Louisiana State University Paul M. Hebert Law Center
Louisiana State University
Paul M. Hebert Law Center
202 Law Center
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
www.law.lsu.edu
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Annie LeBlancCareer Counselor
annie.leblanc@law.lsu.edu
225.578.0384
Category Type
Independent Student Pro Bono Group Projects with no school-wide program.
Description of Program
Location of Program
Staffing/Management/Oversight
Funding
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
Pro Bono Committee of the Student Bar Association- The Pro Bono Committee worked with Thirst for Justice, a legal clinic for the underprivileged sponsored by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation. The Committee also assisted attorneys in Baton Rouge through the Bar Foundation by supplying students to help them with their pro bono work. The Pro Bono Committee is now part of the Public Interest Law Society. See http://students.law.lsu.edu/pils/index.htm
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
Awards/Recognition
Community Service
The Public Interest Law Society currently works with the St. Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity and Everybody Reads. PILS also helped place students in Hurricane relief projects, including sending students to Bay St. Louis to work with the Student Hurricane Network. The committee plans to send more students to Student Hurricane Network projects in the coming year.Furthermore, the Student Bar Association sponsors an Angel Tree annually before Christmas, where students, faculty and staff can choose children in need of Christmas gifts. Both the Student Bar Association and the Black Law Student Association sponsor a canned food drive each year.
Law School Public Interest Programs
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Contact Information
Annie LeBlancCareer Counselor
annie.leblanc@law.lsu.edu
225.578.0384
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
Public Interest Centers
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance - Students provide free tax return preparation services to low-income foreign students, teachers and researchers. In 2005, LSU won the American Bar Association/Law Student Division's Best Continuing VITA Site award.Butler Center Legal Clinic - This program was organized in conjunction with the main LSU campus and provided free legal services to low income residents of Old South Baton Rouge. Law students were hired by the legal clinic to perform initial intake and screeing of clients. Law clerks also were able to research and prepare documents for cases under the supervision of legal aid attorneys. The legal clinic focused on successions and donations, estate planning and property law, but also dealt with issues under family law, contract law and disputes and resolutions. The legal clinic was funded through a three year grant and therefore is no longer in operation.
Pugh Institute for Justice - The George W. and Jean H. Pugh Institute for Justice is a tax exempt, charitable organization founded in 1998 to provide support for research, educational, and pro bono activities that will promote justice for individuals in the administration of the criminal and civil justice systems in the State of Louisiana and elsewhere. See http://host.law.lsu.edu/pughinstitute/
Public Interest Clinics
Juvenile Representation Workship - This is a clinical course, graded pass/fail, in which third year students may represent juveniles who are accused of delinquent acts or who are the victims of child abuse or neglect (children in need of care). Second year students may assist in representation. Actual cases pending before the East Baton Rouge Juvenile Court are assigned to students and prior to any hearing, student counsel present their proposed trial strategies for discussion by other class members and faculty.
Externships/Internships
Punishment and Post Conviction Procedure - three to five students are placed with the Innocence Project in New Orleans and the Office of the Public Defender in Baton Rouge. The externs at the Innocence Project are eligible to earn two credits and are assigned to work on cases taken by the Innocence Project. Students may review transcripts for errors, conduct interviews of potential witnesses and examine physical evidence. Students working with the Office of the Public Defender assist lawyers in representing indigent accused. Projects may include interviewing witnesses and defendents, assisting in trial preparation and assisting in negotiations with prosecutors.
Classes with a Public Service Component
Public Interest Journals
Public Interest Career Assistance
We sent a staff member to the Equal Justice Works job fair and paid for the registration fee for both the staff member and students (above the number of students included in our membership). We hosted a Financing Your Public Interest Career program.
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAP)
Post-Graduate Fellowships/Awards
Law School Funded:
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
Term Time Fellowships/Scholarships
Law School Funded:
For information, see http://students.law.lsu.edu/pils/
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
Summer Fellowships
Law School Funded:
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
Reforming Eyewitness Identification - Convicting the Guilty, Protecting the Innocent Defining Crimes - The Theory of the Criminal Law's Special Part
Barry Sheck - Guest speaker
Sister Helen Prejean - Guest speaker
LSU Law Center Public Interest Law Lecture Series - Past lecturers include Professor Barry Scheck, Sister Helen Prejean and Professor Bill Quigley.
Student Public Interest Groups
Black Law Student Association Student Bar Association
Students Helping Others
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program
