Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC)
Click here to learn more about Pro Bono Distinction Requirements.
All students submitting time for pro bono distinction must maintain a time sheet (.xlsx).
Important Electronic PIRC Forms
| Form | Submit this form if you are . . . |
| Student Pro Bono Volunteer Information Form | Seeking assistance with finding pro bono opportunities that best fit your interests and availability. |
| Approval Request for Student Pro Bono Position | Seeking approval for a pro bono position to count towards pro bono distinction. |
| Student Pro Bono Time Sheet | Providing PIRC with your certified pro bono hours by the provided deadline. |
| PIRC Meeting Request Form | Seeking to meet with PIRC for a follow up meeting and your Student Information Form For Pro Bono Work is still accurate. Otherwise, please fill out a new Student Information Form for Pro Bono Work. |
| Petition for Extension to Complete Pro Bono Service | Experiencing extraordinary circumstances causing you the need to request an extension to complete your pro bono service hours and/or submit the pro bono time sheet. |
The Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC) helps students engage in public interest work by providing information and resources about placement opportunities. The American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Directory Map and the PSJD are good first steps to learning about the wide variety of opportunities to provide pro bono legal assistance. Delaware Law School also posts pre-approved pro bono opportunities for you to consider.
Every year Delaware Law students are honored at graduation with pro bono distinction. Local and state bar association receptions also are given to honor students’ pro bono services.
How Public Interest Work Can Benefit You
Although PIRC placements are non-paying and non-credit, they provide exciting benefits. Public interest placements help build your résumé and give you the opportunity to network with legal professionals. You put your legal skills to practical use while learning from experienced professionals eager to share their expertise with you. PIRC tracks your pro bono hours and recognizes exceptional service.
Opportunities to Make a Difference
Public interest law encompasses legal services that benefit charitable, civic, community, religious, educational, or government organizations that assist individuals of limited means as well as legal services that benefit groups that protect civil liberties or public rights. If you have completed your first semester of law school in good academic standing, PIRC can offer you an opportunity to get hands-on experience while helping those in need. Students provide a range of local services, from helping low-income individuals apply for a much-needed earned income tax credit to helping Delaware residents apply for pardons and helping survivors of domestic violence navigate through the legal system.
“Public interest work provides law students with the perspective of the legal system as most people experience it. My pro bono involvement gave me a broader understanding of the legal needs of vulnerable populations within our community and it reminded me of why I went to law school in the first place. By working with victims of domestic violence, I had the opportunity to touch and change the lives of others by becoming a true advocate and providing legal services to those who cannot afford them.”
-Alyssa G. Kelly, Esquire, Class of 2018
Contact Info:
Director: Asst. Prof. Cathy Zwolak Kilian
Email: czkilian@widener.edu
Telephone: (302) 477-2705