Directory
Marquette University Law School
Marquette University Law School
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Angela F. Schultz, J.D.
Assistant Dean for Public Service
414-288-6823
[email protected]
Katie Mertz
Director of Pro Bono & Public Service
Marquette Law School, Eckstein Hall
414-288-4965
[email protected]
Category Type
Formal Voluntary Pro Bono Program Characterized by a Referral System with Coordinator
Description of Programs
Marquette University Law School offers a broad range of active and supported pro bono initiatives for its law students. A student's pro bono experience starts with taking a voluntary pro bono pledge when they enter law school. Marquette's full-time assistant dean and director of public service then help students find the right pro bono placement at one or more of the many Marquette-sponsored programs, or at independent placements throughout the community.
Pro bono project descriptions and offerings are updated on the Marquette Law School website each semester: https://law.marquette.edu/community/pro-bono-opportunities. These pro bono initiatives demonstrate Marquette's commitment to serving underserved groups with barriers to equal access to justice. Updated opportunities are provided to students on a regular basisi through a recurring student newsletter.
Students have a choice of whether to participate in projects remotely, in-person, or both.
Location of Programs
Pro bono is coordinated through the Office of Public Service by two full time staff members, and two part time program assistants.
Staffing/Management/Oversight
Marquette Law School's Office of Public Service has a fulltime assistant dean and director, both of whom are licensed attorneys. The Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics work in collaboration with its law student and attorney pro bono advisory boards. Nearly every pro bono project has law students in leadership roles.
Funding
Law School Operating Budget
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
Faculty are invited to participate in all pro bono opportunities as volunteer attorneys. Faculty members serve as faculty supervisors for the many nonprofit and governmental organization internships offered by the law school.
Awards/Recognition
Marquette recognizes students who complete 50 hours of qualifying pro bono legal service with a service honor cord at graduation and induction into the Pro Bono Society, with special honors for those achieving 120 hours of pro bono service. Qualifying pro bono hours must be: (1) primarily legal in nature, (2) not for credit or compensation, (3) supervised by a licensed attorney, and (4) of service to low-income people, those with barriers to equal access to justice, or a nonprofit whose mission is to serve the same.
Visit http://www.law.marquette.edu/community/pro-bono-society for more information.
Alternative Winter or Spring Break Projects
None.
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Office of Public Service
Marquette Law School, Eckstein Hall
[email protected]
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
At this time, Marquette Law School does not offer a certificate program in Public Interest Law. A commitment to service is infused through its curriculum, including its experiential learning opportunities, in accordance with its mission as a Jesuit institution of higher education.
Public Interest Centers
Marquette Law School’s Andrew Center for Restorative Justice, previously the Restorative Justice Initiative, has been at the forefront of the national and international restorative justice movement for over 20 years. Under the leadership of its current director, Professor Mary Triggiano, former Chief Judge of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, the Andrew Center’s mission is to teach, practice, and promote restorative justice at Marquette Law School and in the broader community. The Andrew Center serves as a central hub for educating students on restorative justice and how to use its approaches in their law practices and broader service. Law students not only learn the philosophy, process, and practice of restorative justice, but they also participate in unique experiential learning opportunities and collaborative dialogues that broaden their ability to help individuals and communities resolve conflict and heal from harm.
The Office of Public Service was established in 2005 to coordinate Marquette Law School's efforts to provide meaningful pro bono and community service opportunities to faculty and law students, better connect with community agencies, facilitate inter-departmental coordination, and advance the scholarship of the Law School in accordance the mission of Marquette University. The Office of Public Service is coordinated by a full-time assistant dean and director of public service as well as a part-time program assistant and part-time public interest fellow.
Visit https://law.marquette.edu/community/pro-bono-opportunities
PI Career Support Center
The Career Planning Center maintains a robust collection of resources and provides individualized counseling services tailored to support students interested in careers in public service. Resources include access to information about public interest fellowships and job opportunities.
The Career Planning Center partners annually with the University of Wisconsin Law School to cohost the Wisconsin Public Interest Interview Program. This interview program connects students to upwards of 45 public interest employers for summer and/or post-graduate legal opportunities. The Career Planning Center also facilitates student participation in the Midwest Public Interest Career Conference and the Equal Justice Works Conference. Marquette Law School strives to provide students with quality learning experiences that allow them to hone their lawyering skills in a public interest context.
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
The Howard and Phyllis Eisenberg Fund is an endowed fund held by Marquette University that provides income each year for the purpose of law school loan repayment assistance. Dean Eisenberg established the Loan Repayment Assistance Program in the spring of 2001. After his death, the program was renamed to serve as a lasting memorial to him and was enhanced through memorial contributions and other donations.
For information, visit http://www.law.marquette.edu/community/howard-and-phyllis-eisenberg-fund-loan-repayment-assistance-program.
Fellowships
The Public Interest Law Society holds an annual auction to raise funds for the Public Interest Law Society Summer Fellowship program which is matched by the Dean of the Law School. Each year summer fellows receive a $4,800 fellowship to work in diverse placements such as Catholic Charities Immigration Services, the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, ACLU of Wisconsin, and various state prosecutor and public defender offices. Selected student-fellows are expected to work at their placement for a minimum of 350 hours during the summer. Read more about summer fellowship online: https://law.marquette.edu/community/pils-summer-fellows.
8/29/2024