Pro Bono

Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia trains students to assist attorney volunteers with intake and assessment at community-based clinics. CLCP is faith-based, but volunteers of all faiths or none are welcome to participate.

The Domestic Violence Project trains and places students in the Domestic Violence Unit of the Camden County Family Court, where they help survivors of domestic violence complete complaints and obtain temporary restraining orders.  Students also provide community education and develop materials for survivors.

The Honorable Judith H. Wizmur Bankruptcy Pro Bono Project pairs students with volunteer attorneys, many of whom are Rutgers alumni, to assist clients who are considering filing for Chapter 7 "no asset" bankruptcy. This project is generously funded by the New Jersey Bankruptcy Lawyers Foundation.

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons.  Mobilizing direct legal aid, litigation, and systemic advocacy, IRAP serves the world's most persecuted individuals and empowers the next generation of human rights leaders.

Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ), NJ’s primary civil legal services organization, provides an Alternate Winter Break opportunity assigning students research and writing projects.

Through the Planning Estates (PEP) Project, students, under the supervision of faculty and alumni pro bono lawyers, prepare wills, powers of attorney, and living wills for elderly, low-income Camden-area residents.

Developed and administered with Professor Sarah Ricks, the Pro Bono Research Project offers free legal research services to public interest and government lawyers, and private attorneys handling pro bono cases. Students provide pro bono service while improving their own research and writing skills.

The Name Change Project: trains law students to assist with pro se name change petitions (primarily gender affirming) under attorney supervision; advise on updating identity documents; and, advise on post-petition document requirements.

For the NJ Law Revision Commission, students conduct legal research and draft memoranda for the New Jersey commission tasked with conducting an ongoing review of NJ statutes and case law to identify areas of the law that require revision.

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) Pardon Project trains law students to assist Pennsylvania residents with applications for gubernatorial pardons (in PA, this is the mechanism to clear a criminal record).

In the Street Law Project trained law students present lively interactive lessons to high school students, participants in youth development programs, college students, people who are incarcerated, and other groups about how the law works in their lives.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Project (VITA)  provides e-filing for clients, which results in faster processing and faster refunds. Many clients of the VITA project are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Care Tax Credit; annually, the Project successfully files for nearly $500,000 in returns for Camden residents.

The Voters' Rights Project enables law students to assist with election protection and voter registration efforts locally and nationally. 

The Wills for Heroes Project trains law students work with experienced trusts and estates lawyers to assist first responders and military servicemembers and veterans with simple estate planning and execution

Archived Projects

• The Alternate Spring Break Project enables students to hone their legal skills in underserved locations during the law school's winter and spring vacation weeks. ASB volunteers have traveled to New Orleans, Nashville, Atlanta, and other locations.  Students have also volunteered at Legal Services of New Jersey in Edison.
• Student volunteers with the Attorney General's Conviction Review Unit assist with reviewing claims of actual innocence by people convicted of felonies in New Jersey state courts to evaluate whether there is clear and convincing evidence of actual innocence.
• Groups of trained judicial volunteers on the Child Placement Review Board, appointed by the Assignment Judge, assist the court in reviewing cases of children placed outside their homes by the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP & P).
• COVID-19 Projects include tenant and prisoner advocacy, and community education for small business owners.
• The Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women Pro Bono Project assists women who are currently or formerly incarcerated, who were subject to sexual harassment and abuse and are eligible for financial compensation through a class action settlement.  Volunteers assist claimants with drafting certifications, and they prepare and represent claimants at hearings. Participation limited to students trained in September 2021.
• The Financial Literacy Project (FLiP) provides information on  credit, credit scoring, building and maintaining credit, saving, budgeting and identity protection. 
• Through the Hurricane Sandy Project students assisted Legal Services of New Jersey lawyers with Sandy-related legal issues.   A three-way partnership among the Pro Bono Program, the Law School’s student public interest group, and LSNJ, the Sandy Legal Relief Project assisted low-income New Jersey residents with Hurricane Sandy-related problems, including landlord-tenant, consumer and insurance issues, among others.
• Learn, Empower and Advocate for People with Disabilities (LEAD) Pro Bono Project LEAD provides information and guidance to families in need of publicly funded resources for their children who have disabilities. Online materials will be posted on the law school’s website and distributed to libraries and to the helping community.
• Through the Mediation Project, students complete a rigorous multi-day training course, observe and apprentice with experienced student mediators, and then serve as neutrals in the local Municipal and Superior Courts.  Advanced students have co-mediated discrimination claims at the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations.
• Volunteers at the Pennsylvania Innocence Project assist with case investigation and analysis for clients asserting actual innocence.
• Bailwatch volunteers at Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC Watches) observe and report on Philadelphia bail hearings to increase the transparency of and advocate for improvements to the justice system and increase public interest in the courts.
• The Youth Court Project, an outgrowth of Street Law, guides Camden school children in restorative justice practices.

The Courtroom Advocates Project (CAP) trains law students to help survivors of domestic violence obtain orders of protection in Family Court. Once trained, students assist clients in drafting and filing petitions; accompany clients to court appearances; advocate for their clients before a judge; educate clients about their legal rights and remedies, and provide safety planning and referrals to community resources.  

The Honorable Morris Stern Bankruptcy Assistance Project pairs students with volunteer attorneys, many of whom are Rutgers alumni, to assist clients who are considering filing for Chapter 7 "no asset" bankruptcy.  This project is generously funded by the New Jersey Bankruptcy Lawyers Foundation.

Legal Services of New Jersey (LSNJ), NJ’s primary civil legal services organization, provides an Alternate Winter Break opportunity assigning students research and writing projects.

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) organizes law students and lawyers to develop and enforce a set of legal and human rights for refugees and displaced persons. Mobilizing direct legal aid, litigation, and systemic advocacy, IRAP serves the world's most persecuted individuals and empowers the next generation of human rights leaders.  

The Name Change Project: trains law students to assist with pro se name change petitions (primarily gender affirming) under attorney supervision; advise on updating identity documents; and, advise on post-petition document requirements.

For the NJ Law Revision Commission, students conduct legal research and draft memoranda for the New Jersey commission tasked with conducting an ongoing review of NJ statutes and case law to identify areas of the law that require revision.

Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity (PLSE) Pardon Project trains law students to assist Pennsylvania residents with applications for gubernatorial pardons (in PA, this is the mechanism to clear a criminal record).

The Wills for Heroes Project trains law students work with experienced trusts and estates lawyers to assist first responders and military servicemembers and veterans with simple estate planning and execution

Archived Projects

• For 25 years, Advocates for Children of New Jersey has been the voice for children, demanding action for children who have no power to wield, no vote to cast, no campaign contributions to make. ACNJ is the state’s foremost child advocacy agency, assertively advancing policies that help children and families. The association’s advocacy has grown since its inception. While protecting abused children is a priority, ACNJ, over the years, has played a role in improving nearly every aspect of children’s health, safety and education. 
• As the New Jersey affiliate of the national ACLU, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey addresses wide-ranging civil rights and civil liberties issues. In addition to traditional civil liberties issues, we are focused on ending discriminatory criminal justice policies, challenging abusive police practices, and fighting for the rights of immigrants, students, and LGBT people. We also have prioritized protecting the right to privacy and advancing voting rights.
• The American Friends Service Committee carries out service, development, social justice, and peace programs throughout the world. Founded by Quakers in 1917 to provide conscientious objectors with an opportunity to aid civilian war victims, AFSC’s work attracts the support and partnership of people of many races, religions, and cultures. American Friends Service Committee provides direct legal services for undocumented and documented immigrants. Services include: assistance with obtaining residency, political asylum representation, immigration, HIV and community education, and advocacy on immigration and immigrant rights issues.
• The Center for Collaborative Change is a nonprofit, community-based consulting firm developed to Find, Import, Tailor & Support proven and promising practices of urban revitalization in Newark, New Jersey. By engaging community and civic leadership in policy and program development, the Center will accelerate Newark’s revitalization while ensuring that the process includes and responds to the priorities of its community members.
• Covenant House New Jersey is a human service agency for homeless and runaway youth 21 and under. As a full-service residential care provider we are always recruiting dedicated professionals who are interested in working with our youth population. In both Newark and Atlantic City we have Crisis Centers and Independent Living Programs, and a Mother/Child program in Newark. At these facilities we have positions in direct care, administration, and support services.
• The Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women Pro Bono Project assists women who are currently or formerly incarcerated, who were subject to sexual harassment and abuse and are eligible for financial compensation through a class action settlement.  Volunteers assist claimants with drafting certifications, and they prepare and represent claimants at hearings. Participation limited to students trained in September 2021.
• Founded in 1973, Education Law Center (ELC) has become one of the most effective advocates for equal educational opportunity and education justice in the United States. Widely recognized for groundbreaking court rulings on behalf of vulnerable students in the Abbott v. Burke litigation in New Jersey, ELC also promotes equity through coalition building, policy development, communications, and action-focused research in states and at the federal level.
• Eastern Environmental Law Center is a nonprofit public interest environmental law center that provides pro bono and reduced rate legal services to the environmental and conservation communities in New Jersey and throughout the region.
• In the Immigrant Rights Collective, students assist Make the Road NJ with weekly citizenship clinics and other immigration legal work.
• The International Justice Project (IJP) was established to advance the cause of international justice with a special focus on human rights and humanitarian law. Their activities center supported and assisted the representation of victims in the Darfur Situation before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The formal inclusion of victims in the trial proceedings at the ICC gave, for the first time, victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, the opportunity to actively participate in an international criminal trial
• LGBTQ Legal Education and Outreach Project: This project, a joint initiative of Rutgers Law School’s Pro Bono Program, the NYC Bar Association, and the North Jersey Community Research Initiative, provides student and attorney volunteers with the opportunity to participate in weekly clinics where they conduct intakes for members of the LGBTQ community on poverty law and discrimination matters. 
• Newark Housing Rights Pro Bono Project:  Through this student-founded pro bono project, Rutgers law students are working with the McCarter English law firm,  Volunteer Lawyers for Justice,  and the Ironbound Corporation to provide law-related education to communities about their right to counsel. In addition, the group is currently engaged in statewide court observing and various law reform efforts.
• Founded in 1982, New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) is a statewide citizen coalition working on social and economic justice issues in New Jersey. Their purpose is to increase citizen participation in the democratic process. Issues we have worked on include toxics, chemical right-to know, fair banking, affordable housing and health care, insurance reform, utility rate reduction campaign, fair tax campaign, jobs with justice, disability access, women\s rights at the work place, and issues affecting today’s working families, such as family leave.
• In the Street Law Project trained law students present lively interactive lessons to high school students, participants in youth development programs, college students, people who are incarcerated, and other groups about how the law works in their lives.
• Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ) partners with Rutgers Law students on a variety of pro se legal clinics,  in  downtown Newark, Elizabeth, and East Orange. This project provides the opportunity to practice client interviewing skills, work with experienced attorneys from NJ law firms and corporations, and complete work in areas including divorce, criminal record expungement, consumer debt defense, bankruptcy, and veterans’ issues.

Student Eligibility

• 1Ls may participate in pro bono projects after successful completion of the first semester.
• The Pro Bono Program retains discretion to limit or deny participation in any project or by any student.

Eligible pro bono work must be

• uncompensated (no pay, no academic credit, including clinic)
• supervised by an attorney legally responsible for the work
• substantive (primarily not clerical and not administrative)

Supervised by

• lawyers at organizations providing legal services to low-income clients
• lawyers at government agencies
• lawyers at non-profit organizations (excluding trade associations and political organizations)
• private lawyers performing pro bono work (neither firm nor student receives compensation)
• faculty members performing pro bono work
• judges or court staff for judicial internships (assistance to pro se litigants preferred but not required)

Pro bono hours may be accumulated during

• the academic year
• winter & spring recesses (30-hour maximum)
• the summer (50-hour maximum)

Approval

• Every student is advised to meet with Pro Bono Program professionals or with a faculty mentor to discuss suitable pro bono placements.
• In order to be recognized, pro bono work with an external organization must be approved in advance using the External Pro Bono Project Approval Form.

Hours must be recorded on  RCommunity.

For Full-Time Students

• Pro Bono Publico Award: recognizes 50 or more hours of pro bono service
• Dean's Pro Bono Publico Award for Exceptional Service: recognizes 100 or more hours of pro bono service
• Dean’s Pro Bono Publico Award for Exceptional Service with Distinction: recognizes 200 or more hours of pro bono service

For Part-Time Students

• Pro Bono Publico Award: recognizes 35 or more hours of pro bono service
• Dean’s Pro Bono Publico Award for Exceptional Service: recognizes 70 or more hours of pro bono service
• Dean’s Pro Bono Publico Award for Exceptional Service with Distinction: recognizes 140 or more hours of pro bono service

The state of New York requires that all graduates applying for admission by examination certify that they have performed 50 hours of law-related pro bono service.  See Rule (22 NYCRR § 520.16).

Rutgers Law School defines pro bono differently from the NY Bar requirement.  For law school graduation pro bono awards, be sure to visit the "Project and Hours Eligibility, Approval, and Ethics Memo" section above.

The Law School and the Pro Bono Program cannot officially confirm that any project qualifies for the New York Rule.  To seek prior approval of a project, please email the Advocacy Committee on New York State Pro Bono Bar Admission Requirement at NY Bar Pro Bono Requirement. Like all components of the NYS Bar application, completion and certification of these pro bono hours is your responsibility.  Students must provide proof of compliance by submitting the "Form Affidavit of Compliance."

Assignments, Training and Feedback: In order for community partners and students to benefit from the pro bono program, we have found that it is critical that supervisors provide adequate upfront training and supervision to students. Key elements of effective partnerships are crafting effective assignments, providing meaningful supervision, and providing ongoing feedback.

Framing Assignments: The following are among the assignments that we have found are suitable for law student interns in the pro bono program:

• Client intake. Students gain client interaction skills and improve their ability to spot issues.
• Memo drafting. Provide students with a file and ask them to write a memo summarizing the case to date or particular documents (i.e., medical records). Have students draft opening or closing memos, which provide students with a great opportunity to summarize a client’s situation or the result of a particular case. Students fine-tune their writing skills and gain substantive knowledge.
• Client meetings and follow-up. Have students attend client meetings or court proceedings with you and ask that they take notes in order to send a follow-up letter to the client. Having a specific task makes it more meaningful for the student to ensure that clients fully understand and retain what happened and what will happen next in their cases. Students gain understanding of the importance of recording client interactions and proceedings, as well as the nuances of client meetings and background work in the course of legal representation.
• Research projects. These projects can be case-specific or on background, or for the purpose of creating client self-help or informational materials. Students will improve their legal research and writing skills while becoming “expert” in a specific issue area.
• Drafting court documents, motions, pleadings, or client-facing or community advocacy materials
• Analyzing or comparing research/practices, etc. among jurisdictions or over time

Effectively Supervising Interns: A key to a successful internship is the ability of a supervising attorney to give clear, meaningful, achievable assignments. When any project is assigned, it is important to know exactly what you expect from the student and communicate your expectation to him or her. Below is a checklist you may find helpful to limit confusion and enhance productivity for both you and your law student intern:  

• Provide context.  Explain the assignment in a manner that takes into account the student’s relative experience.  A thoughtful explanation will also help to ensure that the end product is indeed what was requested.
• Discuss objectives.   Explain to the student how this particular assignment fits into the overall case and what the assignment will help you or someone else accomplish or resolve.
• Articulate time commitment. Specify when drafts of the assignment are due, when the final product is due, and how much time you expect the student to spend on the assignment, including time for research and drafting. Keep in mind that students are often inexperienced and require extra time for thorough research.
• Describe desired final work product.  Specify the desired formatting, style, rough v. polished draft, etc. If possible, provide an example of the desired format to assist the student in better understanding your expectation.
• Build in follow up: explain how to follow up with you. If progress meetings are desired, be sure to explain how often and how such meetings should occur. If possible, provide the student with an alternate contact in case you cannot be reached.
• Give a deadline. Even if you do not need a memo by a certain date, provide a due date to the student. This due date should take into account their remaining workload and how long you anticipate the assignment should take.
• Provide an opportunity for a high level of feedback. Develop projects that allow for feedback and arrange opportunities for such feedback to be provided to the students.

Above all else, follow up with your student. As students begin working on assignments they often need additional and periodic help, assignment clarification, reassurance, or relief. Redefinition of the task is common as the student gathers information and gains a more precise understanding of the assignment. Informal and brief check-ins are entirely appropriate, but it also is important to schedule more formal meetings regularly.

Providing Constructive Feedback: Most intern supervisors are very concerned with making the students’ internship pleasant and, as a result, may shy away from the sometimes uncomfortable task of critiquing student work. While this impulse is understandable, students need, deserve, and actually want honest feedback on their work. Students often assume that "no news is good news," and will continue to repeat the same errors unless they are given specific notice that improvement is necessary. All supervisors should provide feedback early on, so any problems can be addressed before the project proceeds too far. Most students are eager to become good lawyers and welcome specific advice on how they can sharpen their skills. 

Itis always a good idea to start off on a positive note. For example, even if the student's writing needs improvement, you may be honestly able to commend the student's research abilities. And if the research was weak, perhaps the student's eagerness and curiosity warrant a compliment. While you should not be reluctant to criticize the work where necessary, students are apt to be less defensive if they hear some good news first.

The most effective feedback is specific and direct. To the extent possible, try to show students directly how to revise their work for resubmission instead of merely stating that writing must be ‘tightened’ or ‘only rely on relevant facts.’  While this kind of feedback can be time-consuming, it is also the most helpful. 

Ethical Considerations in the Context of Pro Bono: Students are expected to work in an ethical and professional manner while completing their pro bono service. All members of the Rutgers University community are expected to behave in an ethical and moral fashion, respecting the human dignity of all members of the community and resisting behavior that may cause danger or harm to others through violence, theft, or bigotry. All members of the Rutgers University community are expected to adhere to the civil and criminal laws of the local community, state, and nation, and to regulations promulgated by the University. All members of the Rutgers University community are expected to observe established standards of scholarship and academic freedom by respecting the intellectual property of others and by honoring the right of all students to pursue their education in an environment free from harassment and intimidation. In addition, all members of the Rutgers Law School Community are expected to behave in accordance with the Rules of Professional Conduct governing lawyers, both to comply with the University Code of Student Conduct, paragraph 10(p), and not to jeopardize admission to the practice of law.

Law students, like other non-lawyer employees of partner sites, must abide by the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct. Thus, pro bono participants are subject to the same rules of ethics as the attorney who supervise them; supervising attorneys are responsible for the conduct of students working under their direction. If you experience difficulty with a pro bono participant or have any questions about the ethics of what they are doing, please do not ignore the problem. Address it with the student as quickly and as constructively as possible (see above section on Feedback). At the same time, please talk to the supervising Rutgers Law School Pro Bono program staff who can also follow up directly with a participant. 

Confidentiality: Students carrying out pro bono work should pay particular attention to issues concerning the preservation of client privacy and must protect client information and maintain confidentiality. Pursuant to the Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.6, a lawyer should not reveal the confidences or secrets of a client. The contents of client files and communications with clients are privileged material. Students should discuss cases only with their supervising attorney, not with other students, co-workers, family or friends.,. They may discuss issues with pro bono and public interest program professionals, but without disclosing personally identifying information. Breaches of confidentiality should be reported immediately to the Pro Bono program staff.

Conflicts of Interest: The best way to avoid a conflict of interest is to have the student perform a conflict check each time they start a new assignment at your office.  Please reiterate what a conflict of interest is and explain how your organization handles conflict checks.

Legal Advice vs. Legal Information: The line between legal information and legal advice can often be unclear. Even if your pro bono student is working under a practice order, they must be careful not to create the impression that they are dispensing legal advice. Only an attorney can give legal advice. Please discuss what kinds of information students may ethically provide to clients at the beginning of the student’s placement.  Legal information is just that: general information about what the law says or how the court works. If the person seeking assistance is asking “how to” questions, they are seeking legal information. Students may answer these questions with information about how to fill out forms or general procedures. Legal advice consists of advising a client to take a particular course of action based on the facts of their case. If the person is asking about what will happen in their particular case or what they should do, they are seeking legal advice. It is undoubtedly beneficial for students to participate in such discussions between the lawyer and the client, but not to be put in a position of directly providing the advice.

Law students are often unclear about the precise definition of pro bono and what it encompasses. The term comes from the Latin ―Pro Bono Publico, which means ―for the public good. The American Bar Association has described the parameters of pro bono for practicing lawyers in the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.   Model Rule 6.1 states that lawyers should aspire to render – without fee—at least 50 hours per year of pro bono legal services, with an emphasis that these services be provided to people of limited means or nonprofit organizations that serve the poor. Model Rule 6.1 also allows for free or substantially reduced service on behalf of a variety of professional, governmental, educational, and civic organizations.

Under American Bar Association Standard 303 (b) (2), “a law school shall provide substantial opportunities to students for student participation in pro bono legal services, including law-related public service activities"

The Rutgers pro bono program provides opportunities for students to engage in law-related service under the supervision of a lawyer. Those students who perform 50 or more hours of service are recognized at graduation. The program works with select organizations and partners in developing structured service-learning opportunities.

Attorneys, faculty members, and others seeks students through the pro bono program, must complete an on-line application. In addition, all community partners must adhere to the guidelines set forth in the "Tips for Community Partners who Supervise Rutgers Law Students in Pro Bono Projects." 

Pro bono work during law school assists law students in develops professionalism and an understanding of a lawyer's responsibility to the community. In general, our pro bono projects offer all participants an opportunity to service the community and increase the availability of legal services to needy populations. Both students and attorneys enhance their knowledge and marketability, gaining practical experience, developing skills, enhancing their reputations and expanding their professional networks.  

Our pro bono program provides students with limited scope opportunities to gain hands on legal experience. The focus of our pro bono program is on ensuring that students are sensitized to the needs of the poor and can gain meaningful experience. While we encourage students to gain service-learning experience,   this experience is *not* a substitute for the rigorous and academic training students receive through our in-house clinical programs.