The Career Brief
Pro Bono & Community Service Work: Why Do It (And How)?
Open gallery
Many students come to Lewis & Clark with a focus on public interest law and are eager for opportunities to use their legal skills to support causes they feel strongly about. Each fall semester, we hold the Pro Bono & Community Fair on campus to help connect students with volunteer opportunities. As a busy student, you may wonder how you will be able to spare any time and energy to do anything other than your coursework - and volunteering is the furthest thing from your mind.
But considering all of the incredible benefits of volunteering as a law student and beyond, the rewards of volunteer work can be well worth the effort. What are some of these benefits?
- Apply and develop your skills in real-life scenarios. If there are any skills that you want more practice in, spending some time doing pro bono or community service work can help you get that practice. Whether it’s research, general people skills, taking diligent notes, advocating on behalf of someone or something, maintaining fluency in a second language, or any number of other things, practical experience via volunteering can help you polish the foundational skills used frequently in legal work.
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Network. If there is a cause you care deeply about and want to meet like-minded professionals already doing work in that area, volunteering is a perfect way to do so. And doing so in a volunteer setting where you are focused on a project or task can be a more comfortable and natural to make connections versus attending a networking event.
- Low-risk way to explore new areas of law. Even if you already have a practice area in mind or feel committed to a certain specialty, it is always beneficial to keep exploring. If you’re curious about a different area and want to diversify your experience, pro bono work in that area may be exactly what you’re looking for.
- Increased employability. Actions speak louder than words. Rather than telling a potential employer what you care about, doing volunteer work speaks for itself. It says that you are dedicated to and passionate about something. It also says that you are able to manage multiple commitments and responsibilities. And volunteer work can be added to your resume as well.
- Experience in your desired practice area in a personal, and sometimes non-legal, context. Sometimes being immersed in schoolwork and academia can disconnect you from the things you care about most– including the very reason you decided to pursue law in the first place. Doing community service work related to that area can keep your feet on the ground, as well as personalize and humanize the work for you. And hey, it’s always nice to catch a break from schoolwork; spending time doing something that enriches your work is a huge bonus.
- Make a difference. Certainly not least of all, contributing to the ripple effect of positive change in the world is an amazing feeling. And there’s science to back this up, too– according to the Mayo Clinic, “Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. By spending time in service to others, volunteers report feeling a sense of meaning and appreciation, both given and received, which can have a stress-reducing effect.” Stress-reducing effects during law school? Yes, please.
Depending on your unique situation and where you’re at in your journey as a law student, there may be additional benefits for you as well. For example, if you’re a 1L, volunteering is a way to gain valuable experience at a time when you are considered a bit too new to the legal world for paid positions. Evening law students who have a day job can volunteer to get a feel for where the rubber meets the road without giving up their current responsibilities. If you’re keen to work for a particular organization, volunteering with them can be a way to get early information about their hiring practices and job openings.
Finally, there are benefits that are specific to the law school community. Reporting 30 hours of pro bono or community service work earns you either the Pro Bono Honors Award or the Community Service Honors Award. With 50 hours of pro bono work, and meeting other requirements, you earn the Public Interest Certificate! More information about these programs can be found HERE. Performing volunteer and pro bono work can even offer you a chance at receiving funding for your law school education through the Public Interest Law Project.
By now you’re probably thinking, “Sign me up! I’m completely and utterly convinced that doing pro bono and community service work is one of the best things I can do to enrich my law school experience.” Fantastic! Your Career Services team is eagerly waiting to help you find opportunities to volunteer.
For more information about the Pro Bono & Community Service Fair, keep an eye out for the Announcements email in your inbox in the days leading up to the fair, check the law school calendar, and check the Events sections of Career Connect. Please send us an email at lscs@lclark.edu with any questions.