Featured Students

“Pro bono opportunities have provided me with an avenue to enact change.  The work I have done has been so much more than just giving back to the community—it has made me aware of the amazing things that lawyers are doing in this world, and it has also highlighted all of the work that still needs to be done.  I hope that I can continue using my legal education to help others in need of resources and representation.”

Madihha Ahussain 2012

"Located on the outskirts of the Tenderloin, Hastings provides students with a unique opportunity to improve their community through pro bono services.  I enjoy working with Homeless Legal Services for the client interaction and the chance to help others."

Jessica Almendarez 2013

“I spent the majority of my pro bono time during my 1L year at the General Assistance Advocacy Project.  Working at GAAP was probably the single most rewarding thing I did during my first year at Hastings.  Apart from that, the practical experience I gained during my time there helped me get my internship at Bay Area Legal Aid this past summer.  Finding the time to do 50 hours of pro bono work can be challenging, but in my opinion it is completely worth it.”

Sara Behmerwohld 2013

“Pro Bono work keeps me in school. Without the perspective of low-income legal assistance work, I'd be reading fiction and making art. Yet here I am! Because it really is a privilege to serve the clients I have been able to serve. Yes, our clients benefit from the work of low income legal assistance clinics, but I gain just as much, if not more, in practical experience, empowerment, and motivation to continue through law school.”

Noah Frigault 2013

“Pro bono means the world to me.  It affords me an opportunity to give back to my community and forces the law from the confines of the classroom.  While working with GAAP has allowed me to help many clients, the truly amazing thing is how much the clients teach me.  Given the incredible need for our services right here in San Francisco, each one of us can make a huge difference by dedicating a little bit of time to helping others.”

Jacquelyn Gauthier 2013

“My pro bono experience at Eviction Defense Collaborative and G.A.A.P. has given me the tools to critically analyze legal situations and strategically craft a party's position.  I've interviewed prospective clients, negotiated with landlords, and utilized government funds to help clients pay rent and avoid eviction. I was able to help indigent members of our community while experiencing what it takes to be an advocate.”

Jillian Grinnell 2012

“Being involved in pro bono work has been the best decision I made in law school.  I’ve helped out with both administrative tasks, like assisting monolingual immigrants fill out their immigration paperwork or write declarations for trafficking victims as part of their visa application process, and legal representation, like advocating for a DV survivor at a restraining order hearing. I was also involved in encouraging the Hastings Board of Directors to pass a resolution to award honorary degrees to those who were evacuated and interned.  When they did pass the resolution, I helped locate and invite those students to last year’s graduation and even though only one student made it (I believe he was 95), it was totally worth it when he got to cross that stage and accept his honorary degree.  There’s no better feeling than seeing someone attain what’s most important to them and know that you were a part of that.”

 Stephanie Kang 2012

“Pro bono work has been such a rewarding experience for me in so many ways. It has allowed me to apply the things I learned in law school and develop practical lawyer skills, all while helping people in need of assistance.  Moreover, pro bono work allowed me to interact with clients on many levels and made me see the impact of law on the human experience.  I've met some wonderful people from all walks of life who all shared the common goal of giving back to the community and restoring people's faith in our legal system.”

Jane Lee 2012

“If you had a passion that brought you to Hastings, then pro bono work is a way to make law school work for you, and to bring some meaning and purpose to the experience.  If you are still figuring out what you want to do with your law degree, then pro bono work is a way to learn about different practice areas, meet committed practitioners, and do some good.  The “Justice Gap” is a very real thing, and we must all rise to meet our professional and moral obligation to ensure everyone has their day in court."

Aaron Lewis 2012

“Law school is a challenge, but I have found volunteering my time to be a rewarding experience and beneficial to those in need.  Edward Everett Hale's quote is fitting and sums up what pro bono work means to me; "I am only one, but still I am one.  I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."

Rebecca Palm 2013

“My pro bono work at Hastings has been a meaningful and rewarding experience.  I earned the majority of my hours working at the General Assistance Advocacy Project (GAAP), helping homeless and marginally-housed San Franciscans maintain their public benefits.  I have had to chance to build relationships with members of the community who would not otherwise have had access to legal services and through the process I've developed legal skills that have aided me in the classroom and in the work place.”

Shannon Roy 2013

"Pro Bono has been central to my experience at Hastings. It has provided context to my classroom education and reminded me of why I came to law school in the first place. The opportunity to work directly with clients in a meaningful way has reinforced my own goals, facilitated my personal and professional growth, and fueled my passion for the law and social change." 

Jeff Ugai 2012

“My pro bono service has provided me a much needed balance to my law school academics. Learning in a classroom environment and applying what I have learned to real life situations are very different experiences. I have found it extremely rewarding to know that my commitment to pro bono work has helped individuals who, due to their lack of resources, are prevented from accessing the legal system. I know that my years in law school would not have been as memorable had it not been for my participation in pro bono services. It has undoubtedly been the best and most humbling experience of my law school career.”

Yarenia Valladares 2012

“Volunteering with CASA has been a really great experience.  It’s nice to connect with the world outside of law school and to feel like you’re making a difference in someone’s life.”

Mara Veneman 2012

“Pro bono work has been a grounding and humbling experience for me. Working with the community has been a valuable learning experience that has taught me skills I could not gain from the classroom. Learning that a single act of legal assistance can make a lasting difference has been the greatest personal reward, and it has reminded me of why I decided to attend law school in the first place.”

Judy Yang 2012