The College of Law’s UT Pro Bono program is a community service organization with significant student leadership. Its mission is to help students develop an awareness of their future ethical and professional responsibilities as they provide service to their community. Under the direction of faculty and staff, students perform valuable community service while learning about the legal needs of the underserved. UT Pro Bono serves as a resource for attorneys and local legal aid societies by providing law students for research, educational, and investigatory assistance.
UT Law is a leader in the area of public interest and pro bono work through its clinics, doctrinal curricula, and student organizations. Since its formation in the mid-1990s, UT Pro Bono has grown and evolved to meet the needs of the community and student body. During the past few years, UT Pro Bono has experienced incredible growth in terms of the number of student participants, the number of external partners, the number of projects meeting gaps in the legal system, and faculty and administrative support of the program.
Currently, UT Pro Bono has ten active projects with community partners such as the Legal Aid of East Tennessee and Knox Area Rescue Ministry. Students who participate in UT Pro Bono contribute an average of 9,000 hours of pro bono service each year.