Directory
Saint Thomas University College of Law (FL)
Saint Thomas University College of Law (FL)
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Joel J. Walker, Esq.
Public Sector Career Counselor
16401 NW 37th Avenue
Miami, FL 33054
(305) 474-2433
[email protected]
Category Type
Pro Bono Graduation Requirement.
Description of Programs
In furtherance of St. Thomas University School of Law's mission to provide assistance to the community, all law students are required to complete 50 hours of pro bono service before graduation. St. Thomas Law's pro bono graduation requirement enables students to serve the community while gaining valuable practical lawyering skills. Whether a student's ultimate goal is to work in the public or private sector, St. Thomas Law is committed to instilling the ethic that public service and pro bono advocacy is an integral part of becoming a lawyer. Law students who complete at least one hundred (100) hours of pro bono will be awarded Certificates of Commendation at a year-end ceremony. Also, these students will receive special recognition in the graduation program, be given a cord for graduation, and have this honor noted on their final transcript. The graduating 3L with the highest number of legal pro bono hours is awarded an inscribed plaque at the Commencement.
Location of Programs
The Pro Bono Program is administered through the Office for Career Development, which is located in the Center for Professional Development.
Staffing/Management/Oversight
The Public Sector Career Counselor oversees the Pro Bono Program.
Funding
The Pro Bono Program is supported by St. Thomas Law.
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
VITA Tax Program - Students assist in filling out tax forms for low-income persons of the community. The Tax Clinic Professor supervises this program.
Specialized Projects - Requests for pro bono projects not already on the pre-approved list in the Pro Bono Handbook, including opportunities with private attorneys doing pro bono work must be pre-approved. Individual students or student organizations may apply for project approval. Time spent on the project may count toward the pro bono graduation requirement only if work complies with the requirements set forth in the Pro Bono Handbook and the project is approved by the Assistant Dean for the Office for Career Development.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
Faculty are encouraged to complete pro bono service.
Awards/Recognition
Every year, St. Thomas Law recognizes its law students for completing 100 or more hours of pro bono service at the Annual Public Service Awards Program held in April. Law students who complete at least one hundred (100) hours of pro bono will be awarded Certificates of Commendation at a year-end ceremony. Also, these students will receive special recognition in the graduation program, be given a cord for graduation, and have this honor noted on their final transcript. The graduating 3L with the highest number of legal pro bono hours is awarded an inscribed plaque at the Commencement.
Community Service
The Pro Bono Program encourages law students, faculty, staff, and alumni to participate in community service projects.
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Joel J. Walker, Esq.
Public Sector Career Counselor
16401 NW 37th Avenue
Miami, FL 33054
(305) 474-2433
[email protected]
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
Public Interest Centers
Public Interest Clinics
St. Thomas Law's clinics include:
Appellate Litigation Clinic
Bankruptcy Clinic
Family Court Clinic
Immigration Clinic
Tax Clinic
Externships/Internships
St. Thomas Law offers many opportunities for externships/internships. The Clinic Program and the Office for Career Development assist in providing opportunities.
Classes with a Public Service Component
Public Interest Journals
St. Thomas Law publishes The Florida Public Interest Journal on behalf of the Public Interest Law Section of The Florida Bar.
PI Career Support Center
Public sector career counseling is provided by Sherea L. Randle, Esq., Public Sector Career Counselor. The Office for Career Development also provides resources to students who are interested in pursuing a career in the public sector. St. Thomas Law holds the Pro Bono & Public Service Fair annually in February. This Fair brings together federal, state, and local public sector organizations to educate students about public interest law and recruit them for internships, externships, and postgraduate opportunities. St. Thomas Law also provides Lunch & Learn Programming. This Programming is held every week during the academic year and includes diverse topics including those related to public interest law. For more information, www.stu.edu/law/careers
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
St. Thomas Law administers the John & June Mary Makdisi Loan Forgiveness Fund (established in 1999) and the Mr. & Mrs. Stanley G. Tate Loan Forgiveness Fund (established 2001) which provide loan repayment assistance to alumni in law-related public interest careers.
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:
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
Student Public Interest Groups
American Immigration Lawyers Association
Criminal Law Society
Environmental Law Society
Public Interest Law Student Association
St. Thomas More Catholic Law Society
Student Animal Legal Defense Fund
Tax Law Society
5/28/2021