In the legal profession there are lawyers who, out of kindness, use their legal skills to help those who really need it; this is known as “pro bono” work. Pro bono comes from “pro bono publico”, a Latin phrase meaning “for the public good” [1], and concerns the provision of legal services for free to those requiring legal advice and/or representation who cannot afford to pay for it and where alternative means of legal aid are unavailable [2]. But what is in there for law students? This essay will explain what benefits they could gain from pro bono work, and the range of opportunities available to them.
Today, more law students are doing pro bono work than ever; a LawWorks report (2014) shows that about 70% of UK law schools offer legal services
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A predominant one are “legal advice clinics” set up by law schools which present an excellent opportunity to gain experience working on cases whilst also developing their key legal skills, supervised by an experienced practitioner. One example is the Northumbria Student Law Office, a successful clinical legal education scheme by Northumbria University [8], where students take part in a legal advice and representation scheme as part of academic development, covering a wide range of legal areas such as housing, family and employment [9]. Others include “Streetlaw”, where links are built with schools or community groups to assist students in researching certain areas of law, then prepare and deliver interactive workshops on them; volunteering with legal organisations (eg. Citizens Advice Bureau) to give advice or assist them in their services; work on cases involving potential miscarriages of justice (“Innocence Project”); and enhance advocacy skills through the Free Representation Unit (FRI), among others [10].
The importance of doing pro bono work as part of legal education is something that law students should take into account, not only due to the benefits it provides, both in developing key legal skills within a real-life context and enhancing graduate employability, but also because its charitable nature gives them a sense of having “given back” to their community by aiding those who seek out legal advice.
Paralegals are continuing to assume new responsibilities in legal offices and perform many of the same duties as attorneys. Through formal education, training and experience, paralegals have knowledge and expertise regarding the legal system and law procedures, which qualify them to work under the supervision of an attorney. Along with preparing legal documents, contracts and other legal materials, a paralegal can also interview witnesses, and conducting legal research. The most important task a paralegal may have is helping an attorney prepare for hearings, trials, and meetings. Although a paralegal is trained to perform the same tasks as attorneys, they are explicitly prohibited from carrying out duties considered to be within the scope of the practice of law, such as setting legal fees, giving legal advice, submitting signed documents to court, and presenting cases in court. Paralegals are an essential part of today’s legal practice; furthermore, a competent paralegal can improve a law office’s profitability and the delivery of legal services. With these new responsibilities comes a higher level of demand and respect. In turn...
One-L, by Scott Turow, outlines the experience of attending Harvard Law School as a first year law-student. Turow weaves his experiences with those around him, and intertwines the professors of Harvard law, as well as their lectures. Initially, Turow enters Harvard law in a bit of disarray and awe. As a world of hornbooks, treatises, law-reviews, group studies, and legal terminology unfold beyond comprehension; Turow is confronted with the task of maintaining sanity. Time appears to be the most important variable, as Turow begins to study for contracts, torts, property, civil procedure, and criminal law; because time is so precious, one key-highlight for law-students is to balance family. Moreover, Turow is part of section-1, and two of his
The “GIDEON’S ARMY” film documentary follows the personal stories of Travis Williams, Brandy Alexander and June Hardwick, three young public defenders who struggle against extensive working hours, little wage and awe-inspiring caseloads so common that even the most dedicated in the profession frequently give up in their first year of labor. From watching this film it has come to fruition in my mind that only a select few can do what these young men and women put up with on a weekly basis. In the film all three public defenders attempt to provide high quality representation despite the overwhelming odds against them. They all have from top to bottom student loan debt which causes an extraordinary amount of stress to them and other public defenders in the profession. This film was also very depressing. Just from watching this film for a couple of minutes one can get very down on themselves. By the time I was done observing it I had to turn on a more motivational show because the film was really that disheartening. The Stakes were incredibly high for the defendants which faced some of t...
... integrity. Through the Community Action Program I visited two third grade classes at the elementary school that my company sponsors. The school is sorely lacking in funds and many of the children come from homes where their families are struggling to provide them with the skills necessary to succeed in school. I taught the students for five weeks about the variety of skills one must learn to run a business and how various businesses are needed for a city to function. Each classroom was comprised entirely of children from one of two different ethnic groups, but both were from homes where English was not the first language. I believe my affinity for developing relationships with and between people will be an asset both in the classroom and in the legal profession. I look forward to rising to the challenge of constant change and growth in the ever-evolving field of law.
Paralegals have become an essential part of today's legal system, and as the profession becomes one of the leading and fastest growing occupations in the U.S. economy; these individuals perform delegated tasks under the supervision of attorneys. Education has played an important part on this matter; it has facilitated this development by allowing lawyers to use these skills professionals as agents to delegate specific tasks such as legal research, gathering of information and the drafting of specific legal documents under the supervision and final approval of their principals. This has been very significant because now; we can enjoy a speedy process in a cumbersome legal system. From en economic standpoint, it has also been beneficial by decreasing the substantial amount of the legal cost a firm could incur if only lawyers were allowed to perform this kind work.
Small law firms offer the paralegal a chance to work in many different areas of law and allow them to provide many different services while working on...
...aduate career. I am eager to be a member of a learning community that challenges me academically and provides real world experiences. Harvard Law affords its students the distinct opportunity to receive a premier education while participating in a variety of hands on clinical and pro bono programs. My performance in and out of the classroom serves as evidence of my high likelihood to succeed in this type of learning environment. Harvard would greatly benefit from adding a student of my background and potential to this incoming class. I have unique life experiences that will enhance classroom conversations and mold my peers into worldly future legal professionals.
... education alone. The stark reality leaves much desired, success determined through unfavorable components, which my cousin never had, where you live, money, and education. Limits stop individuals from growth and career aspirations which contributed to my cousin becoming an at risk youth. Throughout my experiences, I learned that second chances could bring individuals thought lost back to the fold and be successful. My hope is that law school will contribute in my drive towards social activism. Law school will help me in my continued efforts for children’s success. Furthermore, my guidance, of course extends to people who face similar circumstances such as my cousin. Society stigmatized the indigent, cycles formed, and members of the family remains entrenched with their future remaining uncertain. I want to serve communities in overcoming the limits set by society.
Although the legal profession is a single discourse community, it is made up of many smaller discourse communities. This is so because while all lawyers share the same broad goals of the legal profession and have a general knowledge and expertise in all areas of the law, most lawyers after graduating from law school and passing the bar exam specialize in a particular area of law. This specialization requires the lawyer to go beyond the broad concepts of law as a whole and to become knowledgeable and proficient in the sometimes minute details of a more specific area of law. Even then, some lawyers will go even further to focus on one aspect or another of that particular area of law. This results in most lawyers being members of many even smal...
The paralegal profession developed as legal secretaries assumed additional duties to help attorneys with their workload. The paralegal performs legal tasks under the supervision of an attorney that maximizes attorneys' productivity and cost efficiency in the delivery of legal services. Paralegals work in many different types of law firms, corporations or government agencies in many areas of law (Hollingshead). All duties performed by a paralegal are under the supervision of an attorney who is responsible for the paralegal’s conduct. In fact, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on Paralegals define paralegals or legal assistants [used synonymously] as a person qualified by education, training or work experiences, who is employed or retained by a lawyer, law office, corporation, government agency, or other entity who performs specific delegated legal substantive work for which a lawyer is responsible (ABA). In class, we learne...
Moot courts also teach professionalism and ethics to students of law, to apply law to fact, to structure and rank a legal argument by strength, and not to assert losing propositions. They provide law students opportunities to improve their legal writing, legal research, and oral advocacy in a competitive environment that prepares students for a competitive world. The moot court experience is perhaps the most important activity in law school. It is the activity that fully develops the skill every lawyer must possess: advocacy. Regardless of practice area, all lawyers must communicate in a way that advances their client’s interests, whether in a courtroom or boardroom. Most important, moot court builds character. Every student competitor “will be a better lawyer, and a better person, because of the moot court experience.”
I was told that my desire to enter the field of public interest would wane after my first year of community service. On the contrary, the realization of the power which a lawyer possesses has reinforced my desire to enter this arena. An advocate's work can have far reaching consequences. This is clearly true in public interest law, where the purpose is not simply to correct a wrong done in the past between two parties, but to alter the disparate treatment of an often under-represented class.
Not only do we need to understand the ‘issue’ or ‘societal problem’ that many people face and are impacted by every day, but we need to meet and work alongside those whose daily realities are shaped by injustices, while not creating any divides or barriers in the process. Everyday people are affected by the issues that organizations fight for or against, and once we realize how people-centered things like advocacy, outreach and service are, I believe young people will realize their call to action and their potent...
The Paralegal Professional, A reference to the source of legal information chapter 1 and lettures from class powerpoints.
In all, this assignment has helped me a lot by enforcing the need to research before making great decisions. One great decision in my life at this moment is trying to decide on a major and trying to reveal and find out what I really want to be. This assignment has helped me discover what it is like to get into a good law school, what the work load is like, what types of law there is to pursue a career in, and what the salary is. All these components will keep me grounded and stay true to what I originally wanted to pursue which is a career in the legal system of our country.