully, reporting that pro bono work kept them grounded in the midst of the fairly theoretical first-year courses. However, please note that some 1Ls find that pro bono work is too much to take one while they are also trying to navigate classes and a new environment, especially during the first semester. Please think about your own personality and study needs/habits before committing to help an organization.
No, it is a voluntary pledge.
Of course! The total number of hours you complete will be placed on the certificate you receive from the Dean after graduation.
Yes, while volunteer work of all types is valuable and a great way to connect with the community, lawyers (and soon-to-be lawyers) have special skills that no other community member can duplicate. Thus, while we encourage you to be as active in the community as you would like to be, the Pledge is specifically aimed at encouraging our students to think about their professional legal obligations, in law school and beyond.
No, training hours and travel time do not count. You should only count hours that you are actually working on a project.
No, the work must be uncompensated and not for academic credit.
While we recognize that students often go above and beyond the call of duty during their clinical or externship experiences, there is no easy way to calculate how many hours above the “norm” a student has gone. However, if you keep a case beyond the semester, or stay on at your externship, you may count those hours toward the Pledge, as long as you are not receiving additional credit for your efforts. For example, if you take the Child Advocacy Clinic during the fall semester, but you conduct a trial in an ongoing case during the winter semester, you may count the hours toward your Pledge provided you do not receive academic credit for that work.
Yes, while a student must complete at least 10 hours of pro bono work during the semester (while classes are in session) to satisfy the Pledge, the remaining 40 hours may be completed during the summer, between terms, or during winter break, so long as the work otherwise meets the criteria above.
Examples of this include:
- If you are working for a firm and complete a pro bono assignment, it would not qualify under the Pledge, since it was done for compensation in the normal course of your job duties. However, if your firm offered an optional opportunity to assist at an advice and referral clinic, outside of your work hours or on a weekend, the hours spent (up to 40 hours) would qualify under the Pledge.
- If you receive the Dean’s Fellowship, an SFF grant, the Public Service Guarantee, or other summer funding, your summer job at a non-profit would not count toward the Pledge because you are receiving compensation. However, if your organization allowed you to stay beyond the required 10 weeks and work without compensation, or you worked beyond the normal 40-hour work week, the extra hours you complete (up to 40 hours) would qualify under the Pledge.
- If you volunteer with an organization unrelated to your summer internship and the work otherwise qualifies under the Pledge, that law-related volunteer work would qualify under the Pledge (up to 40 hours).
Yes, if it otherwise qualifies, since student groups are, and have long been, a primary way our students have connected with the surrounding Southeastern Michigan community. As noted above, though, while student groups often do wonderful community service projects, only projects that are law-related and are supervised by an attorney qualify for the Pledge. You will find student group projects in the Pro Bono Project Listings with all the other available projects.
Sure, while this list is not exhaustive by any stretch, qualifying work includes law-related work: on behalf of indigent clients at a non-profit organization; at a Prosecutor’s or Public Defender’s office; for a government agency or office; for a student organization, such as the Food Stamp Advocacy Project or Family Law Project where there is a supervisory attorney; to protect important legal rights and liberties at a non-profit organization; and educating the public’s understanding of a law.
Examples of non-qualifying work include, but are not limited to: clerking for a judge; assisting in political campaign efforts; fundraising; work done for a law journal or similar organization; and work that receives academic credit or compensation.
If you have any questions about whether a particular activity qualifies, please contact the Office of Public Service at lawprobono@umich.edu.
We have created a password-protected online database to match organizations’ projects with interested students. To use the database, first, complete the Student Interest Survey, which lets us know that you are interested in the Pledge. Use your uniqname and password to log in. We’ll use your survey information to add you to our pro bono listserv for announcements. Further, we will occassionally contact you if there are projects available that match your expressed interests.
Second, review the Pro Bono Project Listings to see if there is anything that interests you. If you find something, send an e-mail to lawprobono@umich.edu. Our office will contact you to let you know that the project is still available, and to give you instructions on how to contact your selected organization.
Finally, contact the supervisor of your selected project as soon as possible, but no later than within 3 business days, to get started. Once the project is underway (that is, you have talked with the organization and begun your work), you must let us know at lawprobono@umich.edu, so we can officially assign you to it. Once you are "assigned" to the project you will be able to enter your hours completed toward the Pledge in the Student Hours Tracking Database.
We are happy to counsel you about the types of projects that might best suit your interests. To make an appointment with Amy Sankaran, who is coordinating the program, contact Jackie Julien (734.647.3256 or stop by her office, 200 HH #29).
Yes, you are welcome to contact an organization on your own to pursue a pro bono opportunity that is not listed. If you would like guidance, please set up an appointment with Amy Sankaran, Pro Bono Manager, by contacting Jackie Julien (734.647.3256 or stop by her office, 200 HH #29).
To obtain credit under the Pledge, you must do two things. First, enter your hours in the Student Hours Tracking Database. Please note that you must be officially "assigned" to the project by OPS before it will appear in the drop down menu within the database. If your project does not appear in the drop down menu, e-mail us at lawprobono@umich.edu.
Second, you must ensure that two forms are submitted to the Office of Public Service no later than 30 days after your project is completed: 1) a Student Evaluation, and 2) an Organization Evaluation, which includes the signature of your supervising attorney (though, if the project is an internal one run by a MLS professor or student group, the Organization Evaluation is not required; we will follow up with the supervisor(s) separately).
You are welcome to enter the hours into the Student Hours Tracking Database as you go, or all at the end, but we recommend the former because it is much easier to remember your hours that way.
In order to receive recognition for your completion of the Pledge, all forms must be completed and submitted no later than October 25th of your last semester for December graduates and March 25th of your last semester for May graduates.
No. Our office will only count pro bono hours toward the Pledge if they are completed after August 31, 2009. Further, you must submit your hours and evaluations within 30 days of completing the project.
Please talk to Amy Sankaran, 734.764.7787 or aharwell@umich.edu, as soon as you realize there is a problem with your project. Please do not wait until the project is over to express your concerns, as we may be able to address them while the project is ongoing.