Directory
University of Utah S. J. Quinney College of Law
University of Utah
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
JoLynn M. Spruance
Director
Pro Bono Initiative
S.J. Quinney College of Law
332 South 1400 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
P: (801) 581-5418
E-mail
Category Type
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with Coordinator
Description of Programs
More information can be found at www.law.utah.edu/probono/. Participation in the Initiative is voluntary and is strongly encouraged for all students and limited to those who have completed their first semester of coursework. Pro bono placements are listed year-round and cover numerous fields of interests. We have placements with law firms, solo practitioners, and other legal related organizations. The Pro Bono Initiative also operates nine Free Brief Advice Legal Clinics around the greater Salt Lake area. A certificate of service is awarded to participants volunteering 50 or more hours by graduation.
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with a Director over the Pro Bono Initiative and the Peter "Rocky" Rognlie Pro Bono Student Fellow.
Location of Programs
Stand Alone Program - The Pro Bono Initiative is operated independently from other law school programs and has an office that is located in the College of Law.
Staffing/Management/Oversight
The Pro Bono Initiative is led by a Director and is supported by the Peter "Rocky" Rognlie Pro Bono Student Fellow Student.
Funding
Financial support for the Pro Bono Initiative is sought through mixed sources including grants/foundations, firms, individuals, and alumni.
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
Specialized Pro Bono Initiative Law Projects:
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice American Indian Legal Clinic
Area of Law: Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), Tribal Land, Family Claim issues, etc.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Debtor's Counseling Legal Clinic
Areas of Law: Bankruptcy, collections, credit issues.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Expungement Law Clinic
Area of Law: Impediments to employment, such as expungements and issues related to outstanding warrants only.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Layton Family Law Clinic
Areas of Law: Family Law, child custody, divorce, protective orders.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Family Law Clinic
Areas of Law: Family Law, child custody, divorce, protective orders.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Immigration Clinic
Areas of Law: Immigration, citizenship, documentation status, deportation, visa, etc.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Medical-Legal Clinic
Areas of Law: Landlord-Tenant issues related to healthcare and accommodations, etc.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Rainbow Law Free Clinic
Areas of Law: LGBT legal issues related to employment, estate planning, family law, etc.
Pro Bono Initiative's Free Brief Advice Street Law Legal Clinic
Areas of Law: Consumer, employment, housing, discrimination, etc.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
The Pro Bono Initiative is led by an Director, who is also on the Administration Committee at the College of Law.
Awards/Recognition
Graduating students completing 50 or more volunteer service hours are recognized in the graduation program and receive their "Certificate of Service" by graduation. They are also recognized in various materials relating to PBI. PBI volunteers are nominated for various awards throughout the year, such as the Utah Celebrates Pro Bono Law Student Award and the Utah State Bar's Law Student Award.
David T. Lewis Clinical Award
This award honors a student (or students) who have demonstrated an outstanding devotion to clinical work. The recipient must have utilized the Clinical Program to his/her optimal educational advantage and achieved identifiable educational benefit (or accomplishments) through that clinical work. Additionally, the recipient must have distinguished him/herself primarily through successful clinical work (rather than through other activities or endeavors.)
Steven Magleby Memorial Award
Steven Magleby was a graduate of the University of Utah College of Law who devoted much of his professional life to defending and advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. He served for many years as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Disability Law Center. He championed the rights of people with disabilities and set a high standard for legal advocates and attorneys representing and advocating for people with disabilities. Because of the generous donations and contributions by the family and friends of Steven Magleby, a Memorial Law Student Fellowship Fund has been created to honor his memory. Beginning in June of 2000, the Steven Magleby Memorial Law Student Fellowship Fund will present a scholarship to an outstanding University of Utah College of Law student who demonstrates a devotion to furthering the goals for which Steven dedicated so much of his life.
Recognition of all of pro bono and Lewis Award achievements are noted in the Res Gestae alumni magazine.
Community Service
Students, faculty, and staff participate in various community service projects each year in conjunction with the Lowell Bennion Community Service Center at the University. Past projects have included performing maintenance work at the Pacific Heights and Pacific Avenues public housing sites, the Jackson Elementary School and the New Hope Refugee Center.
Additionally, the Pro Bono Initiative offers students and legal professionals a free "Spanish for Lawyers" class once a semester.
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Jess Hofberger
Director, Professional Development Office
S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah
P: (801) 581-8700
E-mail
Megan Green
Career Counselor
S.J. Quinney College of Law
University of Utah
P: (801) 587-8317 (office)
E-mail
Jaclyn Powers
Career Counselor
S.J. Quinney College of Law
University of Utah
P: (801) 587-8317 (office)
E-mail
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
None listed
Public Interest Centers
None listed
Public Interest Clinics
None listed
Externships/Internships
Judicial Externships
The approved Judicial Extern Program involves regular placement with local judges who are respected jurists and teachers, and who are willing to provide the degree of supervision demanded in the Guidelines for Judicial Clinics. In order to allow manageable oversight, the number of student-judge participants during any semester should be limited to ten (10). Judicial externs must comply with all instructional and oversight provisions for the Judicial Clinic, and the Clinical Director should continue to communicate regularly (monthly) with both student and judge. Not all judges who currently supervise judicial interns should become supervisors of judicial externs, and not every judge who is initially approved to supervise an extern will become a permanent participant in the program. In extraordinary circumstances and after careful scrutiny, the Clinical Director may approve an extern placement with a judge outside the immediate locality provided that the judge is willing to comply with the Judicial Clinic Guidelines and to provide the individualized supervision to the student that is most important. The extern program is limited to third-year students. Second-year students with outstanding qualifications should be encouraged to apply for post-law school clerkships. Third-year students who have not been accepted as post-law school clerks should be the primary population for participation in the judicial extern program.
The paradigmatic one-semester judicial externship is 12 credit hours. However, the Clinical Director is authorized to approve student judicial externships for lesser or greater credit (but not to exceed a maximum of 14 credit hours in a semester). Additionally, students performing a judicial externship are authorized to take the Judicial Process course, if offered, that semester. The taking of any other law school course, or participation in any other law school activity or program, for credit while performing a judicial externship requires approval, in advance, from the Clinical Director. The Subcommittee approval may be on such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate. The Subcommittee's discretion is to be exercised with a view to furthering the student's educational needs in light of all the circumstances.
The absolute prohibition against credit for both judicial internships and externships is repealed. The Subcommittee is authorized, in appropriate cases, and subject to such terms and conditions as the Subcommittee may require, to allow a student to take a judicial externship even though a judicial internship has previously been taken.
In all cases, the Clinical Program's existing work/credit ratio will remain constant (50 hours of work for each hour of credit). It is contemplated that variations from the 12 credit hour full-time norm will only be made for good cause. It is anticipated that, over time, the Clinical Subcommittee will develop guidelines both with respect to situations in which credit variations (to increase or decrease from the norm) will be permitted and the extent to which other law school courses, activities or programs for credit will be permitted during the externship semester.
Classes with a Public Service Component
Teaching Law in High School - Streetlaw course taught to local high schools students
Public Interest Journals
None listed
PI Career Support Center
Panels, workshops, counseling, Northwest Consortium Government and Public Interest Career Fair, Public Interest
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
A generous gift from Jefferson B. and Rita E. Fordham established the Public Service Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Other fundraising efforts also support the program.
Post-Graduate Fellowships/Awards
Law School Funded:
None listed
Graduate Student Funded:
None listed
Other Funding Sources:
None listed
Term Time Fellowships/Scholarships
Law School Funded:
None listed
Graduate Student Funded:
None listed
Other Funding Sources:
None listed
Summer Fellowships
Law School Funded:
None listed
Graduate Student Funded:
None listed
Other Funding Sources:
Frankel Public Interest fellowships
Spurgeon endowed fellowship
Khazeni Fellowship
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
None listed
Student Public Interest Groups
PILO - The Public Interest Law Organization (PILO) is dedicated to raising awareness of, and taking action on, public interest law issues. The organization encourages student participation in public interest law, develops public interest placement resources, engages in pro bono and community service projects, and has established a summer stipend program.
August 7, 2018