1. Student Organization Spotlight: Pro Bono Board

Student Organization Spotlight: Pro Bono Board The Pro Bono Board's mission is to provide opportunities for law students to begin integrating service into their legal careers from the beginning.

By Law Communications
November 12, 2025

The Pro Bono Board's mission is to provide opportunities for law students to begin integrating service into their legal careers from the beginning. The board facilitates a range of both pro bono legal work and community service projects for students to find something they are passionate about.

What are the upcoming events scheduled for this year or any ongoing activities for the members in the group?

We're currently facilitating our annual canned food drive in concert with the Rockbridge Area Relief Association (RARA). That drive runs from now until November 21-so please bring cans to Sydney Lewis Hall, if you have the ability! It has been a privilege to plan this event and see how eager many in the community have been to help. We also plan community service days, giving law students an avenue to support local people and organizations in need.

As far as legal pro bono work, we have projects that faculty members are actively looking for student volunteers to work on. Some are connected to actual practice opportunities that have realized they have work for students to do year-round, like the Civil Rights and Racial Justice Clinic and the Parole Advocacy Practicum. Professor Shapiro has also been incredibly helpful in connecting students to pro bono criminal defense cases.

How can alumni get involved?

If any alumni have projects they could use student assistance on, from legal research to work out in the community, we would love for them to reach out to us. We know many alumni do pro bono work as part of their practice, so any resources they have are helpful, as well as the example of why this work is important to them. Alumni can reach us at [email protected] or [email protected].

Are there mentorship opportunities?

Because we do not have a defined membership, mentorship in our organization looks like encouragement from others who have already integrated service into their law school experience. Part of our work is listening to students to match them with opportunities that are right for them, so along with that we are constantly connecting people who have similar interests. On a personal level, Professor Gould has been an invaluable resource to both of us as leaders in the organization.

Do you have any goals for the organization this year?

I (Caroline) got involved with Pro Bono Board through a criminal defense case that Professor Shapiro's daughter was working on out of her practice in Alexandria. This project was not something I was expecting when the school year started, but the work was so fulfilling, and I learned so much. It has been an experience that I talked about in every interview since. I hope that our work this year will reach students early in their law school experience so that students can prioritize pro bono legal work and community service as they build their schedules and make other commitments. Service is most effective when it is consistent and based on relationships. Our goal is to be able to facilitate those relationships and help students see why pro bono work is important! We also want to establish the Pro Bono Board in the school so that there are students interested and excited to lead it next year. Finally, we will continue to raise awareness of ongoing local community needs, whether legal or general.

How many law students are currently involved? How has the law school community supported students in this organization?

We are gathering interest from the full student body and currently have about 50 people on our email listserv. This year we have collaborated with the Sports Czars and the Student Bar Association to promote the annual canned food drive. We know that many students are involved in community service in various ways, and one thing we are trying to do is spread the word that those students can log that time towards pro bono hours that will be recognized at graduation.

We are so grateful for the support of our faculty advisor, Keri Gould, as well as Dean Saez Tatman and Susan LeMert. They have been helpful in organizing our food drive so that we can get the full law school community involved. Dean Coleman-Jackson and OCS have also been supportive by promoting pro bono as part of a successful legal career.

Is there anything else to share about the organization?

Feel free to reach out and get involved-there is always room for more students to make an impact in the community!