Student Public Service Hours Increase Exponentially

Between May and December 2009, Colorado Law students reported 8,250 hours of law-related public service, more than quadrupling the amount from the entire 2008-09 academic year.

This change reflects the marketing of the Public Service Pledge Program that began as a student initiative in 2008. Students in the program sign a pledge to complete at least 50-hours of law-related public service during their three years in law school. The public service includes community education on legal rights, assisting local lawyers on pro bono projects, and summer volunteer jobs within the legal community. In total, students have reported 10,010 hours since the program began.

So far, 48 students have completed the 50-hour requirement, and 38 current students have completed more than the 50 hours required by the program. For example, 3L Erica Baasten has reported more than 500 hours and 2L Ariel DeFazio has reported more than 480 hours.

“I definitely did even more hours than I reported,” said 3L Sarah Lamborne, who has reported more than 70 hours since she signed the pledge in 2009. Sarah said she stopped counting but kept volunteering after she completed the required pledge amount during her internship with the Rocky Mountain Children’s Law Center during the summer of 2009.

To increase student awareness, Colorado Law’s Office of Career Development discusses the program with the incoming 1Ls at orientation, hold lunchtime student meetings, and set up weekly information tables.

Students find out about law-related public service opportunities from various sources, including the Public Interest Law Students Association and their own contacts in the legal community. Legal professionals and other community members interested in finding students to assist in their own law-related public service projects should contact Colorado Law’s Schaden Experiential Learning Program Coordinator, Andrew Hartman.