As Stetson Law students, we are required to complete 60 hours of pro bono work prior to graduation. 30 of those hours are required to be legal work. While we as students may find this requirement tedious, what are we actually getting out of this. The morality and empathy within in us would argue it’s for the good of the community and helping those less fortunate. But from a strictly logical sense, we are getting much more out of it. Pro bono work allows us as students to…
1. Develop Skills
Yes, we develop many skills attending hours of lectures each week. But in reality, there are crucial skills that can only be developed through real world experience. Having the opportunity to begin developing these skills before even being out of law school and in our first job is irreplaceable.
2. Apply Skills in Real Life Cases
Having the opportunity to work hands-on with real clients is a completely new experience. The classroom fact patterns we receive can only go so far. Dealing with real people with real problems adds a new depth to our development.
3. Experiment with New Areas of the Law
In many instances, students enroll in law school with no clue what area of the law they want to practice post-graduation. Having the opportunity to work in several different fields you may be interested in, without committing to a full-time job, can be extremely beneficial.
4. Commit a Reasonable Amount of Time
Let’s be real. Throughout three full years in law school, only being required to commit 60 hours of work is not much. This can easily be completed within a month. Therefore, the burden to benefit ratio is no problem.
5. Build your Network
Working with real attorneys in the field is a great opportunity to get your name out in the community and expand your network. Whereas just sitting in a classroom you may meet fellow law students, having lawyers with real world experience that have been practicing for years can open the door to new chances for graduating students.
6. Make a Difference in your Community
Lastly, the benefit you can create to individuals in the community who may not have the means to afford legal services is irreplaceable. As citizens of this country, we are guaranteed legal counsel. Assisting those in need cannot be overlooked.
Hi Axel, I agree. Pro bono work can be incredibly rewarding and 60 hours over the course of 3 years isn't the worst. I think something that may be beneficial is if the work that is done is geared more toward what those are interested in. Regardless, it is always good to make a difference in the community.
ReplyDeleteI think the pro-bono requirement is good because it also encourages law students to become used to finding the balance in their schedules to find the time to engage in these activities. These habits can translate in to practice, and hopefully encourage practicing attorneys to have a healthy pro bono representation practice when they are out of law school.
ReplyDeleteYes! I think that having a pro-bono requirement is extremely beneficial to students, law firms as well as the community at large. So much can be learned through these experiences and it can be eye opening for law students to work with underserved populations and provide a positive means to give back to the community.
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