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Richmond Law recognizes students for pro bono service

May 20, 2025
“Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”

At the heart of legal education lies a commitment to service—and the University of Richmond School of Law's Class of 2025 has exemplified that commitment in extraordinary ways.

Approximately 20% of this year’s graduating class earned the Carrico Center Pro Bono Certificate, which recognizes students who dedicate at least 120 hours to pro bono work during their time in law school.

Collectively, the certificate recipients—recognized at the Pro Bono Awards Ceremony earlier this month—contributed more than 4,000 hours of service.

While an impressive number, indeed, Professor Tara Casey, director of the Carrico Center for Pro Bono & Public Service, emphasized the deeper meaning behind this work. “These hours represent the determination of our clinical students to not just ‘peace out’ at the end of the semester, but to continue working on the cases in which they had invested so much of themselves,” she said. “These hours represent blankets made for foster children. A mock trial with kids from Richmond's East End. A prevented eviction that kept a family in their home. A will…and peace of mind for a low-income senior.”

As the graduates enter their legal careers, keynote speaker Sarah Bennett Bures, L’15, who is also pro bono director at Troutman Pepper Locke, challenged them to think beyond personal gain when it comes to pro bono service.

“To me, the answer to ‘What’s in it for me?’ when it comes to pro bono is not a difficult one—skill development, legal experience, sometimes business development. Not to mention the satisfaction of helping others,” she said. “But lawyers shouldn’t do pro bono because there’s something in it for them. Lawyers should do pro bono because it’s part of their professional responsibility.”

Reflecting the significant impact made by this year’s certificate recipients, Casey summed up the event with a quote from Bishop Desmond Tutu: “Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”