Public Service Requirement

Summary of the Public Service Requirement

1. Thirty (30) hours of public service is required for graduation.

2. The term "public service" shall be broadly interpreted.¹  It encompasses traditional pro bono legal work, but is not limited to it. A broad range of volunteer charitable and community work can also satisfy the requirement.

The requirement may be satisfied by any of the following activities, so long as the student receives no compensation:

(a) volunteering at a nonprofit charitable organization (either law- or non-law related);
(b) assisting an attorney or law firm (including University Legal Assistance) on a pro bono case; or
(c) serving at a public agency.

3. The law school's public service liaison will coordinate efforts with the Service Learning Coordinator on main campus at the Center for Community Action and Service Learning (CCASL) to secure placement for interested students. Students can also secure placements on their own, with approval from the liaison; through the University's service learning Web site; or through the University's Community Service Fair.

4. The Student Affairs Committee will oversee all aspects of the administration of the requirement.

¹Many law students are already engaged in public service activities that would satisfy the requirement. Such activities include service learning components of academic courses, the service requirements of the Thomas More Scholarship Program, unpaid public interest work performed through externship programs, and volunteer assistance for, or through, various nonprofit organizations.

Top of Page

30 hours of Public Service Required for Graduation

Each student must complete thirty (30) hours of public service as a requirement for graduation.

• Students can begin to work toward completion of the 30 hours at the beginning of their first year of law school. 
• The public service requirement cannot be satisfied by hours for which the student also receives compensation.

For purposes of this requirement, "public service" shall be broadly interpreted.

• It encompasses traditional pro bono legal work, but can also be satisfied by any of the following activities, so long as the student receives no compensation:
• • Volunteering at a nonprofit charitable, civic or community organization (law or non-law related). 
  • Serving at a public agency.
  • Assisting an attorney or law firm on a pro bono case.
  • This may include University Legal Assistance or externship placement site.
    
    
• The student may either choose to be placed with an agency already approved by the Center for Community Action and Service learning or may seek approval for a placement from the law school liaison to the University Service Learning Coordinator.
• The place of service should be in Eastern Washington or North Idaho, with exceptions possible upon approval by the law school liaison, who will consult with the University Service Learning Coordinator (e.g., a student may fulfill the requirement while out of the area during a semester break).

Top of Page

How to Document Satisfaction of the Requirement

Two forms are to be completed and submitted to the registrar's office for satisfaction of this requirement. Once both forms are approved and submitted, transcripts will reflect completion of the public service requirement.

• Public Service Requirement Approval Form.
  Must be signed by the public service liaison and the recipient.
• Public Service Requirement Completion Certificate
  Must be signed by the student performing the service and the recipient of the service

Proof of Completion:

• An approval form and two certifications are required for satisfaction of the requirement.
• Prior to commencing service, the student will secure an Approval Form signed by the law school Public Service Liaison, the student, and the public service recipient.
• At the completion of the service, the student shall submit this Approval Form to the Registrar.
• In addition, the student must submit to the Registrar a certification (subject to the School of Law Code of Student Conduct) that the student performed the required number of hours and that the student was not compensated for performing the services. 
• The student must also submit a Completion Form from the service recipient certifying satisfactory performance of the required hours by the student and that the student was not compensated for performing the services. 
• Transcripts will reflect completion of the public service requirement.

Top of Page

Key Points

No financial benefit to student:

• The student is not to be compensated for performing the service.
• The service may, however, be performed in conjunction with compensated employment. For example, the law firm that employs the student may have pro bono cases or may volunteer its expertise periodically at a legal services clinic.

Legal Advice:

With the exception of Rule 9 (legal interns working under the supervision of an attorney), students satisfying their public service requirement cannot offer legal advice to the public service recipient or any clients of such recipient.

Place of Service:

Generally, the place of service should be in Eastern Washington or North Idaho, with exceptions possible upon approval by the law school liaison (e.g., a student may fulfill the requirement while out of the area during the summer or a semester break).

Time of Service:

The entire calendar is available for performance of the service.

Top of Page

Goals of the Requirement

• To encourage students to do volunteer work while in law school
• To instill a pro bono and public service ethic
• To assist communities and organizations
• To provide a tool to assist students in making career choices
• To involve students in a positive way with other cultures and socioeconomic groups
• To tangibly incorporate into the School of Law's curriculum the Gonzaga mission of public service

Top of Page