Notre Dame Law School
Notre Dame
Notre Dame Law School
P.O. Box R
Notre Dame, IN 46556
www.lawadmissions.nd.edu
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Ellen Burns
Assistant Director for Public Interest
Ellen.E.Burns.80@nd.edu
Gail Peshel
Director of Career Services
574/631-7542
Gail.G.Peshel.1@nd.edu
Category Type
Independent In-house and Collaborative Student Group Projects
Description of Program
Pro Bono and community service activities are sponsored by the Career Services Office, the Student Affairs Office, and student-run groups. The Career Services Office collaborates wiith student organizations to coordinate pro bono activities and work with the Legal Aid Services of Indiana of South Bend to provide volunteer service opportunities. Pro bono announcements are placed on bulletin boards and electronic list serves so that students are kept informed about pro bono activities and opportunities.
GALILEE (Group Alternative Live-In Legal Education Experience) is highly encouraged. Students spend their Christmas break living among citizens of the inner cities to learn about the legal needs of the urban poor. The program lasts for about 10 days and is followed up with a weekend retreat in the spring so that students are provided the opportunity to discuss and share ideas about their experience.
Location of Program
Staffing/Management/Oversight
Funding
If a student group needs office space or equipment, the law school generally accommodates the specific needs. The Public Interest Law Forum, Social Justice Forum, and Society of International Human Rights groups have staff support from Career Services, Student Affairs and Law School Alumni Relations Offices.
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
The Social Justice Forum exists to promote and encourage social responsibility within the Notre Dame Law School and to create and maintain a network of concerned individuals who are willing to work toward social justice. To those ends, students and faculty members sponsor regular community service projects.
Society of International Rights: This group is in the process of organizing an international volunteer program with various Notre Dame alumni working in the field of human rights.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
There is no formal faculty pro bono policy. Faculty serve as advisors to the Public Interest Law Forum, Social Justice Forum, and Society of International Human Rights groups.
Awards/Recognition
The Peter Lardy Memorial Scholarship is given to the student for his or her contribution to the community.
Community Service
A. Student Bar Association, Community Service Division's, Annual & Seasonal Programs -
- Story time with Headstart: law students go into preschool Headstart classrooms one hour per week and read stories to the children
- Center for the Homeless tutoring program: law students tutor elementary and middle school-aged children.
- Habitat for Humanity Blitz: law students help other University students build a house for a South Bend community family in need.
- Kids and Kandy: the SBA sponsors a trick or treating outing for local elementary Catholic school children on law school grounds.
- Thanksgiving Basket Drive: the SBA packages and delivers Thanksgiving baskets for the Social Justice Forum's annual basket drive.
- Dinner at Dismas House: law students cook dinner for the residents for Dismas House, a place where university students live with ex-cons and held to re-integrate them into society.
B. Women's Legal Forum Annual Program -
Walk for St. Margaret's House: raise money to improve the lives of women and children and assist in providing their immediate needs.
B. School-wide Events Annual and Seasonal Programs -
- Habitat for Humanity: every summer faculty, staff, and students assist in building homes for those in need.
- Christmas in April: faculty, staff and students participate in restoring homes of those in need.
- Toys for Tots: organized by Military Law Student Association and supported by the faculty and student body.
- Shelter Shoe Box Drive: organized by Phi Alpha Delta Legal Fraternity and supported by faculty and student body (provides necessary articles to people entering community shelters).
- Caroling Group: organized by the St. Thomas More Society, faculty, staff and students carol at local nursing and retirement homes during the holiday season.
Law School Public Interest Programs
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Contact Information
Ellen Burns
Assistant Director for Public Interest
Ellen.E.Burns.80@nd.edu
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
Legal Aid Clinic Award
This award is given to the student who demonstrates the highest level of performance and commitment to serving the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic.
Public Interest Programs
GALILEE Program (Group Alternative Live-in Legal Education Experience)
This program provides students with the opportunity to live for a few days in the inner city to learn the legal needs of the urban poor.
J.D./M.A in Peace Studies Program
The peace studies curriculum offers a multidisciplinary approach to the study of international peace and world order.
LL.M. Program in International Human Rights Law
The program affords lawyers the opportunity to engage in specialized study and research in international human rights law.
J.S.D. Program in International Human Rights Law
This program is designed especially for persons who teach in the field of international human rights law.
Public Interest Centers
Center for Civil and Human Rights
The Center focuses on teaching, research, and service dedicated to raising international awareness of important human rights concerns in a way that contributes to their eventual resolution. The Center's programs/curriculum include: (A) LL.M. Program in International Human Rights Law, which affords lawyers the opportunity to engage in specialized study and research in international human rights law; and (b) J.S.D. Program in International Human Rights Law, which is designed especially for persons who teach in the field of international human rights law. For more information, contact Juan Mendez, Director, 574/631-7895 or http://www.nd.edu/~cchr.
Thomas J. White Center on Law and Government
The Center examines public policy questions within the framework of Judeo-Christian values, provides a focal point for public law research and encourages a select group of law students to dedicate a substantial portion of their professional study to public concerns. The Scholars participate in a seminar on symposium topics, plan and participate in symposia conducted by the Center and assist in production work of the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy. For more information, contact Fr. John Pearson, C.S.C, 574/631-4888 or http://www.nd.edu/~ndlaw/student/whitecntr.html.
Public Interest Clinics
- Legal Aid Immigration Clinic
Students work exclusively on immigration cases.
- Legal Aid I & II (classroom & clinic component)
The Clinic introduces students to the substantive areas of law encountered in a poverty law clinic such as domestic violence and homelessness.
- Legal Aid Ethics
The Clinic focuses on ethical issues arising in a clinical setting.
Externships/Internships
Legal Externship: Public Defender/Ethics
This externship involves formulating solutions to ethical problems in the criminal justice system
Legal Externship: Public Defender
Students work in the trial and misdemeanor divisions at the local county court.
Legal Externship: Public Defender
This Externship involves assisting actual public defenders in representing indigent clients.
Legal Externship: Prosecutor
This Externship involves assisting the local county prosecutor's office.
Classes with a Public Service Component
Law and Poverty (Two credit hours)
This class examines the situation of the poor in the American legal system and includes fieldwork and clinical work with clients in northern Indiana and southern Michigan. For more information, contact Professor Tom Broden, 574/631-8737.
GALILEE (Group Alternative Live-In Legal Education Experience) (One credit hour)
Students live for a few days in the inner city to learn about the legal needs of the urban poor. For information, contact Professor Teresa Phelps, 574/631-5763.
Legal Aid I & II (classroom & clinic component)
This class introduces students to the substantive areas of law encountered in a poverty law clinic such as domestic violence and homelessness. For more information, contact Professor Judith Fox, 574/631-4864.
Public Interest Journals
Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy
The Journal, which directly analyzes law and public policy from an ethical perspective, is published by the Thomas J. White Center. http://www.nd.edu/~ndlaw/student/journals.html
Journal of College and University Law
This is the only U.S. law review devoted solely to the law of higher education. http://www.nd.edu/~ndlaw/student/journals.html
For more information, contact Alexandria Lewis, Public Interest Career Counselor, 574/631-7542 or Lewis.85@nd.edu.
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
6-12 students funded yearly ($2500-4500), with funding provided by student fund raisers and $25,000 provided by the law school.
Graduate Student Funded:
6-12 students funded yearly ($2500-4500), with funding provided by student fund raisers and $25,000 provided by the law school.
Other Funding Sources:
6-10 yearly ($3000-4500), with funding provided by Notre Dame alumni in various geographic regions.
Fall & spring lecture series: In Search of Public Interest
Brown Bag Series
Organized by the Center for Civil & Human Rights (includes human rights issues)
Research Workshops
Organized by the Center for Civil & Human Rights to provide opportunities for students to contribute research support of litigation applying universal jurisdictional statutes.
Services
Programs
Resources
A committee of faculty, staff, and alumni are in the process of developing a LRAP. Initial disbursements are scheduled to be made Spring 2002. To be eligible for consideration, students must work in public interest related positions.
Law School Funded:
Law School Funded:
Law School Funded:
Career Service Lecture Series
