University of Michigan Law School
University of Michigan
University of Michigan Law School
217 Hutchins Hall
625 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
www.law.umich.edu
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
MaryAnn Sarosi
Assistant Dean of Public Service
The University of Michigan Law School
217 Hutchins Hall
625 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
(734) 647-3256
(734) 764-5228 fax
sarosi@umich.edu
Amy Sankaran
Pro Bono Manager and Attorney Advisor
University of Michigan Law School
625 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1215
aharwell@umich.edu
(734) 764-7787
Category Type
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with Coordinator
Description of Program
The Office of Public Service (OPS) develops the vision for, and implements, the Pro Bono Program for the University of Michigan Law School community. OPS is dedicated to helping students and graduates integrate public service with their professional development and to guide those wishing to pursue careers in government or public interest. OPS supports pro bono work by: 1)initiating pro bono projects; 2) developing and implementing pro bono projects with the many active student groups; and 3)working with faculty on their pro bono projects.
Location of Program
The University of Michigan Law School's Pro Bono Program is located within the Office of Public Service. http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/PublicService/Probono.htm
Staffing/Management/Oversight
The Pro Bono Program is staffed by the Assistant Dean and the Administrator. Both positions are full time compensated positions.
Funding
The Pro Bono Program is funded primarily through the Office of Public Service. Student pro bono group projects are occasionally funded by law school grants to student groups and, in some cases, outside funding as well. Faculty pro bono is either supported through OPS or the usual administrative and secretarial support; if additional funds are needed, they are funded on a case by case basis.
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
Wolverine Street Law -- This is a practical program of law-related education aimed at engaging high school students in a critical examination of their rights and responsibilities. Michigan Law students lead discussions related to practical legal problems, contemporary legal issues, and the ramifications of breaking the law. The underlying goal of the program is for high school students to understand how laws enhance society and how their actions affect society. Washtenaw Workers' Rights Center: Students from the Labor Law Roundtable volunteer with the WWRC on a variety of issues related to workers' rights. Michigan Law students co-founded the WWRC.
Family Law Project ("FLP"): is a joint effort between Legal Services of South Central Michigan, a non-profit organization that provides legal services to indigent residents of its multi-county service area and the University of Michigan Law School. The mission of FLP is domestic violence prevention by providing safety to domestic violence survivors and their children through the law. FLP provides survivors with a full range of legal services, including protection orders, custody orders, and divorces as well as ancillary legal matters. After completing a training, first year students are assigned a protection order case and will interview the client, draft and file pleadings, assist with and attend any court hearings and otherwise monitor the case. Second and third year students who have previous experience at FLP may work on more complex cases, including divorce and custody matters.
The Food Stamp Advocacy Project is a law student organization working to reduce hunger by increasing participation in the food stamp program among eligible individuals in Washtenaw County. Working closely with Legal Services of South Central Michigan, student volunteers provide eligibility screenings to low-income individuals who may be eligible for food stamps, assist individuals in filling out food stamp applications, and provide individuals with information about their rights in the Food Stamp program.
Student Network for Asylum and Refugee Law (SNARL)- SNARL has an established relationship to provide pro bono assistance with Freedom House. Additionally, SNARL members have been involved in the creation of an asylum handbook for the Sixth Circuit and country conditions research and brief-writing for upcoming cases.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
There is not a formal faculty pro bono policy, but faculty are regularly engaged in pro bono projects that are as diverse as the faculty's interests. For example, law faculty work on pro bono cases involving human rights, the Voting Rights Act and death penalty representation. Several of the in-house projects are supervised by faculty or administrators. Finally, students may assist faculty members with their pro bono projects, which may take the form of research, amicus briefs or publication.
Awards/Recognition
The Law School is currently examining whether to institute a pro bono award.
Community Service
Michigan Law School was the first law school in the nation to incorporate community service into its orientation. Each year, the orientation program includes an organized day of community service-Service Day-- for incoming students, staff and faculty. Service Day is followed by a barbecue dinner for all participants. Community service doesn't begin and end with Service Day, however. In a community as vibrant as Michigan Law School, it's difficult to go a week without seeing posters encouraging law students, faculty and staff to participate in a blood, food, used cell phone, toy, clothes or other fundraising drives for various community organizations.
The University also has community service projects organized through the Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning (http://www.umich.edu/~mserve/).
Law School Public Interest Programs
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Contact Information
Amy Sankaran
Pro Bono Manager and Attorney Advisor
University of Michigan Law School
625 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1215
aharwell@umich.edu
(734) 764-7787
Assistant Dean of Public Service
The University of Michigan Law School
217 Hutchins Hall
625 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
(734) 647-3256
(734) 764-5228 fax
sarosi@umich.edu
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
None.
Public Interest Centers
The Office of Public Service serves as the focal point for activities related to public interest or government practice. Examples include:- The Public Interest/Public Service Faculty Fellows Program which brings in practitioners from government and public interest to teach students practical public service-centered courses and to provide career advice
- Theoretical and clinical courses exploring social justice issues and their impact on disadvantaged communities ( a sampling of course can be found at http://cgi2.www.law.umich.edu/CurriculumInterestAreas/home.aspx )
- The Inspiring Paths speaker in residence series which allows students to interact with some of the best public interest and government lawyers in the country
Public Interest Clinics
Clinical experience is a key ingredient of the legal education available at Michigan Law School. Recognized as one of the best clinical programs in the country, for 30 years Michigan Law has offered a wide variety of clinics that take advantage of the full-time faculty's unique experience and our students' interests. Clinics provide practical opportunities and course credit at the same time. Students move beyond the theory of the classroom into the real-world practice of law. Students can participate in the clinical program upon completion of their first year. Michigan Court Rules allow them to provide direct representation to clients in varying settings, always under the supervision of faculty. Students interview clients and witnesses, negotiate with opposing counsel, make legal arguments before judges and handle contested hearings. They develop expertise in client counseling, discovery, negotiation and mediation, legal writing, and trial skills.
Current legal practice opportunities include: housing, civil rights, child welfare, environmental protection, criminal defense, asylum, domestic violence, and poverty law.
As part of a public university, Michigan Law is committed to serving the community. Michigan Law School clinics are designed to help underserved populations who would otherwise not have access to high quality legal counsel. Michigan Law is the only law school in the country to co-direct a state support center for legal services to the poor. The Michigan Poverty Law Program (http://mplp.org/) is a joint effort between Legal Services of South Central Michigan and the University of Michigan Law School.
For more information, please visit http://www.law.umich.edu/centersandprograms/clinical/index.htm
Externships/Internships
Externships offer an exciting opportunity to augment classroom study with real-world work experience. Students (under the guidance of both a faculty member and an attorney supervisor) may immerse themselves for an entire semester in legal work for government agencies or non-profits such as the U.S. State Department, Equal Justice Initiative, AIRE Center of London and NAACP Legal Defense Fund. There is also the annual South African externship program, which allows a limited number of students to perform externships in South Africa. During the 2006-2007 academic year, 25 students participated in this program. Michigan's externship program is designed to provide individual students with advanced training and research opportunities in areas of particular interest to them that go beyond what is traditionally offered in a classroom setting. A student may develop a proposal that builds on work the student has done in school or provides background for work the student plans to do upon return. The proposal must demonstrate that external study provides an educational opportunity not available in the regular curriculum. Although skills training may be a component of an external studies program, the object of the program must be to further the student's legal education in the sense of deepening his or her understanding of the nature of law and the legal system; skills training alone is not an adequate justification for engaging in study outside the Law School. Because the production of significant scholarly work is a vital part of the program, any proposal for external studies must include a research project (written under the supervision of a member of the University of Michigan Law School faculty) equivalent to a 3- hour seminar paper in a subject related to the work of the externship agency.
In recent years, students have pursued externships with such organizations as the Office of the Legal Advisor of the U.S. State Department, the National Wildlife Federation, the Center for Constitutional Rights, the Screen Actors Guild, the US Army Judge Advocate General, and the International Labor Rights Fund. For further information, please contact Christine Gregory, Director, Office of Student Affairs at 734/615-4517 or crsgreg@umich.edu.
Classes with a Public Service Component
Michigan Law regularly offers courses that have service components, but the courses vary from year to year. Additionally, courses designated as "practicum" or "practical simulation" usually offer some type of public service component.
Public Interest Journals
OPS publishes a web-based job search engine called Jobnet http://cgi2.www.law.umich.edu/_JobNet/. Michigan Law School has a number of scholarly journals that regularly focus on public interest issues. For additional information, visit http://www.law.umich.edu/journalsandOrgs/orgs.htm
Public Interest Career Assistance
OPS is dedicated to helping students and graduates integrate public service with their professional development and to guide those wishing to pursue careers in government or public interest. The OPS professionals work intensively with students pursuing careers in public service to help those students use their years at Michigan Law to position themselves for public service careers. OPS doesn't limit itself to just helping students find public interest or government summer internships; we work with students on course selection, identifying recommenders, fellowships, funding and everything that goes into making a Michigan Law student the best public service attorney. With the aid of Michigan Law's extensive network of alumni as well as job search resources such as Michigan Law's Jobnet, the Making a Difference Public Interest Guide, NALP's PSLawNet, and a host of other web-based resources, OPS provides Michigan Law students with the information they need to shape a career in public service. Finally, OPS works with the many active student groups to present topical workshops and to develop and implement pro bono projects. Visit Michigan's Office of Public Service at http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/PublicService/index.htm
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
The University of Michigan Law School's Debt Management/Loan Forgiveness Program provides an opportunity for University of Michigan Law School graduates to accept a lower paying job without feeling overwhelmed by the debt accumulated while earning their degree. The program will actually contribute to loan payments, making a modest paying job more realistic. Applicants working at least half-time in a law related occupation and graduating from the University of Michigan Law School in 1986 or later can be considered for the program. The applications are processed and funds are disbursed annually. For further information, please go to http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/financialaid/debt-management.htm
Post-Graduate Fellowships/Awards
Law School Funded:
Robert B. Fiske Fellowships - The program, founded and funded by alumnus Robert B. Fiske recognizes three graduates annually who decide to enter government service at the federal, state or local level. Fiske Fellows receive debt repayment assistance on all of their educational loans with no salary limit considerations for the three-year duration of each fellowship. In addition, each fellow receives a $5000 first-year cash stipend.
Bates Overseas Fellowships- An endowment for assisting recent University of Michigan law school graduates travel abroad for study or work experience. http://www.law.umich.edu/CentersAndPrograms/cicl/programs/BatesTravelFellowships.htm
International Court of Justice's University Traineeship Program http://www.law.umich.edu/CentersAndPrograms/cicl/programs/ICJUnivTraineeshipProgram.htm An opportunity is available to graduates of the University of Michigan Law School to apply for the International Court of Justice's University Traineeship Program beginning September of each year for a period of nine months. Michigan Law pays for the graduate(s) accepted into the Program.
Graduate Student Funded:
None.
Other Funding Sources:
Michigan Law graduates regularly receive post-graduate fellowships such as Fulbrights, Skadden Fellowships, Equal Justice Works Fellowships, Supreme Court Assistance Fellowship at Public Citizen, Southern Poverty Law Center, etc.
Term Time Fellowships/Scholarships
Law School Funded:
None.
Graduate Student Funded:
None.
Other Funding Sources:
None.
Summer Fellowships
Law School Funded:
Dean's Public Service Fellowship: Each year the program recognizes twenty second-year Michigan Law students who have a demonstrated commitment to public service and who intend to seek public service legal employment during the summer after their second year of school in preparation for a public service law career. Fellows receive a $5,000 cash award.
Henry Bergstrom Child Welfare Law Summer Fellowship: This fellowship funds 3-day training and a to-be-determined stipend.
Clara Belfield & Henry Bates Overseas Fellowship: This fellowship funds second year Michigan Law students studying or working abroad with international government agencies, NGOs, law firms or other legal or political institutions in foreign countries.
Refugee & Asylum Law Fellowship: This fellowship funds students and places them in a summer internship with international organizations.
Cambodian Law and Development Program: This annual fellowship funds Michigan Law students to work for a prearranged organization in Cambodia.
Perry Watkins Summer Fellowship: This award is given to one law student to work on LGBT issues during her/his summer internship.
Graduate Student Funded:
Student Funded Fellowship (SFF) is a student organization that raises money and provides grants to Michigan Law students who take unpaid or very low-paying summer jobs in the public interest. SFF defines "public interest" jobs as "jobs that provide direct legal services to economically or socially disadvantaged people or interests." This broad concept includes positions with non-profit organizations, public sector agencies and government organizations in the U.S. and overseas.
SFF is nearing its 30th year and is a leader among similar fellowship programs at law schools throughout the country. Since its founding in 1978, SFF has funded over 1,000 students at more than 300 organizations across the United States and abroad. The SFF grant application process occurs each spring.
SFF raises funds for the grants each year through a variety of sources and activities. In addition to the traditional Pledge Drive and Phone-a-thon, SFF organizes an annual spring auction, which has earned record amounts each year since 1997. In 1997, SFF introduced a Hotel Voucher Program through which law firms interviewing Michigan students can contribute $150 for each student who chooses to stay with friends or relatives, rather than in a hotel, during a callback visit. SFF has also negotiated an agreement with a local bookstore to receive a percentage of law school book sales.
Other Funding Sources:
Sonnenschein Scholars Program: This award is annually provided to 2 Michigan Law students for a summer internship in public interest after her/his 1L year.
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
The Office of Public Service offers a variety of programs and the Inspiring Paths speaker in residence series designed to educate students about public interest and government careers and to encourage students to integrate public service with their professional development. For a representative sample of such programs, please see http://www.law.umich.edu/currentstudents/PublicService/workshops.htm
Student Public Interest Groups
There's no shortage of active student groups focusing on public service issues and performing community service, including the Organization of Public Interest Students, the Michigan Election Law Project and the Student Network for Asylum and Refugee Law. For a complete list of such student groups, please visit: http://www.law.umich.edu/journalsandOrgs/orgs.htm.
