Loyola's Pro Bono Requirement

One of the qualities that distinguishes Loyola from other law schools is the school’s unwavering commitment to public service. After all, the school was built on the Jesuit values of serving the community and applying the knowledge gathered in the classroom in the form of public service, all while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.

When I first heard about Loyola’s 40-hour pro bono requirement, I must admit I was a little bit taken aback. 40 hours seems like a lot and with the busy schedule of a law student, every minute of your time seems accounted for. However, after only a few weeks of school I realized how doable and important those 40 hours really were. Today I can confidently say that fulfilling pro bono hours is probably one of the easiest and most fun parts of law school.

As I’ve mentioned in prior blog posts, the experiential and extracurricular options at Loyola are endless. Whether you’re interest in tax law, employment law, or criminal law, there is an organization for you. Because Loyola emphasizes the importance of public service, many of these groups provide students with the opportunity to do the required pro bono hours in a particular practice area that they may hope to pursue in the future.

For me, I knew that I wanted to join one of Loyola’s clinics. One clinic that piqued my interest was the Loyola Center for Conflict Resolution’s Mediation and Conciliation Assistance Clinic. In joining the clinic, I wanted to get hands on experience with the community and develop new skills that would help me in my career as an attorney. Not only was I able to accomplish these goals, but I also fulfilled all my pro bono hours in just one semester of working at the clinic. While I initially didn’t know if I would continue with the clinic after Spring semester, I have no doubt that I will go on to participate in the clinic throughout my time at Loyola despite already having completed my pro bono hours.