OCU LAW - Pro Bono and Public Interest Law Program

Pro Bono and Public Interest Law Program

A component of the law school's mission is service to the legal community:

We believe that the law school provides service to the legal community and fosters justice and public service through scholarship, research, professional activities, and the creation of a rich intellectual environment disseminating knowledge about the law, legal process, and the legal system. We further believe that legal education requires that students sharpen their knowledge, develop their skills, and gain a deeper understanding of the role of the lawyer in society by participating in externships, mediations, and volunteer legal activities.

There are many ways for students at Oklahoma City University School of Law to engage in public service work at the local, state, national and international levels. Through annual paid memberships sponsored by the OCU LAW Professional and Career Development Center, students may interact with and utilize the resources of Equal Justice Works and PSLawNet. These organizations provide an educational component regarding pro bono and public interest issues and serve as a clearinghouse for a wide range of internship and externship opportunities (paid and volunteer) for law students and graduates. On a more local level, the law school serves as a partner with a statewide organization called probono.net/ok, which is the statewide Web site for legal aid and pro bono advocates in Oklahoma. In addition to these resources, students are able to locate public interest employers and opportunities through Symplicity CSM. For instructions on conducting searches for volunteer or paid public interest positions in the Symplicity CSM database click on this link.

Another opportunity available to students is the Immigration Law Clinic. Click on this link for more information.

Understanding that many students are not in a financial position to devote large amounts of time without compensation, the law school makes available summer fellowships. For information on the timeline and process for applying click on this link.