lawyer

Also, public interest scholars are required to participate in at least one clinical course and either a second clinical course or an externship.

The Director of Public Service Careers and Pro Bono Programs divides her time roughly equally between serving as a career services professional specializing in public interest/ government career counseling and as the coordinator of VLS's growing pro bono programs.

The Director consults and works with the members of the student organizations, the Pro Bono Society and the Public Interest Fellowship Program. The student run Pro Bono Society has as its purpose "to provide students the opportunity to volunteer their time and unique skills as law students for members of our community."

The Law School provides student pro bono groups with office space, computer access, the use of the Law School website and bulletin boards, and the cost of photocopying and other miscellaneous expenses. The Law School also created the full-time position of Director of Public Services Careers and Pro Bono Programs to provide support for the student pro bono projects.

The Law School provides the same financial and administrative assistance for faculty pro bono projects as for other faculty service projects.

Amnesty International - Amnesty International coordinated several law-related projects, including an advocacy campaign on behalf of Sudanese child soldiers.

Asian Pacific American Law Students Association - APALSA developed and implemented a collaborative pro bono project with St. Rita's Clinic in West Philadelphia to provide intake and legal representation to indigent, immigrant clients in a variety of civil matters.

Black Law Students Association - BLSA sponsors several pro bono and law-related projects, including legal workshops at local schools and coordinating advocacy around the No Child Left Behind Act.

Criminal Law Society - The Criminal Law Society coordinated several law education projects, including a project with a local non-profit group "Books through Bars."

Family Law Society - The Family Law Society coordinated a number of law education projects, including a debate on gay marriage.

Gay/Straight Alliance - The Gay/Straight Alliance works with the Center for Lesbian & Gay Civil Rights to train law students and then match them with indigent clients in a variety of civil matters, including protection from abuse, housing discrimination and estate planning. In addition, the Gay/Straight Alliance sponsors a number of public interest community forums throughout the year.

Latin American Law Students Association - LALSA worked in conjunction with clinical faculty member (and LALSA advisor) to bring the Lat/Crit Symposium to Villanova Law School.

Student Animal Legal Defense Fund - The Student Animal Legal Defense Fund coordinated an advocacy campaign focused on improving conditions at local and national animal shelters. In addition, they presented a symposium on animal law.

Tax Law Society - Tax Projects: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) assists low-income taxpayers in the Philadelphia area to prepare their returns. In addition, Tax Law Society students also offer "Know Your Rights"www.law.villanova.edu/studentservices/studentlife/studentorganizations.asp#Tax%20Law%20Society

The Pro Bono Society (PBS) - The Pro Bono Society (PBS), probono@law.villanova.edu, sponsors several pro bono and law-related projects, including presenting workshops about tenants' rights at a domestic violence shelter and participating in a program with the Chester City School District, in which law students create and present workshops on various aspects of the law.

United Front - United Front students worked with Philadelphia non-profit organizations to coordinate a voter registration drive and voter education project.

Women's Law Caucus - WLC coordinated several law education events, including a forum on workplace and gender issues.

Every law student group has a faculty adviser. Faculty members advise the students participating in the student-sponsored projects.

The Villanova Law Alumni Association annually gives the Law Alumni Award for Pro Bono Service to the third year student who has contributed the most meaningful service to those in need. In deciding who should be the recipient of the award, the committee considers non-law related community service as well as pro bono service. The Alumni Association also gives the Donald W. Dowd Alumni Association Award for Public Service. which recognizes outstanding service by alumni to society. The award is presented to an alumnus or alumna who has dedicated time and energy to the public welfare.

Each year Dean Mark A. Sargent and the Villanova Law Alumni Association Leadership host a brunch, designed to welcome members of the graduating class into the Association and to celebrate the tradition of service by Villanova Law students and graduates. The program includes presentations of the Law Alumni Award for Pro Bono Service and Dorothy Day Service Awards to third year students.

Service is recognized in a weekly publication distributed to the law school community and mailed to an extensive audience including donors, board members and members of alumni boards.

The Law School recognizes faculty pro bono service and publicizes it to the Law School community in the weekly Law School.

There is a Day of Service incorporated into the fall orientation for new students. In the past years, students, staff and faculty participated in projects sponsored by Habitat for Humanity and Philadelphia Cares. In addition, there are many community service projects and activities throughout the year, some sponsored by the Pro Bono Society (PBS) and some by the Student Bar Association (SBA). These include a Philadelphia CARES Day of Service; the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service; the AIDS Walk; the American Cancer Society Breast Cancer Walk; and "adopting" a low-income family at Christmas that needs food, toys and other items to celebrate the holiday.