Directory
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Michelle Vodenik
(312) 906-5222
[email protected]
Public Interest Center
[email protected]
Category Type
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with a Coordinator
Description of Programs
As a way of encouraging and promoting community service and pro bono legal work, the Public Interest Center (PIC) was created to help connect students interested in volunteer or career opportunities with public interest groups or agencies in need of their services. Primarily, the Center acts as a clearinghouse for short and long-term public service law opportunities as well as non-law related projects, with the realization that many students cannot fully commit themselves to a career in public interest upon graduation. Therefore, enabling students to benefit from doing pro bono work while in law school is a Center priority.
Location of Programs
The Public Interest Center in housed in the Career Services Office.
Staffing/Management/Oversight
PIC is staffed by the Director, Michelle Vodenik, and supported by Assistant Director Tobias Rodriguez, as well as three student assistants.
Funding
PIC is funded by the law school.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
Awards/Recognition
Chicago-Kent College of Law hosts an annual reception during which the "Chicago-Kent Certificate of Service" is awarded to students who complete at least 50 hours of volunteer service during their time at Chicago-Kent. The "Dean's Distinguished Public Service Award" is given to students who complete at least 250 hours of volunteer service. These students' names are engraved on name plates and mounted on a plaque which is displayed in the building.
Chicago-Kent also acknowledges all students who receive the Chicago-Kent Certificate of Service (50 hours of volunteer service), as well as students who receive the Dean's Distinguished Public Service Award (250 hours of volunteer service), in the bulletin at graduation.
Alternative Winter or Spring Break Projects
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Michelle Mohr Vodenik
Director and Public Interest/Diversity Adviser
Career Services Office
(312) 906-5222
[email protected]
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
Certificate in Public Interest Law
Chicago-Kent's Public Interest Law Program provides students with a balanced understanding of public interest law by allowing students to customize their public interest academic path while requiring students to complete a specified number of volunteer hours and to participate in a career planning session. The Certificate in Public Interest Law allows students to earn a credential that demonstrates their dedication to public interest law, making them more prepared for the competitive public interest employment field.
Public Interest Centers
The Center for Access to Justice & Technology (CAJT) works to make justice more accessible to the public by promoting the use of the Internet in the teaching, practice, and public access to the law. The Center conducts research, builds software tools, teaches classes and supports faculty, staff and student projects on access to justice and technology. Currently, CAJT manages and promotes the Access to Justice Author (A2J Author), leads the A2J Student Editorial Board (A2J-SEB), and directs the Self-Help Web Center (SHWC). In addition to these activities and initiatives, CAJT also administers the Certificate in Public Interest Law. For more information, please visit: https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/institutes-centers/center-for-access-to-justice-and-technology
Institute for Science, Law & Technology - The mission of the Institute for Science, Law & Technology is to provide a forum to produce and disseminate knowledge on the implications and applications of science within societal and legal contexts. As part of its mission, the Institute sponsors long-term, multi-disciplinary research, public conferences, judicial training, symposia for journalists, and other programs. Public programming, scholarship and research, and student educational opportunities in the Institute focuses on biotechnology, information technology, environmental science, and cross cutting issues such as products liability, intellectual property, design of legal and market institutions, and use of technology in the courtroom. In addition, Institute staff and faculty draft laws and regulations and develop other programs that guide public policy decisions. For more information, please visit: https://www.kentlaw.iit.edu/institutes-centers/institute-for-science-law-and-technology
PI Career Support Center
The Career Services Office has 2 dedicated staff people who work with students in the development of their careers in the public interest and government employment sector. Opportunities offered to students include: individual counseling for a career in public interest law; programs on opportunities in government and public interest law; access to PSLAWNET, a source to find public interest and fellowship information; participation in the Midwest Public Interest Law Career Conference, where employers interview students seeking positions in public interest law; Fellowship application assistance; the opportunity to participate in the annual Equal Justice Works Career Fair held in Washington D.C. as Chicago-Kent College of Law is a member school; various public interest receptions and networking events throughout the year; and Alumni Networking Resources.
In addition, students who enroll in the Public Interest Certificate, are required to develop a Public Interest Career Plan to assess their interests, as well as the skills necessary to achieve their career goals.
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
Chicago-Kent Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Human rights, civil rights and liberties, social justice, access to justice, domestic violence, and anti-discrimination: these are several of the many areas addressed by public interest law. Chicago-Kent is committed to making such options available to its graduates. One challenge to a public interest career is high educational debt. Chicago-Kent has responded through the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). The Mission of the LRAP is 1) help alumni in low-paying public interest jobs manage their student loan debt for the year, so they can stay in their public interest jobs and 2) encourage current students to consider a public interest career.
In order to ensure that alumni in public interest and government positions with the greatest need receive funds from the LRAP, applicants must meet employment, debt and income requirements.
Questions about the Loan Repayment Assistance Program should be directed to:
Michelle Mohr Vodenik
Director & Public Interest/Diversity Advisor
Career Services Office
[email protected]
312-906-5222
The Chicago Bar Foundation also has a loan repayment assistance program and Chicago-Kent College of Law students are eligible to apply. See http://chicagobarfoundation.org
Fellowships
A grant of $3500 is given to two or three Chicago-Kent alums working in public interest law every year.
The Institute for Science, Law and Technology, as well as the Institute on Biotechnology and the Human Future, both have fellows.