Program Description, Through our Judicial Clinical Externship Program, students have the opportunity to work with federal and state judges in both trial and appellate courts. Our students work directly with judges and are given assignments that are comparable to the assignments given to full-time law clerks. Our students learn first-hand about litigation by understanding what is persuasive to the court and how to…
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What is the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program (NYPBSP)?, 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…, New York, , Pro Bono Scholars Program, and all graduation requirements, be admitted to practice as a member of the New York Bar 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 upon completion of the program., How many credits will I receive if I participate?, 10 field credits and 2 seminar credits. To be eligible for the NYPBSP, an applicant must have at least 10 non-classroom credits remaining at the end of the fall 3L semester., Note: Students planning to participate in the NYPBSP may not enroll in a clinical externship because there is a limit of 10 fieldwork credits that students may take., What kinds of pro bono work qualify for the NYPBSP?, Qualifying pro bono service for NYPBSP must be law-related, full-time, supervised by a licensed attorney, and assist in the provision of legal services for: persons who are financially unable to pay for legal representation; not-for-profit legal service providers that predominantly address the legal needs of indigent clients where the work performed is for such clients; or a governmental entity,…, What are the NYPBSP Requirements?, 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…, New York State Unified Court System’s Pro Bono Scholars Program website, . RWU Law must approve participation and specific placements in the NYPBSP program., What are RWU Law’s specific requirements for NYPBSP participation?, For RWU Law specific information, guidelines and deadlines for the NYPBSP, please review this document and NY Pro Bono Scholars Curricular Track . To be considered for the NYPBSP, interested students must submit a NY Pro Bono Scholars application during the Clinic and Clinical Externship application period held during the spring semester of his or her second year. Requirements and Limitations…, will not, count toward the RWU Law Pro Bono Experiential Learning Requirement. A NYPBSP is strongly advised to take the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) before beginning the NYPBSP so that they can be admitted to the New York State Bar promptly upon passage of the Bar Exam and law school graduation. New York uses the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and New York law is not tested on the UBE. …, Further information about these requirements, . , How do I apply to the NYPBSP?, To be considered for the NYPBSP, interested students 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. Students interested in participating in the New York Pro Bono Scholars Program should be aware that participation will , require extensive planning and preparation starting in the spring semester of their first year of law school, . Given that students in the program , must complete all of their academic coursework and their PBELR by the end of the fall semester of their third year, , all interested students should work with their faculty advisors, the Office of Career Development, and the Academic Success Department to carefully plan their schedules to ensure they will be fully prepared to take the bar exam and start their careers. Additionally, beyond the normal hurdles student face when preparing for the bar exam, taking the February bar exam presents additional…, Note: Students planning to participate in the NYPBSP may not enroll in a clinical externship because there is a limit of 10 fieldwork credits students may take., Will I pay tuition while doing the NYPBSP?, Yes, for the 10 credits., Do I have to do the fieldwork in New York?, No., What other resources should I consult in considering NYPBSP?, 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 NYPBSP 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…, New York State Unified Court System’s Pro Bono Scholars Program website, . If you have any questions about the NYPBSP requirements or need assistance determining if the program is right for you, please contact Eliza Vorenberg, Director of Pro Bono & Community Partnerships at evorenberg@rwu.edu , Notes on the New York Bar Exam, The state of New York has switched to the Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) and NY law is not tested on the UBE. However, applicants to the New York Bar are required to complete the New York Law Course and New York Law Exam as a prerequisite for admission. A NYPBS is strongly encouraged to complete these requirements during their 2L summer. Click here for More Information on the New York Bar Exam, Further information about these requirements, .
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Below is a quick list of ways RWU law students can meet the NY pro bono requirement through RWU Law programs. This should be used as an initial guide for identifying ways you may have already met the NY pro bono requirement. Once you have identified a program that may qualify, please make sure you read the NY rule, FAQs, and the Affidavit of Compliance . I have completed one of the following RWU…
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Program Description, In the Prosecution Externship Program, students train in a prosecution office at the federal, state or municipal level. All students will be certified to appear in court, although the nature and frequency of court appearances will depend on the office and unit to which the student is assigned. Students should expect to draft motions and other criminal litigation documents, participate in witness…
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Program Description, Through our Public Interest Clinical Externship Program, students earn academic credit while working on behalf of low-income clients in marginalized communities. Students may be eligible to appear in court as student attorneys in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts as well as other states. Students in this program gain valuable hands-on experience representing clients through civil legal services…
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Program Description, The Summer Clinical Externship Program is designed to help law students maximize their professional development and legal skills development through a structured curricular externship experience over the summer. The program will be a combined group of public interest, prosecution, government, and/or corporate counsel externships. , Note: For a specialized program where the seminar content will be specifically tailored to a single practice area, like the Corporate Counsel, Judicial, Prosecution, Government, Public Interest (direct service to low-income clients), or Environmental and Land Use Externship Programs, students should apply to participate during the fall or spring semesters.,
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Program Description, Through our DC Semester-In-Practice Program, students earn academic credit while working full-time at an executive agency, congressional office, non-profit, or trade association setting. While in D.C., students will gain practical experience and training, meet and network with D.C. attorneys including established RWU alums, and explore the many ways that a J.D. degree is used in our nation's…
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Experiential Learning at RWU Law, To participate in any of these high-impact program tracks, students must apply in advance during our standard fall or spring application cycles. We highly encourage students to coordinate early with the Feinstein Center and attend our pre-deadline information sessions to discuss placement requirements, prerequisites, and track timelines. Admission requires formal selection by the respective…, What is the difference between an In-House Clinic, a Field Clinic, and a Clinical Externship?, In an In-House Clinic, a student works in the Providence Law Clinic under the supervision of a full-time faculty member whose sole purpose is to teach students and direct the clinic. Students handle a small number of their cases from start to finish and, when the student practice rule permits it, are certified as student attorneys. In a Field Clinic, a student works outside of the law school…
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Practicing pursuant to a student practice rule, students will be assigned to represent military veterans whose applications for disability benefits have been denied, pursuing their administrative appeals in the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (CAVC). Students will perform record reviews, identify relevant evidence, draft legal memoranda in preparation for pre-briefing conferences with the…
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What Students Do, Students work directly with clients on a range of transactional and business law matters. Depending on client needs and available projects, student work may include: interviewing and counseling clients; identifying client goals, legal issues, risks, and possible courses of action; conducting legal and factual research; advising on business and nonprofit entity formation; drafting and reviewing…, Skills and Professional Development, The Clinic is designed to help students develop the judgment, skills, and professional habits required for legal practice. Students gain experience in: client interviewing and counseling; legal research and analysis; transactional drafting; strategic planning and problem solving; professional communication; project and time management; collaboration and teamwork; navigating uncertainty and…
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