General Information|Reasons to Participate|Get Involved
General Information
The Pro Bono Partnership Project is a volunteer-based program run by the University of Wisconsin Law School. The Project connects second and third-year law student participants with Dane County attorneys and non-profit organizations involved in civil (non-family law) pro bono work. The Project matches students with local attorneys to work on individual cases. All work in the project is voluntary. Attorneys receive no fee from their clients and students receive neither pay nor credit for their work.
Cases may be either referrals from local legal service organizations or existing pro bono matters for which a participating attorney seeks student assistance.
Students will assist their supervising attorneys up to ten hours per week and may participate for one or two semesters. Once a student is partnered with a participating lawyer on a project case, the student can arrange his or her schedule and work location with the lawyer directly.
The participating lawyer will be the attorney of record in the case and will be responsible for supervising the student and reviewing his or her work. Participating lawyers will be expected to attend one orientation session at the Law School, and, at the termination of the case, complete written evaluations of the Project and volunteer students.
Reasons to Participate
We believe there are several reasons local attorneys may wish to participate in the Pro Bono Partnership Project, including:
- to obtain the assistance of a motivated law student to assist in your pro bono practice;
- to develop relationships with other local attorneys also committed to pro bono work;
- to help provide an invaluable professional experience for participating students;
- to strengthen the partnerships between the Law School and the local bar; and
- to help persons in need.
Get Involved
Interested attorneys should complete the Attorney Information Form (PDF) and send it to Kristin Davis in the Career Services Office at the Law School. You may submit your form at any time, but most student assignments will likely be made in early September or January. Kristin Davis will notify participating students and attorneys of pairings as information becomes available.