Pro Bono Opportunities

There are many ways to find pro bono opportunities. This page provides resources for recurring Georgetown projects, the 1L Pro Bono Service Project, and individual upperclass student opportunities. Pro bono opportunities fall into two categories:

• Ad Hoc – Generally projects that can be completed in a short period of time, require a small amount of time spread out over weeks or involve only a one-time commitment.  Often these projects can be done on a student’s own schedule and remotely.  Some ad hoc projects are suitable for first year students but most are ideal for upper class students that do not require as close supervision as first year students.

• Internships – Semester-long unpaid placements which generally require a commitment of 8-15 hours a week for most of a semester. The student is likely to work at the organization or agency doing a variety of tasks as assigned under the supervision of one or several attorneys. They are distinguishable from externships which are for-credit and administered by the Externship Program Coordinator, Professor Michael Frisch. 

 

Find a placement:

Major Partners/Annual Projects - Georgetown works with many organizations in the area every year to provide pro bono placements. While students also volunteer at hundreds of other places, these partners have provided meaningful opportunities to many students over the years and are a good starting point when thinking about a placement.

Pro Bono Opportunities Bulletin – The Pro Bono Opps Bulletin is a weekly list of ad hoc and extended pro bono opportunities for the semester.  It can be found online or in a printed version available in the OPICS office and on the Pro Bono & Community Service bulletin board on the first floor.

Ad Hoc Opps - Short term, flexible, limited-commitment projects that are eligible for Pro Bono Pledge Service.  It is available online and posted on the Pro Bono & Community Service bulletin board on the first floor.

Student Groups - Several student groups regularly participate in or coordinate pro bono opportunities. Contact the groups' leadership to learn more.

Symplicity – Includes online announcements for academic year and summer paid and unpaid internships. The listings in Symplicity have been sent to Georgetown by employers actively recruiting for the semester or the summer. You will need a password from Career Services to access these listings. (Note: 1Ls will receive their Symplicity password on or about November 1.) When you log onto the site, select the "Jobs" tab then next to "Pro Bono Pledge Eligible" select "Yes" from the pulldown menu. This will return a list of current pro bono opportunities, with contact information and application requirements.

PSLawNet – Includes online announcements for academic year and summer paid and unpaid internships in domestic and international non-profits (NGOs) and government agencies. In addition, PSLawNet is a great source to identify organizations that engage in the type of work in which you are interested.  To access the PSLawNet listings you will need to create a user name and password the first time you visit the site.

The above sources are only a starting point. There are a large number of organizations engaged in work that might be of interest to you that don't utilize job listing databases to recruit for their open positions. If you don’t feel drawn to any of the positions listed in the Pro Bono Opportunities Bulletin or online, or if you are passionate about an issue that is not covered by the offerings from these sources, please contact OPICS to make an appointment with Holly Eaton, the Director of Pro Bono Programs. Through her knowledge of local organizations and agencies and a large network of alums working in the DC metro area, she can help you find a placement that is a good match for you and the organization.

 

Pro Bono Opportunities for first year students

Unlike many law schools, we encourage first year students to find appropriate pro bono placements as soon as they are interested. With the 1L Pro Bono Service Project, we facilitate first year students’ interest in pro bono by finding suitable placements with a minimal time commitment and tasks that do not require advanced legal research and writing skills. We work with about 20 local organizations to find meaningful and appropriate pro bono opportunities for first year students.

 

Pro Bono Opportunities for upper class JD and LLM students

Pro bono opportunities for students after their first year are abundant. Georgetown law students are fortunate to be attending law school in the “public interest capital of the world.” No matter what issue you are passionate about, whether shared by many or few, and regardless of which side of the political spectrum you lean toward, there is an organization somewhere in Washington, DC, probably several, focused on serving individuals affected by that issue or advocating on behalf of that cause.

Revised 11/12/09 (MLM)