General Information About
Pro Bono & Public Interest Law
This page includes information and links to information about
pro bono and public interest law topics and opportunities outside
the UT College of Law community.
What are "pro bono" & "public
interest law"?
The Latin phrase "pro bono publico" means "for the
public good." The shorthand term "pro bono," as used
in the legal profession, generally refers to the provision of legal
services without a fee (or for a very substantially reduced fee),
usually to a person or group that could otherwise not afford a lawyer.
Pro bono service ordinarily refers to something a lawyer undertakes
in addition to his or her paid employment.
The term "public interest law" covers many types of legal
practice. In one sense you could say there are as many competing
definitions of "public interest law" as there are competing
definitions of "the public interest." But generally the
phrase is used to refer to legal work carried out on behalf of people
or causes that would otherwise face significant obstacles in gaining
access to lawyers and to justice, clients who cannot afford to purchase
legal representation in the existing market. There are "public
interest groups" and "public interest law firms"
that are dedicated to causes along a wide range of the political
spectrum.
While many lawyers contribute pro bono time in addition to their
paid employment, there are also public interest lawyers who have
full-time jobs that pay them to work in the public interest. Some
work for publicly - funded programs, such as public defender and
legal aid offices. Others work for nonprofit groups or law firms
that garner support from various sources, including foundation grants,
attorney fees, and individual donations. Although public interest
law jobs typically pay less than jobs in the private sector, there
are usually more people seeking such employment than there are jobs
to be had, because the inherent rewards are great when the work
is something you believe in, or when work allows you to help people
you care about and who are in serious need.
A lawyer's decision to take on a full-time public interest career
is a matter of personal choice, preference and commitment. On the
other hand, performing some regular amount of pro bono service is
a matter of professional obligation.
To see more information about various ways that the legal profession
has defined the pro bono obligation, click here.
There are public interest law organizations and law firms all over
the country, and a number of websites have been set up to serve
as gateways to wider information about this dynamic area. For an
incomplete set of links that should at least get you started, click
here.
Sites of Interest:
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Pro Bono & Public Interest Law at UT
Careers in Pro Bono and Public Interest Law
Sources of Funding
Stories from UT Students and Alumni
Sites Beyond the College of Law
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