The Milestone for Commitment to Pro Bono was previously associated with a learning outcome and was principally developed by national working groups --teams of faculty and staff from different law schools. A few were developed internally at the Holloran Center. A PDF version of the Milestone can be found to the right, alongside a bibliography of sources that contains scholarship on Pro Bono work and ideas for classroom implementation.
Pro Bono Milestones
A law school's pro bono learning outcome points to what students do, and the commitment they develop, in law school. It suggests an expectation that students will not only develop the commitment in law school but engage in its practice during law school as well. We hope and expect students will continue this beyond law school but our rubric is focused on the law school years. This is based on the authors’ belief that if it isn’t developed while in law school it will be harder to develop once they’re out.
This Pro Bono Milestone is designed to be used by pro bono directors in law schools, but is focused on the students’ experience and internalized values and habits. The pro bono rubric is meant to assess whether students will utilize their skills and talents to meet a pro bono learning outcome and to help close the justice gap. The pro bono rubric refers to access to justice. Pro bono legal service is only a discrete piece of addressing the justice gap. Pro bono alone will not solve the access to justice crisis.
Caveat: Approximately 20% of law schools in the United States have mandatory pro bono programs. As such, this rubric is primarily designed to assess the pro bono goal stated above in non-mandatory programs. However, we believe that it could be adapted to mandatory programs with minor changes.
| Sub-Competencies | Novice Learner | Intermediate Learner | Competent Learner | Exceptional Learner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Understands access to justice issues and the importance of, and professional responsibility to provide, pro bono service. |
Interested in and/or unaware of the access to justice issues and the importance of, and professional responsibility to provide, pro bono legal services. |
Understanding not well-articulated, with little or some knowledge of access to justice issues and the importance of, and professional responsibility to provide, pro bono legal services. |
Understanding of and is concerned about the access to justice issues and the importance of, and professional responsibility to provide, pro bono legal services. |
Understands and embraces the professional, societal, and personal benefit to engaging in pro bono legal services. |
2. Understands and practices cultural intelligence when engaged in pro bono legal services. |
No recognition of diversity in pro bono client communities nor about the concept of implicit bias, and is uninterested and/or unaware of cultural intelligence as an important dimension of pro bono lawyering. |
Occasionally considers impact of implicit bias on good lawyering practice, resists opportunities to learn that they have bias, and resists learning how to develop a practice of cultural intelligence. |
Often recognizes similarities and differences with clients when engaged in pro bono service and engages with clients through a cultural intelligence lens. Engages in training or scholarship focused on how to work effectively with diverse communities. |
Consistently considers their own implicit bias and strives to practice cultural intelligence while engaged in pro bono legal services. |
3. Recognizes pro bono and access to justice issues and their relationship to the student’s law school academic studies |
Never considers access to justice or social justice implications of a substantive law topic or discussion. |
Occasionally considers access to justice or social justice implications of a substantive law topic or discussion. |
Often considers access to justice or social justice implications of a substantive law topic or discussion. |
Consistently involved in conversations regarding solving access to justice or social justice issues through substantive law discussion or reform measures. |
4. Participates in law school non-required pro bono programs or projects. |
Never or seldom attends optional informational sessions about pro bono opportunities in law school. |
Occasionally attends optional informational sessions about pro bono opportunities in law school and rarely signs up for pro bono, signs an optional pro bono pledge, or seeks to get pro bono recognition during law school. |
Often attends optional informational sessions about pro bono opportunities in law school and performs quality and consistent pro bono legal services, exceeds the pro bono pledge, or achieves recognition during law school. Student seeks opportunities early in law school career and demonstrates consistent involvement in pro bono legal services. |
Consistently attends optional informational sessions about pro bono opportunities in law school and performs quality and consistent pro bono legal services, exceeds the pro bono pledge, or achieves recognition during law school. Student seeks opportunities early in law school career, is involved in leading, developing, or implementing relevant organizations or projects and demonstrates consistent involvement. Student is habitually involved in optional pro bono projects/legal services throughout law school. Student looks for ways to create new pro bono opportunities or solve new problems. Student desires to ensure that pro bono is a meaningful component of their work life. |
5. Commits to pro bono engagement at the time of graduation. |
Does not understand Rule 6.1 or the lawyer’s requirement to provide “access to justice” or believes that it is not the responsibility of the lawyer to provide “access to justice.” |
Understands Rule 6.1 and the lawyer’s responsibility to provide “access to justice” and occasionally responds to an appeal for contribution to an access to justice organization. |
Demonstrates deep concern for others through actions and encourages others to get involved in pro bono or public service opportunities. May also demonstrate deep care for the client or a client-centered approach to legal representation. This may also be exhibited through an interest in pursuing systemic reform through legislation or litigation. |
In addition to demonstrating deep concern for others through actions and encouraging others, graduating student articulates the mutual benefits of being continually engaged in pro bono or public service opportunities. Demonstrates commitment to seeking opportunities post-graduation. Modeling commitment to pro bono legal services and a concern for access to justice through mentoring, etc. |
Working Group
South Carolina
Pamela Robinson
Marquette
Angela Schultz