Directory
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
Nova Southeastern University
Law School Pro Bono Programs
Contact Information
Jennifer Gordon, Esq.
Director of Public Interest Programs
[email protected]
(954) 262-6126
Category Type
A graduation requirement program – public service graduation requirement (which includes community service and/or pro bono service in any combination of hours served). As well as a formal voluntary pro bono program characterized by a referral system with a coordinator.
Description of Programs
NSU Shepard Broad College of Law’s mission is to ensure that students develop the knowledge, skills, and values that are at the heart of becoming trusted, highly adept, professional lawyers who are respected for serving clients, their communities, and justice. NSU Law is committed to instilling an ethic of pro bono service, community engagement, and public service in its graduates, and it is our hope that by giving back to the community, our graduates will develop a lifelong commitment to using their education and skills to contribute to the public good.
Service Requirement
Each J.D. candidate entering NSU Law in fall 2018 and thereafter is required to perform a minimum of thirty (30) hours of qualifying service as a requirement for graduation. Eligible service options include both pro bono (legal) and community (nonlegal) related placements. Students may not receive payment nor academic credit for their service. Students are required to complete the minimum of thirty hours (30) hours of qualifying service prior to the start of their final semester.
Additional Service Recognition – Pro Bono Honor Program
Additionally, all law students are encouraged to participate in NSU Law’s Pro Bono Honor Program. NSU Law’s Pro Bono Honor Program is a voluntary program that provides recognition to students who have completed a minimum of fifty (50) hours of pro bono service to the community while enrolled in law school. Students are recognized in three levels of distinction:
- Bronze – 50 to 124 hours;
- Silver – 125 to 299 hours; and
- Gold – 300+ hours.
The Pro Bono Honor Program students are recognized for their commitment to pro bono with an awards certificate, by wearing a gold cord at graduation, and being recognized at an honors program. Any pro bono (legal) service hours earned under NSU Law’s Mandatory Service Graduation Requirement may be credited towards meeting the recognition level for the voluntary Pro Bono Honor Program.
Location of Programs
The Mandatory Service Graduation Requirement and the Pro Bono Honor Program are administered by the Public Interest Programs.
Staffing/Management/Oversight
The Director of Public Interest Programs oversees the Mandatory Service Graduation Requirement and the Pro Bono Honor Program.
Funding
The Mandatory Service Graduation Requirement and the Pro Bono Honor Program, through the Public Interest Program Department, are supported by Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law.
Student Run Pro Bono Groups/Specialized Law Education Projects
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law has many student organizations dedicated to public service. For instance, the Public Interest Law Society is a student-run organization that promotes public interest opportunities, hosts an annual auction to raise money to fund summer public interest fellowships, and is involved in a number of public service and law school pro bono projects.
Faculty and Administrative Pro Bono
Faculty, Administrators, and Staff are encouraged to be engaged and give back to the community.
Awards/Recognition
The Pro Bono Honor Program is supported and recognized in a variety of ways at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law. Each year, students are recognized for their commitment to pro bono with an awards certificate, by wearing a gold cord at graduation, and being recognized at an honors program.
Community Service
Community Service opportunities are made available through the Public Interest Programs via a live calendar, as well as through various student organizations.
Law School Public Interest Programs
Contact Information
Jennifer Gordon, Esq.
Director of Public Interest Programs
[email protected]
(954) 262-6126
Certificate/Curriculum Programs
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law offers three concentration programs that identify graduates as emerging experts in a specific field. The three concentrations offered are in Health Law, in International Legal Practice, and Intellectual Property, Technology and Cybersecurity Law. In order to earn one of these concentrations, students must complete specific course credit, writing, and service requirements. The service component specifically requires students to complete 20 hours through a variety of public interest engagement opportunities.
Public Interest Centers
The Public Interest Program at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law serves as a focal point for all public interest law activities at the college. The Public Interest Program operates programs designed to encourage students to participate in public interest law while they are in law school and to encourage a commitment to the public for life.
Public Interest Clinics
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law's clinics provide students with the opportunity to serve the community, while receiving in-depth, hands-on experience in a variety of fields. Current public interest opportunities include:
- In House Clinics:
- Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law Clinic
- Children and Families Clinic
- Dispute Resolution Clinic
- Sharon and Mitchell W. Berger Entrepreneur
- Field Placement Clinics:
- Civil Field Placement Clinic
- Consumer Bankruptcy Clinic
- Consumer Protection Internship Clinic
- Criminal Justice Field Placement Clinic
- Judicial Field Placement
Externships/Internships
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law provides many opportunities for externships and internships. The Clinical Program, Public Interest Program, and Career and Professional Development Office assist in providing opportunities to students.
Classes with a Public Service Component
There are several classes at Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law that include public service components. Specifically, our Street Law course provides students an opportunity to teach the Street Law Inc. program in local high schools and middle schools.
Public Interest Journals
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law publishes The Florida Public Interest Journal on behalf of the Public Interest Law Section of The Florida Bar.
PI Career Support Center
Public interest career counseling is provided by Jennifer Gordon, Esq., Director of Public Interest Programs. The Career and Professional Development Office also provides resources to students who are interested in pursuing a career in the public sector.
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law annually holds a Public Interest Law Day. Public Interest Law Day brings federal, state, and local public sector organizations to campus for students to learn more about the organizations and about the different pro bono, internship, clinical, fellowship, and employment opportunities available.
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law also provides programming, which is held throughout the academic year and includes topics related to public interest law.
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:
Graduate Student Funded
Other Funding Sources:
Summer Fellowships
Law School Funded:
The NSU Public Service Summer Fellowship is designed to encourage law student involvement in public service legal employment for the summer by providing funding to subsidize unpaid work at a public service organization. Public service organizations for the purposes of this fellowship may include government or nonprofit organizations. In order to be considered for a fellowship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a first-year or second-year full-time, or third-year part-time law student at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law;
- Make arrangements for a pro bono placement at a qualifying public service organization prior submitting the Fellowship Application;
- The pro bono placement can be located in any geographic location; and
- Must commit to the public service organization and certify on the Fellowship Application that a minimum of two hundred (200) hours will be completed over the summer.
Graduate Student Funded:
Other Funding Sources:
The Christopher T. Byrd Environmental Law Fellowship is designed to provide funding for qualified law students who are spending the summer working for a nonprofit public interest organization with a demonstrated commitment to protecting the environment. In order to be considered for a fellowship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a first-year or second-year full-time, or third-year part-time law student at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law;
- Make arrangements for a pro bono placement at a qualifying public service organization prior submitting the Fellowship Application;
- The pro bono placement can be located in any geographic location; and
- Must commit to the public service organization and certify on the Fellowship Application that a minimum of two hundred (200) hours will be completed over the summer.
The Ferroli Family Public Interest Law Fellowship is designed to encourage law student involvement in public service legal employment for the summer by providing funding to subsidize unpaid work at a public service organization. Public service organizations for the purposes of this fellowship may include government or nonprofit organizations. In order to be considered for a fellowship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a first-year or second-year full-time, or third-year part-time law student at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law;
- Make arrangements for a pro bono placement at a qualifying public service organization prior submitting the Fellowship Application;
- The pro bono placement can be located in any geographic location; and
- Must commit to the public service organization and certify on the Fellowship Application that a minimum of two hundred (200) hours will be completed over the summer.
The Martin A. Feinrider Summer Fellowship for International Human Rights is designed to provide funding for law students who are spending the summer working for a nonprofit public interest organization devoted to international human rights. In order to be considered for a fellowship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a first-year or second-year full-time, or third-year part-time law student at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law;
- Make arrangements for a pro bono placement at a qualifying public service organization prior submitting the Fellowship Application;
- The pro bono placement can be located in any geographic location; and
- Must commit to the public service organization and certify on the Fellowship Application that a minimum of two hundred (200) hours will be completed over the summer.
The Ovid and Clare Lewis Public Interest Fellowship is designed to encourage law student involvement in public service legal employment for the summer by providing funding to subsidize unpaid work at a public service organization. Public service organizations fort he purposes of this fellowship may include legal aids/services or other similar nonprofit organizations in Florida. Preference will be given to students who demonstrate active involvement in public interest law through prior public interested activities. In order to be considered for a fellowship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a first-year or second-year full-time, or third-year part-time law student at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law;
- Make arrangements for a pro bono placement at a qualifying public service organization prior submitting the Fellowship Application;
- The pro bono placement can be located in any geographic location; and
- Must commit to the public service organization and certify on the Fellowship Application that a minimum of two hundred (200) hours will be completed over the summer.
The Rebecca Knox Public Interest Law Summer Fellowship is funded through proceeds from an annual Public Interest Law Society Auction. The purpose of this fellowship is to provide funding to students who serve community needs by working in a legal position in the public sector. Public interest work is defined, for the purposes of this fellowship, as work for a non-profit organization that serves a low-income, underfunded and/or underrepresented community. Preference will be given to students who choose to work for Legal Aid or Legal Services agencies. Students selected for this fellowship will positively reflect the goals and objectives of the Public Interest Law Society and Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, and will have demonstrated an interest in serving the public interest community. In order to be considered for a fellowship, students must:
- Be enrolled as a first-year or second-year full-time, or third-year part-time law student at NSU Shepard Broad College of Law;
- Make arrangements for a pro bono placement at a qualifying public service organization prior submitting the Fellowship Application;
- The pro bono placement can be located in any geographic location; and
- Must commit to the public service organization and certify on the Fellowship Application that a minimum of two hundred (200) hours will be completed over the summer.
In addition, students may apply for fellowships/grants for summer public interest opportunities outside of the College of Law, including local and national fellowships.
Extracurricular and Co-Curricular Programs
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law provides many extracurricular and co-curricular programs, including Public Interest Law Day and Career and Professional Development programming. Through these various programs students are able to connect with and learn from public interest professionals.
Student Public Interest Groups
Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law has several student public interest groups, including most notably the Public Interest Law Society and the NSU Human Rights Organization.
4/13/2020