Many students enter law school with dreams of promoting justice, fighting for the underdog and making a difference in the world. Unfortunately, the amount of time and energy dedicated to academic work, coupled with the increasing amount of student loans, leaves many students feeling as if a career in public service, or even dedicating time to pro bono work, is nothing more than a dream.
It is because of these challenges that UMKC Law offers two programs dedicated to instilling a sense of civic responsibility in its students while also meeting the needs of the community: the Pro Bono Public Service Honors Program (the “Honors Program”) and the Judge John W. Oliver Public Service Program (the “Oliver Fellowship Program”).
Neither the Honors Program nor the Oliver Fellowship Program provides any pro bono legal services to individuals seeking representation. For those seeking legal resources, The Missouri Bar provides:
- Lawyer Search, a free online tool to help you find a lawyer to hire who is in good standing and currently accepting new clients (search by areas of practice or location);
- The Official Missouri Directory of Lawyers, where you confirm if a lawyer is licensed and in good standing with the Supreme Court of Missouri;
- Missouri.FreeLegalAnswers.org, an online service for low-income Missouri residents to get free legal answers about noncriminal problems from volunteer lawyers; and
- A list of discounted and pro bono legal service providers
Learn more about these resources at http://www.missourilawyershelp.org.
In addition, the Springfield Metropolitan Bar Association (417-831-2783) offers attorney referral services. Individuals seeking legal services in Kansas may utilize the Kansas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service by calling 1-(800) 928-3111.
Pro Bono Public Service Honors Program
UMKC recognizes the key role pro bono and public service work plays in shaping the professional values of our students. Thus, we have created the Honors Program. By participating in the voluntary Honors Program, students will receive the benefits of hands-on legal training, the opportunity to develop relationships with lawyers and legal organizations in the community, exposure to various areas of the law and the satisfaction of making a difference in people’s lives. Students who complete the required number of hours for Honors Program completion will also be recognized at graduation.
For more information on the specifics of the Honors Program, current students should review the Pro Bono Public Service Honors Program Handbook available on CONNECT.
Oliver Fellowship Program
The purpose of the Oliver Fellowship Program is to encourage highly qualified UMKC law graduates to pursue post-graduate careers in public service despite the dual disincentives of low salaries and high student debt. Thanks to the generosity of family and friends of Judge John W. Oliver, a leading jurist who served on the federal bench in Kansas City from 1962 until his death in 1990, the Oliver Fellowship Program provides loan repayment assistance (up to $5,000 over three years) to one graduating law student from each class.
Work in any position in public service, whether civil or criminal, can qualify a graduate for the Oliver Fellowship Program. Prior recipients have obtained positions in death penalty defense, the public defender’s office, the prosecutor’s office, Legal Aid and the Family Court Division of the Jackson County Circuit Court. For more information, current students may review the Program Description and Application available on CONNECT.
