promo_probono.jpg

Cultivating a Culture of Service

October 21, 2024
In the latest issue of Virginia Lawyer magazine, Professor Tara Casey explains how Richmond Law is cultivating a commitment to service in the next generation of legal professionals

Last year, more than 20% of Richmond Law graduates earned the Carrico Center Pro Bono Certificate, awarded to students who complete at least 120 hours of service during their three years of law school. Collectively, the Class of 2024 Pro Bono Certificate recipients performed more than 5,000 hours of service. In the latest issue of Virginia Lawyer magazine, Professor Tara Casey, Director of the Carrico Center explained how Richmond Law is cultivating a commitment to service in the next generation of legal professionals. Here’s an excerpt.

We have a big tent mentality at the Carrico Center for Pro Bono and Public Service at the University of Richmond School of Law. We have students who come into the tent who have already made service a priority in their lives—they will pitch in wherever the need is, in whatever capacity it is needed. We also have students who come into the tent who are curious about a particular area of law and wish to learn more: Is family law the path for me? How does civil litigation compare to criminal litigation? Lastly, we have students who come into the tent who are interested in building their professional network, working alongside attorneys in the area and benefiting from their mentorship. And that is the great thing about having a big tent mentality— there’s plenty of room for everyone.

My goal as the Director of the Carrico Center is to ensure that every student, for whatever the reason they have for coming into the tent, gain something as they give something. That something may be a better understanding of how a legal issue has contributed to a broader societal issue. That something may be greater confidence in oral advocacy or legal writing. That something may be insight into connecting the dots between a subject area that interests them and how it is applied in practice. That something may be meeting attorneys both new to practice and at the end of their careers and gleaning from them the wisdom that all the stages can offer.

Through this experience, we hope that students not only develop a habit of service that will continue into their postgraduate lives, but that they will develop the invaluable skills that will make them thoughtful and skilled members of the profession.

Read the full article here: Law Schools Care About Pro Bono. You can also read what some of our students and alumni had to say in response to the question: Who Cares About Pro Bono?