As a first-year law student, I’ve learned that the legal profession is built around a desire to help people. Regardless of who is helped or in what capacity, a central tenet of our legal system is advocacy, which is particularly impactful when supporting those who need it the most.

Through the pro bono programs and public interest offerings at Marquette Law, I have been able to experience this value firsthand.

Public Interest Opportunities at Marquette Law

Coming into law school after working at the Eau Claire Public Defender’s Office, I knew that my law school experience and subsequent legal career would be centered around public interest work.

That’s why I was immediately drawn to Marquette’s Public Interest Law Society (Marquette PILS), an organization that welcomes students of all interests and backgrounds and connects them to the public interest space. Through networking events, mentorship, and education, Marquette PILS strives to show that public interest work can exist across all areas of legal practice, and that strong support of public interest is vital in every community.

Marquette PILS has three core purposes:

• to educate and connect students with public interest opportunities;

• to fundraise for the Marquette PILS Fellowship Program; and

• to support the Office of Public Service in its pro bono efforts.

These goals reflect the values that brought me to Marquette Law: compassion, equity, and a belief that justice should be accessible to all.

As a 1L, I’ve had the opportunity to attend events like the “PILSgiving Dinner,” “PILS and Possibilities,” and the “Public Interest Practice Panel,” where attorneys connect with students to share insights about public interest careers and ways to have a positive impact in their communities.

These programs have allowed me to meet some of the attorneys shaping Milwaukee’s legal landscape and have given me a window into the different ways public interest law operates in practice. Through fundraising efforts and generous donors, Marquette PILS awards summer fellowships to students, enabling them to complete 350 hours of public interest legal work at organizations across the country.

Last year, 25 Marquette Law students received fellowships and worked to support individuals, groups, and social interests that are traditionally underserved or have barriers to equal access to justice.

Marquette PILS fellows have served at prosecutor and public defender offices, civil legal aid organizations, and military judge advocate general and government offices. I’m thrilled that my peers will have the chance to participate this upcoming summer, with 20 fellowships having been awarded at the time this post is being published.

Pro Bono: More Than Just a Resume Line

Pro bono service is woven into Marquette Law’s mission, exemplifying the Jesuit value of being “men and women for others.”

Students are encouraged to complete at least 50 hours of pro bono service, which aligns with the American Bar Association’s recommendation for licensed attorneys. Students are recognized through induction into the Marquette Law School Pro Bono Honor Society after completing 50 hours of service, with special recognition for students who have achieved 120 or more hours over the course of their law school careers.

Having hands-on experiences in public interest law can start even before law school, as undergraduate students, rising 1Ls, and students from other law schools are invited and encouraged to participate in pro bono work.

My first pro bono placement came through volunteering with the Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinics (MVLC), specifically at the United Community Center. I worked alongside volunteer attorneys to answer legal questions from walk-in community members, many of whom would otherwise not have had access to legal help without the clinic.

As I took my fall courses, learning about doctrinal legal concepts and opining about abstract issues, my Wednesday nights at the clinic taught me how those concepts and issues apply in deeply personal ways. I’ve witnessed how civil legal concerns, like facing evictions, recovering funds, or navigating immigration pathways, can destabilize a person’s life in significant ways.

After just one night at the clinic, it became clear why this work matters so much. Even if clients don’t receive the answer they hoped for, offering clarity, compassion, and guidance through a confusing and complex system can be just as meaningful.

A Broader Impact

In the last year alone, the MVLC served more than 6,000 clients with the help of 252 volunteer attorneys, 197 law students, and 67 undergraduate volunteers. Clinics operate both in-person and online, and provide essential help with everything from small claims disputes to landlord-tenant, estate planning, immigration, small business, and family law questions.

Notably, at the United Community Center location, which offers interpreter services, around 50 percent of clients served are monolingual Spanish speakers, underscoring the significance of accessible legal services.

The newest addition to the MVLC offerings is a walk-in Probate & Inheritance Clinic, which will provide clients in need of post-death property transfer assistance with access to volunteer lawyers who have expertise in probate law, in addition to recruiting new volunteer lawyers interested in developing their knowledge in this area. The clinic will be held twice a month, with specific dates and times found at marquettelegalclinic.org.

Why Attorneys Should Get Involved

As someone just starting out in this field, I’ve already seen how crucial attorney involvement is to the success of pro bono programs. Law students may bring energy and curiosity, but it’s the experience and guidance of practicing attorneys that make these clinics truly impactful for clients and students as learners. As such, an attorney’s time and expertise can be life-changing for someone in need.

In Wisconsin, there’s an added incentive. Under chapter 31 of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules, attorneys can claim 1.0 general CLE hour for every five hours of pro bono legal service provided through a qualified pro bono program, which includes those operated by WisTAF grantees, Wisconsin law schools or bar associations, and through state or federal court appointments. Attorneys can claim up to 6.0 pro bono CLE credits per reporting period.

For attorneys looking to make a meaningful impact on their communities, pro bono work offers an opportunity to help close the justice gap while exploring new areas of practice. And for law students like me, seeing attorneys show up and commit to this work is both inspiring and motivating.

My Impact

Participating in pro bono has added an extra layer of meaning to my 1L year. When reflecting on my law school experience so far, my Wednesday nights at the United Community Center have often been the highlight of each week.

This spring, I’ll be inducted into the Marquette Law School Pro Bono Honor Society for completing 50 hours, but I strive to work as many hours as possible during the remainder of my time in law school.

Stepping away from casebooks to meet clients face-to-face has reminded me that law is not just theory – it’s human. Every conversation is a moment of connection. Every legal answer is a way to build trust.

And every hour spent volunteering affirms why I’m here: to help people.

This article was originally published on the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Public Interest Law Section Blog. Visit the State Bar sections or the Public Interest Law Section web pages to learn more about the benefits of section membership.