New York Pro Bono Scholars Program

Overview

RWU Law is proud to participate in the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program (NYPBSP), a program in New York State for qualifying third year law students.  Third year law students can spend 12 weeks of their final spring semester in law school providing full-time pro bono legal assistance to low-income people while participating in a required 2-credit weekly seminar.  In exchange, these students will be permitted to take the New York Bar Exam in February of their third year of law school and, assuming a passing score as well as successful completion of the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program and all graduation requirements, be admitted to practice as a member of the New York Bar or the Bar of any Uniform Bar Exam jurisdiction, as soon as possible after completion of the program.  Participation, Pro Bono placements and supervising attorneys must be approved by RWU Law.  New York Pro Bono Scholars will be able to participate in graduation ceremonies in May but will receive their diplomas in June.

Please refer to the New York Pro Bono Scholars Guide for a complete description of the requirements of the program and the kinds of pro bono work that are eligible.  Please note, however, that not all pro bono work that is eligible under the program will also comply with RWU Law’s program requirements.  Because the RWU Law program requires enrollment in a special section of the Public Interest Clinical Externship, placements in private law firms and corporate counsel offices will not qualify, nor will work in a law school clinic.  

Please also review the New York State Unified Court System’s Pro Bono Scholars Program website.

For RWU Law specific information, guidelines and deadlines for the NYPBSP please review RWU Law Frequently Asked Questions For NYPBSP and NY Pro Bono Scholars Curricular Track.

If you have any questions about the program’s requirements or need assistance determining if the program is right for you, please contact Andy Horwitz, Assistant Dean for Experiential Education, at ahorwitz@rwu.edu.

To be considered for the NYPBSP, any interested student must submit a Pro Bono Scholars Application during the Clinic and Clinical Externship application period held during the spring semester of his or her second year.

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.