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Public Service Program
Public Service Program
In Celebration of National Pro Bono Week 2011 (October 23 - October 29), we would like to extend a big THANK YOU to all of our student organizations for their efforts in public service.
To celebrate National Pro Bono week, we are honoring the public service efforts of our student organizations. On Monday, we are honoring the Student Bar Association (SBA) for their hard work in forming a team and raising over $700 for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. In the upcoming months their public service energies will be focused on a pumpkin carving contest to raise funds for the Tulsa Food Bank, providing food to the underprivileged for Thanksgiving and participating in the “Angel Tree” program in the Tulsa area. Thank you for all your public service efforts.
The next honoree organization is Paw Law. Paw Law assists Meals on Wheels for Pets each month. In addition, they dedicate one Saturday every month to Tulsa Animal Welfare, where they play with the animals and help potential adopters bond with the dogs and cats. During the fall semester they hosted the September Birthday party at Murdock Villa and plan to volunteer with Oklahoma Alliance for Animals for their largest yearly fundraiser, Fur Ball in December. On behalf of all of the toes, paws and hooves, thank you for your hard work and volunteer efforts.
Wednesday, we are honoring HLSA and Phi Delta Phi. On September 17th, The Hispanic Law Student Association (HLSA) in conjunction with the American Dream Coalition assisted registered voters during the Tulsa Hispanic Festival. Phi Delta Phi hosted their annual Kendall Court on October 14th with a “Pinocchio” production. This philanthropic event exposes approximately 150 students to the legal system by performing a criminal or civil trial based on a familiar nursery rhyme or fairy tale. The trial takes place in our courtroom with the TU Law students adorned in costumes act out their roles as attorneys, clients, and witnesses. The 5th graders server as jurors, actually deliberate and decide the case’s verdict providing students their first positive exposure to the legal world. The Phi Delta Phi members serve lunch to the students and present a motivational speech that encourages the importance of education and working hard to reach your goals and dream. Kudos to both of these organizations for their public service endeavors.
The honorees on Thursday are the Christian Legal Society (CLS) and Native American Law Student Association (NALSA). CLS is sponsoring “Cans for Candy” to help families in need. In return for a canned food item or basic toiletry donation, the giver will receive a sweet candy treat. All items will go to the Help-In-Crisis Shelter in Tahlequah, OK. NALSA will be undertaking their annual “Angel Tree” gift drive which will benefit the children of the Osage Nation Orphanage, and the Sac and Fox Children’s Home. Thank you for all of the hard work to help benefit those less fortunate.
Friday, we are honoring the Black Law Students Association, who volunteered at the Community Food Bank of Northeastern Oklahoma on September 7, 2011. Additionally, future efforts include launching the BLSA Book Drive this week, in collaboration with National BLSA. This is a national project, and is geared towards promoting literacy around the globe sponsoring the building of an English library in Rwanda through the donation of books and funds. The project wills send over 1,000 books to a school or library, ad the goal is to raise $1,000. Thank you BLSA members for all of your public service efforts.
Our Public Service Program gives Tulsa Law students the opportunity to assist the underserved and the underrepresented within our community. In a typical semester, students log approximately 3,000 hours (equivalent to more than 11 weeks of full-time work) in public interest service, assisting organizations such as:
Court Appointed Special Advocates
Tulsa Lawyers for Children
Tulsa Area United Way
Domestic Violence Intervention Services
Goodwill
Adult Day Services
Mental Health Association
Animal Aid and Animal Shelters
Homeless Shelters and Food Banks
Local Elementary Schools
Catholic Charities
Not only do our student participate in a Public Service Day during Orientation, we also hold a school-wide Martin Luther King Service Day each January. Additionally, students who volunteer at local non-profit organizations during the summer are eligible to receive our Public Interest Law Stipends to assist them financially during their public service endeavors.
We believe in instilling a life long commitment to public service, assisting clients with unmet legal needs under the supervision of lawyers committed to public service work or helping other members in the community, and enabling public service organizations to increase their case load and individual lawyers to accept more public service cases.
Students volunteering at Habitat for Humanity's Restore during Foundations of Legal Studies
The University of Tulsa College of Law Public Service Program cannot provide direct legal advice or legal services to members of the general public. Law student volunteers must be supervised by a law school faculty member or licensed attorney. For further assistance in obtaining an attorney, please contact any of the following agencies:
- The Oklahoma State Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service by visiting www.okbar.org, then click on “Find a Lawyer;” or The Tulsa County
- Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Service at www.tulsabar.com, then click on “Lawyer Referral Service;”
Legal Aid Services
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma is a not-for-profit law firm which provides free civil legal assistance to eligible low-income individuals and their families and to elderly persons in the areas of family, consumer, housing, health and employment. Legal aid attorneys and staff work through a network of fully-staffed law offices and satellite offices, serving eligible clients in all 77 counties of Oklahoma.
The number to call to apply for services is (888) 534-5243. Callers need to leave a brief message about their legal issue as well as their name and phone number. Most callers will receive a call back within one day to determine eligibility for services and all callers will be called back within three days.
If you are an attorney or a non-profit organization interested in receiving assistance from a law student volunteer, please contact the Professional Development Office at (918) 631-2430.