The long-term goal of this project is to create a culture that highly values public interest law as a viable and meaningful career. The project will utilize a system similar to the medical school resident matching concept to place students with organizations. All efforts will be made to secure highly motivated students as well as meaningful experiences with the coordinating service providers. After the initial match, an orientation for students, host organizations and supervising attorneys will be conducted to introduce everyone to this new enterprise. At all times the students will be made aware of the rules of professional responsibility and the need for professionalism. Students will be asked to develop personal and professional goals they wish to pursue through the Fellowship. Periodic review of those goals with the supervising attorney will be an integral part of the evaluation process as will be the student presentations at the conclusion of each semester.

The 2010 fall goal is to place ten law students as law clerks with legal service providers in the Columbia area. In the event that funding is secured for the spring, the process would be the same for ten students. There is also the possibility that if the student and the host organization are mutually agreeable, the student from the fall semester would continue into the spring. It is anticipated that the students will work for ten weeks – 20 hours per week. The start and end dates will be determined by the Fellow and the host organizations. Pending funding, ten students will also be placed as law clerks during the summer – likely 35 hours per week – with the goal of expanding their availability to service providers outside the Columbia area.

IOLTA-funded organizations are invited to apply for a law clerk through the project. Work done by the Fellows should allow them to experience the application of doctrine to practice, help them explore a career in public interest law and create an opportunity for observance of professional behavior and to build professional skills.

 

The work of the students will be supervised as with any law clerk position. All students must be directly supervised by a licensed member of the SC Bar. There will be an evaluation form for each student and supervisor to complete at the end of each semester or summer. The evaluation form and process will seek to determine and document satisfaction with the project, tasks experienced, skills explored and quality of the work product as well as the type of responsibility given by supervisor.

 

The Director of the Pro Bono Program, Pamela D. Robinson, will manage this project. Ms. Robinson is a member of the SC Bar and a nationally recognized authority on the management of public interest and pro bono programs. With 20 years of experience she is a frequent speaker at ABA and AALS conferences and workshops.