pro bono graduation requirement an on-line orientation
TRANSCRIPT
Pro Bono Graduation
Requirement
An On-line Orientation
Part I - Introduction to Pro Bono Service
Part II - Summary of our Pro Bono Program
Part III - The Florida Bar’s Guidelines for Professional Conduct
Part IV - Getting Started!
OVERVIEW
Introduction to Pro Bono Service
PART I:
Pro bono service is defined as legal work designed to present a position on behalf of the public at large on matters of public interest.
Pro bono service does not include the direct representation of litigants in actions between private persons, corporations, or others in which the financial interests at stake would warrant representation from private legal sources.
What is Pro Bono Service?
The legal profession is, at its foundation, about service: service to individuals, to organizations, and to private and public entities. "Public service" however has a special meaning for the legal profession. This meaning may be debatable around the edges, but at its core is the responsibility of the profession to insure access to justice for all by meeting not only the legal needs of those who can afford a lawyer but also the legal needs of those individuals and communities that cannot.
Importance of Pro Bono Service
http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono/lawschools/
Columbia University Florida State University Georgetown University Northeastern University University of Maryland University of Pennsylvania University of Washington Valparaiso University William & Mary College
The College of Law is not unique in this endeavor. In recent years, more than 100 law schools throughout the nation have implemented structured school-wide pro bono programs and/or pro bono opportunities for their law students. These include:
The American Bar Association sets forth a lawyer’s pro bono responsibility in Model Rule 6.1, which encourages lawyers to aspire to render at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services per year without fee or expectation of fee to persons of limited means or to organizations designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means.
Rule 4-6.1 of The Florida Bar Rules provides that pro bono service is part of the lawyer’s professional responsibility.
Pro Bono Requirement for Lawyers
Performing pro bono services gives students a unique opportunity to:
Increase their knowledge of the lawGain practical work experienceDevelop fundamental skills and valuesExplore alternative career opportunitiesEstablish mentoring relationships
Benefits to Students
For many students, pro bono experience may be the only legal-related experience they have at this early stage of their law school careers.
You should include your pro bono service on your resume, listing where you worked and the nature of the work you performed.
Also, your pro bono employer could serve as a great reference for you late in life.
Resume-Building Opportunities
Mentorship Opportunities
Pro Bono service provides law students the opportunity to work closely with attorneys serving the public interest on a variety of interesting and important issues.
Many students develop strong working relationships with the attorneys they assist and these connections extend beyond the time they work on the pro bono project.
Summary of Our Pro Bono Program
PART II:
Graduation Requirement
In order to graduate from the College of Law, students are REQUIRED to complete 20 hours of pro bono service.
Students who elect to complete more than 40 hours will receive a certificate of Outstanding Pro Bono Service.
Students must be in their second or third year to receive credit for pro bono hours.
For the purposes of the pro bono program, you will be considered a 2L after you take your last final exam this Spring.
Many 1L students choose to do their pro bono the summer after their first year.
When Can You Start?
What Type of Work Qualifies?
To qualify as pro bono work, it must meet these conditions:
Cannot receive compensation for work
Work must be completed under supervision of an attorney
Nature of work must be on behalf of the public interest and civil in nature, with limited exceptions such as the State Attorney’s or Public Defender’s Office.
This means that the nature of the work must be for:
Disadvantaged minority;
Victims of racial, sexual, or other forms of discrimination;
Those denied human and civil rights or;
Other work on behalf of the public in general
What Does “on behalf of the public interest” Mean”?
Students are able to perform pro bono service at countless locations. Service can be conducted anywhere in the country, provided the nature of the work falls within the parameters of the program. Some examples are:
Private Law Firms
Non-Profit Organizations
Working with faculty members on special projects
Identifying a Pro Bono Site
For your convenience, the Office of Student Affairs maintains a list of pre-approved sites, most of which are located here in Tallahassee.
It is your responsibility to contact the supervising attorney at a particular site to inquire about available pro bono opportunities. Keep in mind that not all locations have opportunities at all times.
You can find a copy of the list in Room 206 and online at:
www.law.fsu.edu/current_students/student_affairs/pro_bono.php
Pre-approved Pro Bono Sites
Some of the most popular pre-approved sites include:
Family Law Assistance ProgramTeen CourtTrust for Public LandGuardian Ad LitemChildren’s Advocacy CenterEarthJusticeLegal Environment Assistance FoundationLegal Services
A Few Popular Locations
You are not limited to sites on the Pre-Approved Sites lists.
If you identify an opportunity elsewhere, you must submit a Pro Bono Registration Form to the Office of Student Affairs Office BEFORE completing any hours. A copy of the form is located in Room 206 and online at
www.law.fsu.edu/current_students/student_affairs/pro_bono.php
We will verify that the site is acceptable and that you will receive credit for hours performed at that location.
Save your copy for the signed form for your records.
Other Locations
The types of work students perform depends on the chosen site. Generally students are
involved in:
Researching case law and legal issues Drafting memoranda Preparing for trial Drafting trial documents Pre-trial investigations Interviewing witnesses
Types of Responsibilities
Once you have completed your required hours, you should submit the green Pro Bono Completion Form to the Office of Student Affairs. The form requires your supervising attorney to sign off on the total number of hours performed. If you work for multiple locations, you must submit a separate
form for each location.
Submit the completed form to the Office of Student Affairs.
Within several days, you will receive a signed copy of the form. Save your copy for your records.
Receiving Credit
You can find a copy of the list in Room 206 and online at:
www.law.fsu.edu/current_students/student_affairs/pro_bono.php
Pro Bono Deadline
Your 20 hours of pro bono service must be completed no later than 30 days before your date of graduation.
You will not be certified to graduate until you have met the pro bono requirement. So plan ahead!
The Florida Bar’s Guidelines for Professional Conduct
PART III:
Familiarize yourself with some important rules relating to Professional Conduct before you begin your pro bono service.
The Florida Rules of Professional Conduct are located on the Florida Bar’s website at www.floridabar.org
The Florida Bar Rules
The Florida Bar has established rules that govern the relationship between lawyers and their clients.
The following slides present an overview of some of those regulations that you should be familiar with when doing your pro bono work.
Rules of Professional Conduct
Rule 4-1.1 Competence
A lawyer shall provide competent representation
to a client. Competent representation requires
the legal knowledge, skill, thoroughness, and preparation reasonably necessary for the
representation.
4-1.2 (e)Scope of Representation
Limitation on Lawyer’s Conduct
When a lawyer knows or reasonably should know that a client expects
assistance not permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or by law, the lawyer shall consult with the client regarding the
relevant limitations on the lawyer’s conduct.
Rule 4-1.3Diligence
A lawyer shall act with reasonable diligence in representing a client.
Rule 4-1.4(a)Communication
Informing Client of Status of Representation
A lawyer shall keep a client reasonably informed about the status of a matter and promptly
comply with reasonable requests for information.
Rule 4-1.6Confidentiality of Information
Consent Required to Reveal Information
A lawyer shall not reveal information relating to representation of a client (except under
limited circumstances) unless the client consents after disclosure to the client.
Limited circumstances are set forth in subdivisions (b), (c) and (d) of the rule
Rule 4-1.7Conflict of Interest
Representing Adverse Interests
A lawyer shall not represent a client if the representation of that client will be directly adverse to the interests of another client unlessThe lawyer reasonably believes the
representation will not adversely affect the lawyer’s responsibilities to and relationship with the other client; and
Each client consents after consultation.
Rule 4-2.1Adviser
In representing a client, a lawyer shall exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. In rendering advice the lawyer
may refer not only to law but to other considerations such as moral, economic, social
and political factors that may be relevant to the
client’s situation.
Rule 4-3.3Candor Toward the Tribunal
False Evidence: Duty to Disclose
A lawyer shall not knowingly:
Make false statement of material fact or law to a tribunal
Fail to disclose a material fact Fail to disclose legal authority in controlling
jurisdiction known to be adverse to positionPermit any witness to offer testimony
known to be false
Rule 4-3.4Fairness to Opposing Party
and Counsel Fair competition in the adversary system
is secured by prohibitions against destruction or concealment of evidence, improperly influencing witnesses, obstructive tactics in discovery procedure, and the like.
See rule for specific prohibitions.
Rule 4-4.1Truthfulness in Statements to
OthersIn the course of representing a client alawyer shall not knowingly:
Make false statement of material fact or law to a third person; or
Fail to disclose a material fact to a third person when disclosure is necessary to avoid assisting a criminal or fraudulent act by a client unless disclosure is prohibited by rule 4-1.6.
Rule 4-6.1Pro Bono Public Service
Each member of the Florida Bar in good standing, as part of that member’s professional
responsibility, should:
Render pro bono legal services to the poor and
Participate, to the extent possible, in other pro bono service activities that directly relate to the legal needs of the poor.
Getting Started!
PART IV:
Complete this online orientation;
Contact a provider to complete your hours;
Submit a Certification Form indicating that you have completed this online orientation and your pro bono hours;
Remember: You will not receive any pro bono credit until we have received your signed
certification form.
Before getting started, you MUST:
