For Law Students

What is student pro bono?

Student pro bono is where students, without fee, reward or academic credit provide or assist in the provision of services that will provide or enhance access to justice for low income and disadvantaged people, or non-profit organisations that work on behalf of those people, or that work for the public good. The most important single function of pro bono projects is to open a student’s eyes to the ethical responsibility of lawyers to contribute their services.

Clinical legal education is different to student pro bono because it is for academic credit and the main focus is on developing practical legal skills rather than community service. There are merits in both and the Centre encourages all law schools to provide students with opportunities to participate in clinical programs as well as pro bono programs.

Things you can do to get involved 

• Volunteer at a Community Legal Centre near you.  Visit the CLC volunteers website or below.
• Encourage your Faculty and Law Students Society to set up a Pro Bono Students Australia program at your University, similar to the one at the University of Western Sydney. We can help you do this.
• Check with your Law Student Society or the Law Faculty at your university for pro bono programs or placements. See ALSA for a full list of law student societies.
• See the Centre’s publication, Information Paper: pro bono and clinical legal education programs in Australia (August 2004) for an outline of pro bono activities being undertaken in each Australian law school.
• Contact the Council of Australian Law Deans and suggest they have a formal policy on supporting law student pro bono.  
• See the annual Kingsford Legal Centre's Guide to Clinical Legal Education Programs to find a clinical program at your University and enrol in one.

What are the benefits of student pro bono?

Student pro bono enables you to:

• use your skills to help disadvantaged and marginalised people gain access to justice
• connect with your local community
• quickly learn practical skills that cannot be learned from classes and texts.
• improve your ability to communicate with clients and dissect complex legal issues, as well as answer difficult questions of law.
• develop leadership skills and engage with the law from a new perspective.

• fit community service and experiential learning around your studies.
• enhance your CV through practical and meaningful legal experience.
• network with solicitors and other law students.
• make a difference!

Want to know about law firm pro bono programs ?

Then download the Pro Bono Practices Guide published by the Centre and NSW Young Lawyers in July 2009 - a guide to the pro bono practices of 30 of Australia's largest law firms. 

CLC Volunteers website

CLC Volunteers website enables volunteers to find out about volunteering opportunities at Community Legal Centres (CLCs) across Australia. It was built and launched in September 2005 in conjunction with the National Association of Community Legal Centres (NACLC). 

Potential volunteers can log on to clcvolunteers.net.au to find out which CLCs are seeking volunteers, a green light means the CLC is taking volunteers, a red light means they are not. Information about each CLC is available.  The site has an excellent section on what to expect as a volunteer at a CLC. 

CLCs provide a vital service to communities across Australia in the form of free legal advice, referral and assistance to around 350,000 people each year. The clcvolunteers.net.au database provides access to 214 CLCs so log on to find out which CLCs are seeking volunteers in your area. 

All law schools across Australia have received posters and other materials to let students know about this resource and to encourage them to get involved. If you need some posters or other information let us know.

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