Directory
Vanderbilt University Law School
Vanderbilt University Law School
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Beth Cruz
Assistant Dean and Martha Craig Daughtrey Director for Public Interest
[email protected]
615-322-4964
Category Type
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with a Coordinator
Description of Programs
Vanderbilt Law School provides students a diverse array of opportunities for engagement in pro bono service. Students may engage in community legal education through one of the student Legal Aid Society’s pro bono projects, or they may participate in legal clinics hosted by the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. For information about current pro bono opportunities for students, contact the Public Interest Program Coordinator.
In addition, the Vanderbilt Law School Pro Bono Pledge is a voluntary program through which students make a commitment to dedicate a portion of their time to pro bono legal work and community service during their law school careers. The purpose of the Pledge is to recognize all students who engage in pro bono, public interest and community service activities while enrolled at Vanderbilt Law School and to encourage greater student participation in such work. Students may elect to sign the pledge at any point during their law school career but must complete 75 hours of community service work throughout their three years school. Two-thirds of this time must be served in law-related activities and ten hours of the Pledge must be performed in the Nashville metropolitan area. Various student groups offer opportunities that count towards completion of the Pledge and students are additionally free to set up their own opportunities outside of those formally offered at the law school.
Location of Programs
Public Interest Center
Staffing/Management/Oversight
The Vanderbilt Law School Public Interest Office prepares students for fulfilling and sustainable public interest careers through robust advising, programming, and community support. It fosters a culture of public service by providing the vision, training, and opportunities to serve the greater good both during and after law school.
Funding
Through the law school.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
N/a
Awards/Recognition
At the end of each school year, a reception is held to recognize those students who completed the VLS Pro Bono Pledge.
The Junius Allison Legal Aid Award and the Carl Rutkowski Clinic Award are announced at graduation.
Alternative Winter or Spring Break Projects
Pro Bono Breaks, held during the law school's spring break, gives students an opportunity to put their emerging legal skills and knowledge to use in support of organizations that advocate for marginalized and underserved communities. The program is open to all students, regardless of career goals. It offers a brief immersion into daily work of a public interest organization, similar to a short-term internship opportunity. Depending on availablity, Vanderbilt Law offers projects both locally in Nashville and regionally within the Southest.
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Beth Cruz
Assistant Dean and Martha Craig Daughtrey Director for Public Interest
[email protected]
615-322-4964
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
https://law.vanderbilt.edu/public-interest/curriculum/
Public Interest Centers
N/a
PI Career Support Center
Vanderbilt offers students seeking a public interest career – whether in government service, indigent defense, legal aid offices, advocacy organizations, or their own brand of social justice entrepreneurship – expert advice. The Assistant Dean for Public Interest works closely with the Career Services Office to support students who aspire to public service work during and after law school. Our Assistant Dean for Public Interest works one-on-one with students seeking a career in public interest. The Public Interest Office hosts two public sector focused virtual recruiting programs each year as well as the annual Government and Public Interest Day, which allows students to network with government and nonprofit employers and seek summer internship opportunities. Students may also attend the annual Equal Justice Works Career Fair with support from Vanderbilt.
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
Public interest law is rewarding, challenging, and meaningful, but it can also be low-paying. Many law graduates need to repay student loans, which can provide an additional challenge to taking public service employment upon graduation. To help ease the burden for public interest graduates, Vanderbilt Law offers a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) that pays 100 percent of your annual loan repayment obligation for up to 10 years for students who earn less than $70,000. The Public Interest Office also provides guidance on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and other forms of educational debt relief.
Fellowships
https://law.vanderbilt.edu/jd-program/costs-financial-aid/scholarships/george-barrett-social-justice-fellowship/
08/28/2024