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Pro Bono & Community Service

Looking for Legal Assistance?

The Pro Bono Program does not provide legal advice. If you need help, please visit OregonLawHelp.org for a directory of free and low cost legal services or visit the Oregon State Bar Public Information Site.

Lewis & Clark Law School’s Pro Bono & Community Service Program helps law students find volunteer opportunities at nonprofit organizations, courts, and government offices. Those who contribute and report 30 or more hours during the year receive an Honors Award in recognition of their commitment.

Employers

Employers interested in recruiting volunteers during the school year are encouraged to participate in our Pro Bono & Community Service Fair in September. Employers interested in volunteer summer interns should consider participating in the Northwest Public Service Career Fair. For questions about either fair, or to recruit for long or short-term projects and volunteer events, contact lscs@lclark.edu.

Students

How Does the Pro Bono & Community Service Honors Program Work?

Volunteer hours are measured from April 1st of one year through March of the next year with hours reported by March 31st each year. Qualifying work must be done without pay or credit and must have a significant off-campus effect.

To obtain either the Pro Bono Honors Award or the Community Service Honors Award, you must report 30 hours of qualifying work. The Public Interest Certificate also has a pro bono requirement of 50 pro bono hours, in addition to meeting the other requirements of the certificate. Honors awards are issued on an annual basis in late spring, and appear in the commencement program for graduating students.

How do I report my hours?

***New for the 2025-2026 Academic Year: Paladin Pro Bono Platform***

Paladin, a legal technology company powering pro bono engagement, invited Lewis & Clark Law School into an exclusive cohort of only two-dozen law schools to develop and launch a platform designed specifically for law school students.

A welcome email will come from team@joinpaladin.com. Login using your lc-number email address (your alias email address does not work) and the system will route through the Single-Sign-On (SSO) verification and take you to your account. Students can log their hours for pro bono and clinical experience in one place, creating an individual pro bono portfolio to showcase their real-world experiences for employers.

Any hours already logged in Career Connect can be totaled with those in Paladin. You can choose to finish out your experience in Career Connect or immediately begin logging your hours in Paladin. The Pro Bono & Community Service Honors Program Handbook, in the Career Connect Resource Library, is undergoing updates during this transition to Paladin. For questions about using Paladin to find and log pro bono & volunteer opportunities, or Pro Bono & Community Service Program questions, contact Kyle Johnson, Director of Public Interest Law.

How do I find volunteer opportunities?

Join the Pro Bono & Community Service Fair – Meet with representatives from local organizations and sign up to assist with ongoing projects. The Pro Bono & Community Service Fair is held each Fall. Please contact lscs@lclark.edu if you have any questions.
Explore PSJD.org – Search the national listings for opportunities and organizations.
Explore volunteer opportunity websites – Find one-time or long-term community service opportunities through websites such as Idealist, Hands On Portland, and CNRG. Check out Give Volunteers (for international opportunities), Volunteer Match, and Points of Light.
Meet with the Director of Public Interest Law or your assigned career services advisor. Email lscs@lclark.edu or set up an appointment through Career Connect.

Unlawful Practice of Law - Students Assisting Others in the Community

Students must be cautious to avoid the unlawful practice of law, which includes: 1) holding themselves out, in any manner, as attorneys or lawyers authorized to practice law; 2) appearing, personally or otherwise, on behalf of another in any judicial or administrative proceeding other than as an attorney-supervised certified law student; 3) providing advice or service to another on any matter involving the application of legal principles to rights, duties, obligations, or liabilities.

For more information on the unauthorized practice of law, visit the Oregon State Bar Unlawful Practice of Law Site.

Any student who is uncertain whether what they are asked to do constitutes the unlawful practice of law should immediately contact Career Services.

Members of the Public - are you looking for Legal Assistance?

Lewis & Clark Law School students cannot provide legal assistance. If you are in need of legal help, please visit OregonLawHelp.org for a directory of free and low cost legal services or visit the Oregon State Bar Public Information Site.