Student Recognition

Recognition of Outstanding Pro Bono Service

The Pro Bono Program tracks the number of hours completed by each law student in order to recognize outstanding pro bono service. Students completing fifty of more hours of pro bono service receive a letter from the Director of the Pro Bono Program and the Dean of the law school acknowledging the contribution they have made to our community.  Those who do more than seventy-five hours of pro bono service while a law student are recognized by the North Carolina Bar Association at the public service reception held at the end of each school year in the law school Rotunda. Furthermore, students who complete one hundred or more hours of pro bono service are individually acknowledged at law school graduation.

Beginning in 2005, students completing 50 or more hours during their law school career will receive special notations on their official transcripts. Students transcripts are updated annually on July 1. Only hours reported as of the last day of Spring exams will count towards the transcript notation. While the notations appear on the official transcripts, the notations do not currently appear on unofficial transcripts available through Student Central. 

UNC School of Law Pro Bono Graduating Student of the Year

Qualifications

  1. Eligibility: Any Carolina Law student graduating in December or May of the current academic  year is eligible for this award.  Nominations may be submitted by any member of the Carolina Law community (including alumni) as well as any legal organization participating in the Carolina Law Pro Bono Program.
  2. Criteria factored into the decision-making process include: 
    • Continuity of pro bono service;
    • Diversity of pro bono service; and
    • Impact of pro bono work on fellow students, the school and/or the community.

Past Recipients

  • 2009:  Allison Standard
  • 2008:  Amily McCool
  • 2007:  Joyce Kung
  • 2006:  LeeAnne Quattrucci
  • 2005:  Carmen Hoyme
  • 2004:  Allison Kidd & Robert Shaw
  • 2003:  Sewell Spradlin

UNC School of Law Pro Bono Student of the Year

Qualifications

  1. Any Carolina Law student may be nominated for the award.  Nominations may be submitted by any member of the Carolina Law community (including alumni) as well as any legal  organization participating in the Carolina Law Pro Bono Program
  2. Criteria factored into the decision-making process include:
    • Impact of pro bono work on fellow students, the school and/or the community
    • Length of service. 

Past Recipients

  • 2006:  Jessica Odom
  • 2005:  Jennifer Wooten
  • 2004:  Katie Coyle
  • 2003:  Clare Norins

UNC School of Law Pro Bono Professor/Faculty Member of the Year

Qualifications

  1. Any Carolina Law professor (full-time or adjunct) or faculty member may be nominated for the award.  Nominations may be submitted by any member of the Carolina Law community (including alumni) as well as any legal organization participating in the Carolina Law Pro Bono Program
  2. Criteria factored into the decision-making process include:
    • demonstrated dedication to the development and delivery of legal services to the poor through pro bono service;
    • contributed significant work toward developing innovative approaches to delivery of volunteer legal services;
    • participated in an activity which resulted in satisfying previously unmet needs or in extending services to underserved segments of the population;
    • successfully litigated pro bono cases that favorably affected the provision of other services to the poor; and/or
    • achieved (or attempted to achieve) legislation that contributed substantially to legal services to the poor; and
    • extent to which professor involved students in his or her pro bono service.

Past Recipients

  • 2009:  Ken Broun
  • 2008:  Maxine Eichner
  • 2007:  Rich Rosen
  • 2006:  Deborah Weissman
  • 2005:  Dean Gene Nichol
  • 2004:  Hudson Fuller
  • 2003:  Jack Boger
  • 2002:  Rich Rosen

Nomination Guidelines

To ensure the completeness of your nomination packet, you should include:

  1. Nominee Information Sheet. The first page of the packet should include nominees name, address, phone number and email address.
  2. Candidate's Resume (if nominee is not an organization).
  3. Nomination Narrative.  Using as many pages as necessary, explain how the candidate meets the criteria for the Pro Bono Publico Award. Specify the nature of the pro bono contribution and identify those who have benefited. Whenever possible provide specific documentation, along with other materials which demonstrate the candidate's pro bono contribution, including articles, brochures, hours spent and other documentation; and no more than three names, telephone numbers and addresses of others who, if asked, could provide additional information.
  4. Letter of Support. You may include letters of support from other individuals and organizations aware of the candidates pro bono contributions.
  5. Deadline.  Send in your nomination before Spring Break.