Public Service Events

Martin Luther King Day of Public Service - January 21, 2013

  

   Event 1: Urban League Community Breakfast

The Tulsa Urban League will be hosting a community breakfast at its center beginning at 8:30 am until the parade starts. Center is located at 240 East Apache—intersection of Apache and Cincinnati. To volunteer, contact Marquetta Finley at mfinley@mtul.org or 584-0001.

Event 2: Volunteer at Catholic Charities

Join the incoming law students as they volunteer at Catholic Charities from 8:30-11:30 am, located at 2450 N. Harvard (Near Harvard and Apache). Help with donations and re-stocking!

Event 3: MLK Day Parade

The Annual MLK Parade will begin at 11 am in downtown Tulsa at OSU Tulsa/Greenwood. Volunteers are needed! Volunteer online at http://www.mlktulsa.org/participant/. If you are interested in marching in the parade, contact Laura Allen at the Office of Multicultural Affairs at laura-allen@utulsa.edu.

Event 4: Volunteer at the Humane Society

Melt away your law school stress by giving love to an animal in need. Sign up on Symplicity to volunteer at the Adoption Center from 3-4:30 pm. Center is located at 6232 E. 60th Street.

Event 5: Speaker and Vigil

Attend TU’s speaker and vigil commemorating MLK Day beginning at 7 pm in Sharp Chapel.

If students would like to volunteer, or for more information, contact Christy Caves, the Assistant Dean for Experiential Learning/Pro Bono Coordinator for the TU College of Law at christy-caves@utulsa.edu.

Murdock Villa Birthday Parties

 

Murdock Villa Birthday Party Founders, January 2009

front row left to right: Pedro Mari; Linda Smith; Meghan King;

back row: Lou Lindsey; Malori Dahmen; Professor Carrie Basas; Andrew McAllister; Jennifer Flexner

 

Happy Anniversary Murdock Villa & TU Law

This Thursday, January 17, 2013, marks the fourth anniversary of the TU Law-sponsored Murdock Villa birthday parties! Murdock Villa, one of TU’s True Blue Neighbors, is the Tulsa Housing Authority’s residence for disabled adults.  Beginning in January 2009 when Professor Basas assigned community service hours to her students, law school student organizations have admirably volunteered to  sponsor the monthly birthday parties, with many of the organizations sponsoring them multiple times. TU Law’s faculty and staff are also involved by sponsoring the December birthday parties each year. Kim Childers, TU Law Microcomputer Specialist, contributes to the festivities by making custom birthday cards every month for the residents and even though Lou Lindsey retired as the Associate Director of the MLIC last fall, she continues to coordinate the monthly parties to keep the tradition going.

The birthday celebrations include camaraderie, cake, drinks, themed parties and sometimes even live entertainment. This monthly tradition proves not only enjoyable for the Murdock Villa residents, but also provides an opportunity for our students to give back to the community in a meaningful way and de-stress from the rigors of law school. Interested in participating in an upcoming party? Contact Christy Caves (christy-caves@utulsa.edu).

 

FLS Public Service Day

January 21, 2013

As part of the Foundation for Legal Studies week our first year law students, serveral upper classmen and our devoted professors and Deans give back to our community during Public Service Day.

Upperclassmen are encouraged to volunteer on Symplicity to participate with the new spring incoming class volunteering with Catholic Charities from 8:30-11:30 am on January 21, 2013. Several of our students complete legal internships and externships in their immigration clinic.  The students will be working in Support Services, likely helping with donations and re-stocking the Clothing Center and Food Pantry.  The location is 2450 North Harvard Avenue, near Harvard and Apache. Volunteer Coordinator: John O'Neill, 918.508.7125 or joneill@cctulsa.org.

United Way Fund Raising

The TU Law school more than doubled its contribution to the 2011 United Way campaign ranking 3rd in contributions from eight school events held on campus. The proceeds were raised primarily from a Faculty Lunch and Specialty Items Auction.

Internship for Non-Profits for Academic Credit

TU Law students may earn academic credit for hours worked in non profit legal public service organizations through Field Studies.

Kendall Court

Phi Delta Phi International Legal Fraternity (PDP) annually hosts Kendall Court, a mock trial for the 5th grade students of Kendall Whittier Elementary School.  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 very own Price & Turpen Courtroom where TU law students (adorned in costume!) act out their roles as attorneys, clients, and witnesses.  The 5th graders serve as jurors, actually deliberating and deciding the case’s verdict.  We also try to bring in a local Tulsa judge to preside over the trial. 

Additionally, the MLIC librarians host the 5th graders for workshops on topics such as government Web sites for children, the Lincoln penny, and Cherokee storytelling.  Concluding the event, we serve lunch, hand out free t-shirts, and typically have a TU Law Alum present a motivational speech that encourages the importance of education and working hard to reach your goals and dreams!  

In past years, PDP has partnered with the American Bar Association – Law Student Division, the Public Interest Law Society, and the TU Law Diversity Committee in co-sponsoring this event.  This year’s trial (Spring 2011) features People v. Dorothy Gale where Dorothy (Wizard of Oz) is charged with the murder of the Wicked Witch of the West. Past trials include Gold E. Locks being charged with “bad manners” by the Three Bears and a custody dispute involving Pinocchio, Geppetto, and the Blue Fairy.

Public Interest Summer Stipends 

The Robert N. Yaffee Public Interest Law Endowment Fund supports the TU College of Law Public Interest Summer Stipend Program. Under this program, funds are awarded to law students who accept unpaid or minimally paid summer positions at public interest entities, non-profit organizations, or governmental agencies. At the College of Law, a dedicated and high interest to serving the public interest has become an increasing trend among our students. The Yaffe fund allows students to gain valuable experience in the public interest sector where oftentimes positions are unfunded, but the need is great. This comment from a stipend recipient reflects the consistent feedback we receive from students who benefit from the Yaffe endowed program, “Not only did the Public Interest Summer Stipend Program benefit me financially in the short term, but it also assisted me in pursuing a career in the public interest field. My motivation for coming to law school was to find work in the public interest sector, and I am confident that my service [supported by the Yaffe endowment] will help me to achieve that goal. I am very grateful to have been a recipient of the Public Interest Summer Stipend.”

 

Summer Stipend Recipient Testimonials

 

2012 Public Interest Summer Stipend Award Winners

 

Edwina Christiansen - Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, Denver, CO

Margaret Cook - Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Tulsa, OK

Diane Hernandez - Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Tulsa, OK

Rachael Hughes - Federal Election Commission, Washington, DC

Rachel Jones - US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Washington, DC

Erin Potter - Environmental Protection Agency Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, Washington, DC

E. Nichole Saunders - Sierra Club, San Fransisco, CA

Brian Shepard - US Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Washington, DC

Eric Weborg, Jr. - Department of Veteran Affairs Administration, Waco, TX

 

Public Service Hours

2011 - 2012 Academic Year Public Service Hours

Last academic year (2011-2012), our students completed 5,588 hours of public service to several organizations, including the following, among others:

 

Murdock Villa
Tulsa Animal Welfare
Tulsa Early Settlement
Meals for Paws
Lawyers Against Hunger
Meals 4 PawStarz Pet Food Delivery
Oklahoma Alliance for Animals
Oklahoma DHS Office of Client Advocacy
Iron Gate
Lupus Foundation of Oklahoma
ACLU of Oklahoma
Let Us Read Foundation
Oklahoma Indigent Defense Capital Trial Division
Memorial Drive Church of Christ
DVIS