One of the great advantages to the Pro Bono Program is its flexibility.  The projects vary widely, with some requiring only a few hours of work and others involving a semester- or year-long commitment.  This means that you can select projects that fit with your academic schedule and other activities.  Many projects involve legal research, but others require interviewing clients, trial preparation and working on legal hotlines. 

         This page includes basic information for Pro Bono volunteers.  For a current list of available placements, check out our most recent newsletter.

         If you are interested in the Pro Bono Program, you should submit a personal information sheet to the Pro Bono Office as soon as possible.  This does not commit you to any particular project.  Instead, the form tells us about your background and interests, so that we can notify you quickly when a suitable project comes up. 
         As new placement requests come in, they will be posted in the Pro Bono Office, published in the Pro Bono Newsletter and announced by e-mail to those who have indicated a particular interest in the subject matter.  If you want to volunteer for a project, contact Sylvia Novinsky or one of the student coordinators as quickly as possible before someone else signs up.  The Pro Bono Program tries to turn attorneys’ requests around within three working days, so it’s important to move fast. 
 

          If you don’t see anything that interests you in the Pro Bono listings, you can also contact a particular attorney or organization to set up your own project.  However, you must contact Sylvia Novinsky or a student coordinator before starting this process. 

         You may also be able to get pro bono credit for volunteer legal work performed through the UNC Community Legal Project and other student groups if a practicing attorney agrees to act as supervisor and to verify your time logs.  Contact Sylvia Novinsky or a student coordinator for more information on this option. 

         Once you sign up for a project, you assume certain responsibilities. Please remember that your performance matters not just to your client and  supervising attorney, but also to other UNC Law students who want a chance to work for the same supervisor/potential employer! 
         These responsibilities include: 

• Staying in regular communication with your supervising attorney. You should check in with your supervisor within a few working days of signing up for a project, and frequently thereafter. You must notify your supervisor immediately if you realize that you may not be able to complete the project as planned.  The Pro Bono Office phone and fax are available to make this easier; see below.
• Staying in regular communication with the Pro Bono Office. We’ll contact you periodically, but please let us know if you have any concerns. Specifically, you must notify us immediately if you may not be able to complete a project as planned. 
• Maintaining confidentiality and acting in a professional manner in dealing with your client(s) and staff members at your placement.
• Keeping track of hours & other paperwork.  Student volunteers are required to keep daily time logs and to get their supervisors to sign the logs periodically.  Also, you must log any long-distance phone calls or faxes made from the Pro Bono Office.
• A final request: Please give us a copy of your work to add to our collection to help students who are assigned to similar projects in the future.  If your supervising attorney agrees, please make whatever modifications are necessary to protect the identity of your client and give us a copy.

          Pro Bono volunteers are welcome to use the Pro Bono Program’s phone (962-5685) and fax (962-5684) for contacting supervising attorneys and transmitting work back and forth, but we ask that you please do not abuse this privilege.  Please remember to record all such use in the log in the office.  One caution: Access may be difficult at times because the Pro Bono office is often used for on-campus interviews. 

         The Pro Bono Office is located in the Career Development & Placement suite next to the office of Sylvia Novinsky, associate CD&P director for public interest law.  The program is run by Sylvia and by several student coordinators.  Please contact us at any time with comments, questions, ideas or concerns by stopping by the office or by e-mail at probono@unc.edu.  You can also leave messages for us at 962-5685 or call Sylvia directly at 962-7813. 

         For Fall 1998, the Pro Bono staff and office hours are: 

• Sylvia Novinsky, director: office hours generally 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
• Jami Diehm, projects coordinator: office hours vary. 
• Stephanie Eakes, student coordinator: office hours Monday 2-3 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. – noon.
• Doug Hatch, employer coordinator: Thursday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 2-3 p.m
• Kelly Cochran, web site coordinator: kcochran@email.unc.edu, office hours vary.
• Jennifer Talhelm, newsletter editor: jltalhel@email.unc.edu, office hours vary. 

For more information about the UNC Law Pro Bono program, contact: