Latin: For the public good.
Public service plays an integral role in our student experience. During law school, Oregon Law’s offerings give you wide-ranging opportunities to fully participate in public service through our award-winning Pro Bono Program.
Pro Bono Opportunities
Oregon Law students volunteer for organizations that serve individuals who would otherwise not have access to justice. You can volunteer for an organization of your choice or one of the established opportunities with local nonprofits.
Below are examples of organizations that students provide pro bono legal assistance:
- Access the Law
- Civics Learning Project
- Civil Liberties Defense Center
- Eugene Community Court
- Grupo Latino de Acción Directa of Lane County
- Legal Aid Services of Oregon
- Oregon Law Center
- Springfield Eugene Tenants Association
Summer Stipends
Funded by the Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund, students may apply to receive a summer stipend while working at an organization that serves underrepresented people and causes.
Pro Bono Honors Certificate
Students who complete a PSP concentration and fifty hours of pro bono work receive a Pro Bono Honors Certificate at graduation, joining the rich tradition of Law Ducks’ commitment to public service.
Pro Bono Awards
Exceptional dedication to public service is recognized through two annual student awards.
- Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award: Recognizes the student in each class who records the most pro bono hours in the academic year.
- Nicole Richardson Outstanding Public Service Award: Named in honor of a Law Duck known for her passion and dedication to underserved populations, especially indigent criminal defendants. In honor of her commitment to justice, her family established this annual award given to one or two third-year (3L) students.
Oregon Law students Giana O'Shaughnessy (1L), Kyler Cook (2L), and Dustin Messner (3L) recorded the highest number of pro bono hours in their respective classes in the 2024-25 academic year.
Congratulations to Sarita Pauly, JD ’25 and Emily Barragan, JD ’25, recipients of the 2025 Nicole Richardson Outstanding Public Service Award.