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Directory of Law School Public Interest and Pro Bono Programs

Michigan State University Detroit College of Law

Michigan State University
College of Law
230 Law College Building
East Lansing, MI 48824
www.law.msu.edu

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Law School Pro Bono Programs

Contact Information

Elliott Spoon
Assistant Dean for Career Development
517.432-6830
spoone@law.msu.edu

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Category Type

Independent Student Pro Bono Group Projects with no school-wide program.

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Description of Program

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Location of Program

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Staffing/Management/Oversight

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Funding

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Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects

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Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono

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Awards/Recognition

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Community Service

These are events for the academic year, 2005-2006.

Adopt a Highway, Monthly, Student Bar Association (SBA)

Asian Pacific American Law Student Association (APALSA)
They will be selling candy bars and chocolate and all proceeds will go to the Red Cross to benefit the hurricane victims.

The Environmental Law Society, Michigan State Law Review, & Journal of Medicine & Law will be collecting cash donations for the Hurricane Relief efforts of the American Red Cross.

Business Law Society (BLS) Hurricane Katrina Red Cross Fundraiser
The Business Law Society will be selling Mardi Gras beads in the lobby of the law school. Those students that purchase 3 strands of beads or more will be able to pass if participating professors call on them on Wednesday! The beads will be 1 strand for $2 or 3 for $5!All of the proceeds will be onated to the Red Cross to help the many victims of Hurricane Katrina!

The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, will host a bake sale all day Thursday in the lobby. The proceeds and any donations will go to help the companion and farm animals who are affected by hurricane Katrina.

Bring the Music Back: Law School Fundraising Competition for Victims of Hurricane Katrina
Michigan State University-College of Law has been entered in a fundraising competition against law schools from across the country.

Women's Law Caucus is Collecting Dresses for Charity
The Women's Law Caucus will be collecting gently used formal dresses and accessories for participants in the Miss Cass Pageant. This pageant is put on by Cass Community Social Services for developmentally disabled adults. CCSS is a non profit social services organization in Detroit, MI.

The Business Law Society, will be participating in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk on October 15. Registration will begin at 7:30am at the Lansing State Capitol and the walk will begin at 9:30am.

The Student Bar Association (SBA) is collecting items for the annual Barrister's Ball Charity Raffle.

The Society for Mental Health Law, will be selling Silver Ribbons in the law school lobby to raise funds.

The International Law Society, will be raising money for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF on Halloween.

Student Bar Association, Harvest Week
All donations and proceeds will be given to Volunteers of America and Cristo Rey Community Center. Help us give back to the community! Can A Professor! Buy a can for $1 in the lobby, or bring in your own. The purpose of this event is to bring a can or dry good to class, and participating professors will give you a pass on a question for that day. The more cans you bring, the more passes you get!

Hispanic Law Society (HLS)
The Adopt-A-Family Program matches needy families with individual and/or corporate sponsors who adopt them for the holidays, providing new clothes, toys, a fruit basket, and even a wonderful Christmas dinner to those who otherwise wouldn't be able to celebrate due to their financial hardships. This year, HLS has adopted two needy families in the Lansing area to provide a memorable Christmas for both the parents and their children.

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Law School Public Interest Programs

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Contact Information

Elliott Spoon
Assistant Dean for Career Development
517.432-6830
spoone@law.msu.edu

Michelle Mitchell
Associate Director of Career Services
517-432-6830
mitch128@law.msu.edu
Career Services Office

Naomi Gaynor
Associate Director of Career Services
gaynorna@law.msu.edu
517-432-6830

Paul Edwards
Associate Director of Career Services
517-432-6830
edward48@law.msu.edu

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Certificate/Curriculum Programs

Child & Family Advocacy Certificate Program
This joint program is offered by Michigan State University College of Law and the MSU Graduate School of Social Work. The certificate program can be completed concurrently with the social work and law degree requirements, and students completing the program gain hands-on practice and advocacy experience through: Externships (law and social work students working together in the same agency) An integrated seminar and specialized academic courses. Website: www.chanceatchildhood.msu.edu

Indigenous Law Certificate Program
The distinctive mission of the Indigenous Law Certificate Program is to prepare students for practicing indigenous law upon graduation by providing rigorous and comprehensive training in indigenous law, policy and practice. The program is designed to ensure that selected law students are equipped with a specialized expertise - having the knowledge and skills to effectively identify and address indigenous law issues, represent Indian nations and appreciate these nations' unique legal and governance systems. The MSU Indigenous Law Certificate Program is one of just five formal certificate programs nationwide.

The Indigenous Law Certificate Program consists of three main components: 13 credits of required (7 crs.) and elective (6 crs.) coursework, an advanced research paper in indigenous law and a three-credit experiential learning requirement. Upon successfully completing the requirements for the certificate program, students will receive a certificate.

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Public Interest Centers

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Public Interest Clinics

Rental Housing Clinic I & Rental Housing Clinic II - http://www.msulawclinics.org

Tax Clinic I & Tax Clinic II - http://www.msulawclinics.org

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Externships/Internships

Externships are limited to legal aids, non-profits, government and judiciary. Students must attend an externship information session prior to the externship. During the semester, students are required to submit bi-weekly reports detailing the legal work performed.

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Classes with a Public Service Component

  • Tax Clinic Class
  • Rental Housing Class

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Public Interest Journals

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Public Interest Career Assistance

Career services office is available to assist public interest-minded students.

We brought in speakers/attorneys who work for legal aids and for non-profits to discuss their careers and give advice/strategies to enter these arenas.

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Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)

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Post-Graduate Fellowships/Awards

Law School Funded:

Rental Housing Fellow, Tax Clinic Fellow and Indigenous Law & Policy Center Fellow

Graduate Student Funded:

Other Funding Sources:

Equal Justice Works

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Term Time Fellowships/Scholarships

Law School Funded:

Graduate Student Funded:

Other Funding Sources:

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Summer Fellowships

Law School Funded:

Graduate Student Funded:

Other Funding Sources:

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Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs

Lecture Series, Symposia and Brown Bag Lunchs, including the following:

  • Dredd Scott and International law, sponsored by International Law Society (ILS)
  • Animal law for Fun and Profit, sponsored by Student Animal Legal Defense Fund (SALDF)
  • You Downloaded WHAT? The Law, Economics and Ethics, sponsored by IP Law Program
  • The Day May Come Towards Legal Rights for Animals, sponsored by SALDF
  • In-House counsel Panel, sponsored by Business Law Society (BLS)
  • Justice at Dachau, sponsored by Hillel
  • Speaker Mr. William Simons, sponsored by IP Law Society
  • Pet Loss Support Workshop for Legal Professionals, sponsored by SALDF
  • Speaker Prof James Lingren from Northwestern University, sponsored by Federalist Society
  • Training Program for ACT 312 Arbitrators, sponsored by MSU Law ADR
  • International Criminal law and Terrorism Symposium, sponsored by JIL
  • Michigan's Water Debate, sponsored by Environmental Law Society
  • Legislation with Legs: Lobbying for Animal Issues, co sponsored by Sports & Ent Law Soc

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Student Public Interest Groups

Contact Information for groups above without websites: http://www.law.msu.edu/directory.php#student

Updated: 9/19/2009

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