We are the Association for Public Interest Law. We are a non-partisan student run organization that supports students' public interest career goals by:
- Sponsoring a mentorship program for all students
- Raising funds through our annual auction, which will be held on February 4, 2011. The auction provides a summer stipend to students who work in a non paying public sector job during the summer. The auction raised over $17,000 in 2010 and provided stipends to 23 students for this past summer.
- Attending the RebLaw conference & Cover retreat to provide students the opportunity to meet and discuss new approaches to law with other public interest law students, attorneys and community advocates from around the country.
- Planning an Alternative Spring Break trip for students to work with community-based organizations to gain hands-on legal experience while interviewing clients, drafting legal documents and conducting research for pro bono cases. Students in previous years have worked in Mississippi and New Orleans and all trips are funded through the fundraising efforts of APIL members, the trip participants and the law school community.
- Providing information about loan forgiveness and repayment options specific to the public interest sector.
- Encouraging students to attend the Equal Justice Works conference in October and the NYU job fair in February. These two opportunities allow students to learn about new areas or developments in public interest law and job opportunities in all public interest areas.
- Sponsoring speakers/presentations and contacts within the Rhode Island legal community throughout the school year. Past presentations involved human trafficking, criminal law regulations in Rhode Island, and tort law involving mislabeled drugs.
Our organization works with the Feinstein Institute for Legal Service at Roger Williams and law students to further public interest law in Rhode Island and the New England area. We will continue to work as advocates for those in need of assistance.
