“SLC is a small firm with a big impact,” said supervising attorney Kirsten Clanton on my very first day at Southern Legal Counsel, Inc. (SLC).  The idea that litigation can be used as a vehicle to directly change legislation, policies, and practices, also known as “impact litigation,” for the benefit of those who would otherwise not have a voice in our legal system was always something I had in mind in deciding to pursue a law degree.  The Florida Bar Foundation Public Interest Law Fellowship gave me the opportunity to do this first-hand as a law student, alongside passionate and committed attorneys at SLC.

In my time at SLC, I have had the unique opportunity to work on a variety of systemic issues, including the constitutional adequacy of Florida’s education system; Section 1983 civil rights claims involving the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments; special education in public schools; affordable housing; and constitutional and tort claims on behalf of homeless people.

One of the many things my experience at SLC has taught me is that our laws should be designed to uphold the dignity of everyone in our society, regardless of socioeconomics, housing status, disability, etc.  The attorneys at SLC operate under the philosophy that regardless of ability to pay, everyone deserves access to our justice system and the benefit of high-quality legal representation.

Even if I will not work exclusively as a public interest lawyer in the future, this Fellowship has taught me the importance of carving out space in my legal career for public interest and pro bono work.  Incorporating pro bono work into any legal career was also the theme of the recent event co-fellows Nicole Safker, Yvette Wiltshire and I planned at the law school.  In March, Justice Fred Lewis of the Florida Supreme Court visited to talk about his “Justice Teaching” program, through which attorneys from varied practice areas volunteer to educate children about our justice system.

I would greatly encourage any law student reading this to get involved with public interest and pro bono opportunities while in school, and carry that commitment to equalizing access to our justice system into practice, regardless of the practice area.

Dominique McPherson is a 2011-12 Public Interest Law Fellow.  The Public Interest Law Fellowship Program is funded by the Florida Bar Foundation to promote public interest law, and offered at the Levin College of Law by the Center for Governmental Responsibility.

• Dominique McPherson
• Nicole Safker
• Yvette Ceandreas Wiltshire

“Public service is a core value at the Levin College of Law, and it has been at the heart of our mission for decades. Preparing our students to serve not only their clients but also the justice system and the public consistently with the highest ethical standards and ideals of the legal profession is an indispensable part of providing students with a well-rounded legal education.” —UF Levin College of Law Dean Robert H. Jerry

Living and working in a smaller, more rural community creates challenges for students with finding public interest law placements. Yet, UF Law students and faculty are nonetheless immersed in the legal work of our state and local community. UF Law’s Pro Bono Project gives students the opportunity to perform valuable community service, learn about the legal needs of traditionally underserved groups, and gain practical legal experience. Since 2009, UF Law students have donated some 25,676 hours of pro bono work. The Joseph W. Little Pro Bono Support Fund reimburses students for reasonable travel and office expenses associated with completing pro bono work. Moreover, UF Law’s various fellowship programs also support student placement at government agencies and non-profit, public interest organizations. Such fellowship programs include the Center for Governmental Responsibility’s Public Interest Law Fellowship (funded by The Florida Bar Foundation) and the Center for the Study of Race and Race Relations’ Yegelwel Fellowship.

Students have the opportunity to participate in several criminal or civil clinics, representing indigent clients, non-profits or public entities. One such clinic, theIntimate Partner Violence Assistance Clinic, is breaking new ground nationally by collaborating with the UF College of Medicine, Shands Teaching Hospital and local non-profit Peaceful Paths Domestic Abuse Network, providing low-income victims of intimate partner violence with comprehensive legal, medical and social services. Additionally, UF Law’s new Criminal Justice Certificate Program provides academic advising, mentorship, area-specific education, and detailed criminal-practice training for students dedicated to a career in public service in criminal law. In addition to the clinics, students have access to a variety of externships at courts, local governments, state and federal agencies and elsewhere, most of which focus on some aspect of public interest law.

Students also work with local groups to assist in: restoring the civil rights of convicted felons; providing volunteer low-income tax assistance; and conducting research for theFlorida Innocence Commission, which is advising the Florida Supreme Court on reducing wrongful convictions. Moreover, the Association for Public Interest Law, the Center for Career Development, The Florida Bar Foundation Public Interest Law Fellows at the Center for Governmental Responsibility, the Environmental and Land Use Law Society and other student organizations promote public interest law on campus by bringing in speakers, hosting conferences, connecting students with public interest law resources, and raising awareness through events such as the Public Interest Law Week. Students and faculty at UF Law recognize the importance of public service and work to carry out public interest and pro bono work statewide.

This article was submitted to the White House as part of the ‘Champions of Change’ event Oct. 13. The blog article will be posted online by the White House.