The Public Service Law Program is an academic certification program developed for students seeking public service careers. Students are eligible to enroll at any time throughout law school but are encouraged to enroll in their first year. Enrollment in the Program demonstrates to employers a commitment to serving the public. Certificate requirements include academic and experiential components. To receive a certificate, students must fulfill the academic and experiential components of the Program. Certificates are awarded to graduating students at the annual Public Service Graduation ceremony. Program candidates must complete a minimum of 15 credits of public service coursework from an approved course list. Coursework requirements begin in the second year, as all first-year students follow a required curriculum. Units from clinical fieldwork can be counted towards coursework requirements. Program candidates must complete a minimum of 175 hours of legal work in public interest organizations, government agencies, and courts. The work must be performed under the supervision of an attorney or a member of the Law School faculty. It can be paid, volunteer or for clinical units. The experiential component provides students the opportunity to make important contacts with public service attorneys. In addition to assisting public service organizations meet their needs, volunteering offers students opportunities to interact with attorneys and gain practical legal work experience.

For additional information contact the law school’s Public Interest Coordinator in Career Services at (530) 754-5719 or