Service is an essential component of the New York Law School experience. The Office of Public Interest and Community Service was established to further the Law School’s demonstrated historic commitment to the public interest. The Office emphasizes the importance of service as an integral part of the education of law students, just as it will be part of their professional lives. It sponsors a variety of programs and opportunities for students to engage in pro bono activities and has established working relations with existing community service providers in TriBeCa and other neighborhoods of the city, as well as with advocacy groups addressing the needs of individuals and groups who are underserved by the legal profession.

This office works closely with several of the Law School’s centers: the Justice Action Center, with its focus on issues of civil rights and liberties and international human rights; the Center for Professional Values and Practice, with its emphasis on professionalism and ethics as well as appropriate methods for dispute resolution; and the Center for New York City Law, with its focus on addressing legal issues in an urban setting.

Public Interest Projects
Projects of the Office of Public Interest and Community Service include the operation of a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) site, providing free tax filing to low-income clients, and a Child Literacy Program, where law students read to children in the New York City public elementary schools. Another project has students working with Professor Karen Gross in an extensive Financial Literacy Program to educate consumer debtors seeking bankruptcy relief, as well as in a Bankruptcy Assistance Program, where students assist indigent clients who are considering filing for bankruptcy.

Public Service Certificate
New York Law School has created a Public Service Certificate to recognize and honor students who show their commitment to public service by devoting time and energy to the community. Students who perform at least forty hours of voluntary service while at law school, or who have a combination of at least thirty hours of voluntary service and have another thirty hours of public interest work done through a work-study placement, clinic, or externship, may receive a Public Service Certificate, which will be noted on their transcripts.