Category: Public Interest

In January 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that its 2012 decision banning mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juveniles must be applied retroactively, granting new chances at release for hundreds of inmates serving life sentences without the possibility of parole for crimes they committed in their youth.  The opinion indicated that life-without-parole sentences for juvenile offenders should be exceedingly rare and gave states two options: resentencing the affected prisoners or making them eligible for parole. At the time of the decision, there were more than 2,500 people (concentrated in California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania) serving sentences of life without parole

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and this week on the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s podcast, the Pro Bono Happy Hour, we are joined by Amy Barasch of Her Justice. Amy describes their “pro bono first” model; how Her Justice provides specialized support to pro bono attorneys; and the challenges faced by women who experience intimate partner violence, including issues related to divorce, immigration, and poverty. She also discusses Her Justice’s externship program with law firms and how one extern established an important precedent. Take 40 minutes to listen to our conversation with Amy Barasch about the crucial role

Last week, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) released a report, “The Justice Gap: Measuring the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans,”  which is the result of a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago of 2,000 Americans living at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Level.  The report takes a detailed look at documents the extent of the “the justice gap,” which  LSC defines “as the difference between the civil legal needs of low-income Americans and the resources available to meet those needs.” Key findings include: Seventy-one percent of low-income households experienced at least one civil

Law schools, law firms, and public interest organizations have made tremendous progress in their efforts to inculcate the value of service and involve law students in providing meaningful pro bono. During the spring break season, a wide array of schools offered their versions of “alternative spring breaks,” during which students spent their vacation time offering pro bono work. Earlier this year on the Law Firm Project’s Podcast, the Pro Bono Happy Hour, we the discussed Columbia Law School’s alternative spring break with Laren Spirer. Their Spring Break Pro Bono Caravans, with support from Dentons*† and others, enables law students to