Directory
Creighton University School of Law
Creighton University
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Katelyn Cherney, J.D.
Poverty Law Program Director
2500 California Plaza, Room 232
Omaha, NE 68178
(402) 280-3068
clinic@creighton.edu
Category Type
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with a Coordinator and School-Sponsored Pro Bono Projects
Description of Programs
The Creighton Poverty Law Pro Bono Program recognizes voluntary law student pro bono and community service provided primarily to persons of limited means or other vulnerable and underserved populations. All graduates who voluntarily complete a minimum of fifty (50) hours of service over the course of their legal education are recognized for Pro Bono Service Distinction by the Law School, the Nebraska Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission and the Nebraska State Bar Association.
Location of Programs
Creighton Poverty Law Program, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178
Staffing/Management/Oversight
Katelyn Cherney, J.D.
Poverty Law Program Director
2500 California Plaza, Room 232
Omaha, NE 68178
(402) 280-3068
clinic@creighton.edu
Funding
The Creighton Poverty Law Program is made possible by a gift from the Heaney Family Fund.
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
The Women’s Law Student Association sponsors a recurring pro bono project in partnership with the Women’s Center for Advancement, a local nonprofit organization serving individuals experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking.
The Military Law Society sponsors a recurring pro bono project in partnership with the Veterans Legal Support Network, a local nonprofit organization assisting veterans to navigate the legal system.
Other student organizations regularly support pro bono activities through programming, club-sponsored projects and donation drives.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
There is no formal faculty pro bono policy. Faculty and administrators serve as advisors to student organizations and regularly participate in the Law School’s annual Service Day.
Awards/Recognition
The Law School sponsors an annual Pro Bono Awards Luncheon during the spring semester to celebrate the outstanding achievements of law students and community partners engaged in pro bono service over the academic year. Students who complete a minimum fifty (50) service hours receive graduation recognition, including a notation in the graduation program, a pro bono honor cord, a transcript notation for “Pro Bono Service Distinction” and certificates of achievement from the Nebraska Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission and Nebraska State Bar Association.
Community Service
Provided that at least 35 of the 50 voluntary service hours are law-related pro bono service, the remaining 15 hours may be community service completed by a student for a nonprofit organization or other entity primarily serving persons of limited means or other vulnerable and underserved populations.
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Katelyn Cherney, J.D.
Poverty Law Program Director
2500 California Plaza, Room 232
Omaha, NE 68178
(402) 280-3068
clinic@creighton.edu
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
Public Interest Centers
Public Interest Clinics
The Milton R. Abrahams Legal Clinic is a general clinic offering a number of civil legal services to low-income, Douglas County residents, with a priority for individuals who have experienced domestic violence and for individuals attempting to secure or maintain safe, affordable housing. The highest demand for services is with issues of child support and custody, divorce, protection orders and landlord-tenant disputes.
The Immigration and Refugee Clinic operates in partnership with a local nonprofit organization, Immigrant Legal Center, to provide direct services to immigrants and refugees in open cases in immigration court and before administrative agencies. The clinic focuses specifically on three types of clients: asylum seekers and refugees, unaccompanied minors, and victims of human trafficking or other abuse.
Externships/Internships
Creighton offers a number of externships. For information, see http://www.creighton.edu/law/academics/curriculum/externships/index.php.
Classes with a Public Service Component
The Milton R. Abrahams Legal Clinic is a designated academic service-learning course through the Creighton University Office of Academic Service-Learning.
Public Interest Journals
PI Career Support Center
Mandy L. Whiddon, J.D.
Assistant Dean of Career Development
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, NE 68178
402-280-3096
MandyWhiddon1@creighton.edu
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
Post-Graduate Fellowships/Awards
Law School Funded:
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
Term Time Fellowships/Scholarships
Law School Funded:
Graduate Student Funded
Other Funding Sources:
Summer Fellowships
Law School Funded:
Creighton Fund for Clerkships in the Public Interest (CFCPI) provides summer funding for law students working in unpaid public service legal jobs. Qualifying employers include government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Graduate Student Funded:
Two-three summer fellowships.
Other Funding Sources:
Twenty-forty summer fellowships (University work-study funds).
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
Student Public Interest Groups
Public Interest Law Forum (PILF) promotes awareness within the legal community of the problems of the underrepresented and works to serve the needs of the underprivileged within our community. PILF's aim is to foster an interest among law students and the legal community as a whole, resulting in the servicing of both the legal and non-legal needs of the underrepresented. PILF is dedicated to the quest of justice for all and recognizes the need for an integrated vision of the world that acknowledges the commonality of humankind by promoting service of others and working to meet the needs of those lacking representation. PILF encourages and supports internships and careers in public interest and actively volunteers to assist in any possible phase of legal representation of those who would otherwise be unable to obtain remedies for violations of their rights. PILF provides a forum for the discussion of topics within the area of public interest and searches for the solutions and means to meet the needs of the under-represented.
3/9/2020