For Immediate Release
May 12, 2011

Media Contact:

Kara Tershel, (202) 662-9037

James Bishop of the Archdiocesan Legal Network (left), ALN Advisory Board Member Susan Hoffman of Crowell & Moring (right) and His Eminence Donald Cardinal Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington, present OPICS Director of Pro Bono Programs Holly Eaton with the ALN award.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Georgetown University Law Center Office of Public Interest and Community Service (OPICS) has been recognized by the Catholic Charities Archdiocesan Legal Network (ALN) for the outstanding volunteer work performed by Georgetown Law students at the Network.

"Georgetown Law is an example of the kind of institutions that make the Legal Network possible. Only through the volunteers who take time to get involved in someone’s life can the Legal Network help so many people," said James Bishop, senior program director for the Archdiocesan Legal Network. "It was a joy to honor Georgetown Law and publicly recognize the indelible impact they’ve made in the lives of so many men, women and families, who needed access to sound and fair legal representation."

ALN honored Georgetown Law at a reception in Washington in April.

"Public service is a hallmark of Georgetown Law," said Georgetown Law Dean William M. Treanor. "We are grateful to ALN for this recognition of our students’ commitment to serving others."

Each year, OPICS refers Georgetown Law students to volunteer at ALN as part of its pro bono program. The program includes the Pro Bono Pledge, which challenges each student to perform 75 hours of law-related pro bono service before graduation, as well as the 1L Pro Bono Service Project, which places first-year students in law-related volunteer positions with legal services organizations in the D.C. metropolitan area.

ALN is operated by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington. Its mission is to "provide pro bono legal services and law-related education to indigent and low-income residents of Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties." Established in 1989, the Network has assisted an estimated 25,000 clients by providing information, direct legal assistance and referrals to attorneys and law firms.

About Georgetown University Law Center 

Georgetown University Law Center is one of the world's premier law schools. It is pre-eminent in several areas, including constitutional, international, tax and clinical law, and the faculty is among the largest in the nation. Drawing on its Jesuit heritage, it has a strong tradition of public service and is dedicated to the principle that law is but a means, justice is the end. With this principle in mind, Georgetown Law has built an environment that cultivates an exchange of ideas and the pursuit of academic excellence. It brings together an extraordinarily varied group of teachers, scholars and practitioners, as well as an outstanding student body representing more than 60 countries.