Ashanti Jones '26
Staff Editor
On Wednesday, November 1, 2023, the Pro Bono Program at the Law School held a session to educate students on winter break pro bono. The session was hosted by Assistant Dean for Pro Bono and Public Interest Kimberly Emery ’91 and Assistant Director of Public Service Andrew Broaddus. For any who were unable to attend or any who did attend but got distracted by thoughts of their impending major memo, the Law Weeklyoffers this article as a step-by-step guide to finding and securing a winter break pro bono project from our resident pro bono experts.
What should I look for in a project?
Emery opened the session acknowledging that students have a variety of reasons for pursuing winter break pro bono projects, and nailing down your specific reason is crucial when beginning your own search for a project. However, regardless of reason, all students should first determine when they are actually available during break.
If your driving motivation is getting your forty hours of pro bono to qualify for the Public Interest Law Association’s Public Service Summer grant or your fifty hours for the New York State Bar, Emery suggested students make sure their desired project qualifies as pro bono under that organization’s specific definition.
For the PILA grant, any project on GoodWorks qualifies, and students finding their own projects should ensure the project is unpaid and serves “low-income or under-represented clients, legal services providers, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, or private law firms providing pro bono services.” Emery also stated that, while judicial internships are valuable (unpaid) learning opportunities, they do not qualify as pro bono work for the Pro Bono Program or the PILA grant. For the New York State Bar, students should email the New York State Pro Bono Bar Advisory Committee at probonorule@nycourts.gov with any questions.
Emery also noted that students can use winter break pro bono to establish a geographic tie, if planning to work in person, to a specific market for a summer or post-grad job or establish an interest in a specific practice area. However, this may not be possible for students trying to target international markets or transactional work.
“There are a few markets that can be a little harder,” Emery said. “Overseas projects can be a problem, unless you have personal contacts, or really know an NGO, or are working with a professor who has contacts.”
How do I apply to winter break pro bono projects?
There are two ways to apply to winter break pro bono projects: through GoodWorks or by reaching out to the organizations directly via email. Emery recommended students only apply to three projects total. If applying through GoodWorks, Emery suggested students use the sample interest statement available on their website when crafting their own interest statement. If applying via email, Emery stated students can use their sample email available on their website as a guide or simply copy and paste their sample email and fill in their specific information.
Additionally, Emery recommended students look to the organization’s staff directory and email their materials to the organization’s volunteer coordinator, internship coordinator, pro bono director, or something along those lines. If you are unable to locate a staff member with one of those titles, Emery recommended students email materials to a staff attorney or the general organization email instead. If you have not heard from the organization, Emery suggested reaching out to her or Broaddus for help, or simply calling the organization directly.
Finally, Emery urged students to utilize the Pro Bono Program staff while applying to projects, because they may be able to connect students personally to staff in the organization’s office. “We have lists of public service alumni, so if you’re just gung-ho about X organization, and you’re going to apply, shoot me an email,” Emery said. “We are here as a resource; we don’t want you to feel like you’ve been thrown out to the wolves.”
When should I start applying to winter break pro bono projects?
As of November 1, some winter break pro bono projects are available on GoodWorks with more to come throughout the month. Emery stated most will remain open until the first week or so of December, so there is no rush in applying. For those applying via email to organizations not listed on GoodWorks, Emery stated that now is a good time for students to start sending their interest emails. Additionally, while there is no exact deadline to submitting interest emails, Emery shared that it is ideal to send them before finals season starts to ensure a timely response from your targeted organizations.
“We do not recommend waiting until after exams,” Emery said. “You’ve now moved into the holiday season, and a lot of offices are going to be operating with a skeleton crew or are closed entirely.”
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