Chad Derby, 3L

On Wednesday, September 6th, Professor Laura Cohen, along with the SBA Community Affairs Committee, held a well received informational meeting about Southwestern’s new Public Service Program. The PSP is designed to promote student’s involvement in public interest legal work and to reward them for their service.

“The Public Service Program encourages law students to use their legal skills to help others both on and off campus,” Professor Cohen said. Participating in Public Interest legal work is a way for students to gain experience and develop legal skills, enhance exposure to substantive law, as well as build relationships with attorneys and local community organizations. Southwestern encourages all students to perform at least twenty-five hours of pro bono public service each academic year.

Representatives from various public interest organizations attended the meeting and provided information about what their organization does, and how students can get involved. On campus organizations present included Teen Court and GRAP. The community legal organizations included Public Counsel, the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Neighborhood Legal Services, Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law, Bet Tzedek, and the Alliance for Children’s Rights. All of these public interest law firms offer volunteer opportunities during the year for which students can earn PSP hours. A complete list of opportunities on and off campus is available on the PSP TWEN site.

“I am here to answer questions and to help find volunteer opportunities in our community,” Professor Cohen said. “My hope for students who get involved is that you will learn a lot while doing the volunteer work now, as well as come away with a sense of responsibility and understanding of your role to society as future lawyers.”

Students who complete twenty-five hours of pro bono public service in a year will receive a formal letter of recognition from the Dean and be invited to attend an end-of-year banquet. Additionally, students who perform at least seventy-five hours of public service throughout their law school experience will be recognized at commencement ceremonies and a notation will be placed on their law school transcript.

To qualify, the public service work must be performed under the supervision of a licensed attorney or faculty member, students may not receive compensation or academic credit, and the public service work must be law related.

For more information please sign up for the “Southwestern Public Service Program” TWEN or stop by the Legal Clinic, 4th floor Westmoreland Bldg., and review the bulletin board.