"National Jurist" Recognizes Law School's Public Service
National Jurist magazine counts Suffolk University Law School among those nationwide that have made “an above-average commitment to public service.”
Law Schools included in the magazine's Best Public Interest Law School rankings meet three principal measures. They have:
- one or more public interest clinics
- dedicated personnel overseeing public interest programs
- a loan repayment assistance program
The Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service oversees all public-service-related activity at the Law School, including its voluntary Pro Bono Program, which seeks to ensure that every graduating student enters the legal profession with a sense of responsibility to engage in pro bono service.
Incoming law students are challenged to complete at least 50 hours of law-related volunteer work before they graduate.
Faculty, administrators, and staff who are attorneys also participate in annual pro bono activities. Suffolk Law is one of only a handful of law schools to adopt a formal policy encouraging faculty pro bono service.
With 15 clinical programs, the Law School has made a long-standing commitment to serve diverse populations within the Boston area. Students admitted to these civil and criminal clinical programs represent clients under the direct supervision of experienced attorneys and Law School faculty.