HOPE Public Interest Resource Center FAQ
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Listed below are HOPE FAQs. Click here to view the list in a .pdf format

 

• What is the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center?
• Who is eligible for HOPE projects and programs?
• How can law students engage in community service and public interest legal work?
• Are there also opportunities for legal advocacy on behalf of clients or agencies?
• As a HOPE volunteer, does a student have to perform a minimum number of hours?
• How are students recognized for their commitment to public interest and the community?
• What is the Innovative Service in the Public Interest Award?
• What is the Exemplary Service to the Poor Award?
• How can a student earn transcript recognition?
• Are HOPE Challenge students recognized?
• Can 1Ls obtain leadership positions within HOPE?
• What if I don’t see a project reflecting my area(s) of interest?
• Does the Law School have clinics?
• What is the Center for Ethics and Public Service?
• What is the Children & Youth Law Clinic?
• What is the Community Economic Development and Design Clinic?
• What is the Community Health Rights Education Clinic?
• What is the Corporate & Professional Responsibility Program?
• What is the Elder Law Workshop?
• What is the Law, Public Policy and Ethics Program?
• What is the Street Law Program?
• Does the University of Miami School of Law support summer public interest work?
• What are HOPE Fellows?
• Who is eligible to apply to be a HOPE Fellow?
• How do I apply to be a HOPE Fellow?
• What type of work was performed by the Summer 2007 HOPE Fellows?
• How do I find a placement?
• What is the Summer Public Interest Program?
• What is the Miami Scholars Program?
• Where do I get an application for the Miami Scholars Program?
• Is it too late to apply for Miami Scholars Program for this Fall?
• What scholarships or loans are available to students who are interested in pursuing a career in public interest law?
• Does the School of Law have a Loan Forgiveness Program?
• What is the Public Interest Program?
• How is this different from a traditional Loan Forgiveness Program?
• What is the Public Interest Scholarship?
• What is the Center for Study of Human Rights?
• Are there classes that offer students hands-on experience?
• Is the UM Law Faculty involved in public interest/pro bono work?
• What kind of Public Interest career support assistance is available to students?
  
  

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What is the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center?
The HOPE (Helping Others Through Pro Bono Efforts) Public Interest Resource Center serves as a hub for public interest and pro bono opportunities. HOPE provides student support and guidance, creates innovative programming, sponsors public interest fellowships, and administers over 25 ongoing service programs in the greater Miami community. HOPE is the starting point for learning more about public interest law, community service, and pro bono activities.

 

Who is eligible for HOPE projects and programs?
All members of the UM School of Law community - students, staff and faculty - are welcome to become involved with HOPE programming and events. The best way to start is by identifying a project or program that interests you and then contacting our office to register or obtain additional information.

 

How can law students engage in community service and public interest legal work?
HOPE partners with numerous community organizations to make service and outreach opportunities available throughout the year. To learn more about when specific programs and events are offered, we encourage you to visit our website on a regular basis to consult our frequently updated calendar. When you’re on campus, you can also learn about upcoming events by reading the information posted in the HOPE bulletin boards outside the student lounge. In addition to ongoing projects, we host and participate in several short-term endeavors, such as blood drives, monthly Habitat for Humanity Days, walk-a-thons, and days of service on behalf of the United Way and other organizations. Please note that several student-led organizations also sponsor service projects and volunteer opportunities.

 

Are there also opportunities for legal advocacy on behalf of clients or agencies?
Yes. HOPE collaborates with legal services providers and pro bono attorneys to enhance the delivery of legal services to those most in need. The HOPE calendar features training opportunities for programs including Guardian Ad Litem and Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, among others. Students are also able to assist with client intake, screening, law-related education, community presentations, and more. In addition, the Pro Bono Legal Research Project teams students with attorneys who need assistance with legal research and writing pertinent to an active pro bono case.

 

As a HOPE volunteer, does a student have to perform a minimum number of hours?
No. All students, however, are strongly encouraged to accept the HOPE Challenge and perform at least 50 hours of law-related volunteer work. The diversity within our projects is designed to allow for varying levels of participation. For a 1L who can give a few hours on a Saturday once a month, there are several options and for those who are able to make more of a commitment, there are many programs allowing for ongoing participation.

 

How are students recognized for their commitment to public interest and the community?
Each Spring, students, faculty, alumni, and staff gather for the HOPE Annual Recognition Reception. Awards presented at the HOPE Annual Recognition Reception include: Innovative Service Award, Exemplary Service to the Poor Award, Hope Challenge Recipients, and the Outstanding 1L, 2L, and 3L awards.

 

What is the Innovative Service in the Public Interest Award?
This award is presented to a graduating 3L student or to a student organization whose membership consists significantly of graduating 3L students. Qualifying work includes the meaningful expansion of an existing program or the creation of a new program. The award seeks to recognize innovation in addressing public interest concerns and may include: (1) work for persons of limited means; (2) work that expands the efforts of a charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental or educational organization and addresses the needs of persons of limited means; (3) work that is designed to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties or public rights; and (4) work that is designed to improve the law, the legal system or the legal profession. A qualifying student may have received academic credit or financial compensation for the work.

 

What is the Exemplary Service to the Poor Award?
This award is presented to a graduating 3L student who has performed exemplary service benefiting poor persons. The work must have been accomplished through an existing student or community organization. Qualifying work includes law-related as well as non law-related work and may be either directly beneficial to poor persons or to a charitable, religious or educational organization whose overall mission predominately addresses the needs of poor persons. The term poor is not limited to those who meet federal poverty standards but also includes "working poor." A qualifying student may have received academic credit or financial compensation for the work.

 

How can a student earn transcript recognition?
Students providing at least 25 hours of pro bono service are recognized on their transcript. Service is noted in 25 hour increments and posted each semester as a new level is achieved.

 

Are HOPE Challenge students recognized?
Yes. The Deans recognize students meeting the challenge at the Annual HOPE Recognition Reception in the Spring.

 

Can 1Ls obtain leadership positions within HOPE?
Most project leaders and members of the Public Interest Leadership Board are upper-division students, but there will be opportunities for one student per section to serve on the Board and for a small number of 1Ls to assume project leadership positions in the Spring.

 

What if I don’t see a project reflecting my area(s) of interest?
By all means --- let us know. HOPE is a dynamic program reflecting the interests and expertise of our students, faculty and staff. HOPE continues to grow exponentially because of new energy and initiatives and we look forward to hearing your thoughts, interests and ideas.

 

Does the Law School have clinics?
Yes. The Center for Ethics and Public Service houses our three in-house clinics: The Children and Youth Law Clinic, the Community Economic Development and Design Clinic, and the Community Health Rights Education Clinic.

 

What is the Center for Ethics and Public Service?
The School of Law’s Center for Ethics and Public Service is an interdisciplinary clinical program devoted to the values of ethical judgment, professional responsibility, and public service in law and society. The Center has three in-house clinics: Children and Youth Law Clinic, Community Economic Development and Design Clinic, and Community Health Rights Education Clinic. It also supports four educational programs: Corporate & Professional Responsibility Program, Elder Law Workshop, Law, Public Policy, and Ethics Program, and Street Law Program.

 

What is the Children & Youth Law Clinic?
The Children & Youth Law Clinic, in collaboration with the School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, provides direct legal services to children in the foster care system in dependency, health care, mental health, and other civil rights matters ensuring that the children have a voice in court proceedings. In addition, the Clinic engages in impact litigation, law reform advocacy, and community lawyering.

 

What is the Community Economic Development and Design Clinic?
The Community Economic Development and Design Clinic, a community-based education, technical assistance and law reform program, furnishes economic development aid, litigation support, and self-help advocacy training to low-income neighborhood groups in collaboration with the University of Miami’s School of Architecture and Florida Legal Services. The clinic also provides corporate compliance training to local nonprofit organizations.

 

What is the Community Health Rights Education Clinic?
The Community Health Rights Education Clinic, an integrated teaching, research, and community service program, provides health rights representation to underserved communities in cooperation with the University of Miami’s School of Nursing and Health Studies and Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Students represent clients in federal and state administrative hearings and prepare wills, durable power of attorney documents, and guardianships.

 

What is the Corporate & Professional Responsibility Program?
The Corporate & Professional Responsibility Program develops and presents continuing legal education (“CLE”) ethics training to the South Florida legal community. Students conduct outreach to nonprofit legal services agencies, for-profit law offices, corporations, government agencies, bar associations and courts, develop “hot-topic” ethics and professionalism issues, draft substantive academic materials, and present on-site CLE ethics training.

 

What is the Elder Law Workshop?
The Elder Law Workshop is a pilot project to design an interdisciplinary model for the delivery of legal services to the impoverished elderly. Students will research and explore the legal needs of the elderly through focus groups and other outreach; substantive legal issues affecting the elderly such as probate and estate law; and public interest lawyering for elderly clients.

 

What is the Law, Public Policy and Ethics Program?
The Law, Public Policy, and Ethics Program collaborates University-wide and throughout the local community to sponsor interdisciplinary colloquia at the law school and University on topics of law, public policy, and ethics, teaches freshman and upper level honors seminars in the College of Arts and Sciences and also supervises an undergraduate internship program providing internship opportunities to qualified University of Miami undergraduate students in the various clinics and programs.

 

What is the Street Law Program?
The Street Law Program teaches law, public policy, and ethics to students and faculty in Miami-Dade County public and private schools, sponsors interdisciplinary ethics and leadership colloquia at the law school and University, and teaches freshman and upper level honors seminars in the College of Arts and Sciences.

 

Does the University of Miami School of Law support summer public interest work?
Yes. The School of Law is committed to the promotion of a pro bono ethic and to the support of public interest careers. Students will find that there are many opportunities for summer public interest work including HOPE Fellows, the Florida Bar Foundation Summer Program, Federal work-study placements and many other opportunities locally, nationally, and internationally.

 

What are HOPE Fellows?
To be considered for a HOPE Fellowship, students must obtain public interest positions and be otherwise uncompensated for their work. In addition, applicants are required to propose a unique project to assist in addressing unmet needs by the agency as well as to educate students at the School of Law upon their return. Fellows also serve on the Law School’s Public Interest Leadership Board and are responsible for creating education and advocacy programming during the school year. During the summer of 2009, HOPE is proud to have sponsored 15 Summer Fellows worldwide.

 

Who is eligible to apply to be a HOPE Fellow?
Current and continuing students are eligible to apply for HOPE Fellowships during the school year and the summer. Fellows during the academic year must complete at least 120 hours of service at a qualifying agency and receive a stipend of $1500 for their service. Students who are selected as Summer Fellows must complete at least 320 hours of service at a qualifying agency and receive a stipend of $3,500.

 

How do I apply to be a HOPE Fellow?

The HOPE Fellow Application is able to be found here.

 

What type of work was performed by the Summer 2008 HOPE Fellows?
In the Summer of 2008, HOPE was able to support 14 students in their efforts to promote access to justice and to enhance the delivery of legal services in communities near and far. HOPE Summer Fellows worked nationally to assist clients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and to coordinate access to services for children, homeless, poor and disabled clients in South Florida, Harlem, and the Katrina-ravaged communities of New Orleans. In addition, HOPE Fellows worked to provide legal assistance to marginalized clients in North Carolina, Colorado, New York and Pennsylvania. Internationally, HOPE Fellows also made a tremendous impact. Work with the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT) in Geneva, Switzerland and the Violence Against Women Programme enabled one HOPE Fellow to promote women's human rights world-wide with urgent appeals, training, research, and lobbying with committees at the United Nations. A team of Fellows joined the Institute of Justice and Democracy/Bureau des Avocats Internationaux in Port-au-Prince, Haiti to counter governmental human rights violations against Haitian prisoners and provide advocacy and assistance to grass-roots organizations. Locally, nationally and internationally, HOPE Fellows are making a difference.

 

How do I find a placement?
Start by identifying the areas in which you have an interest. After conducting additional research, connect with the advisors in the Career Planning Center and meet with Dean Lennon and other HOPE staff to discuss your goals. This is a collaborative effort and it is never too early to start your search.

 

What is the Summer Public Interest Program?
Each year approximately 20 rising second-year students are selected to receive a stipend from the Florida Bar Foundation to spend the summer interning at a designated public service agency in South Florida. The law school provides tuition scholarships to cover the seminar, in which students complete a substantive legal research project.

 

What is the Miami Scholars Program?
The Miami Scholars Program targets law school applicants from across the United States who, in addition to excellent academic achievement and strong LSAT scores, have a demonstrated interest in public service. Each Miami Scholar is awarded a $21,000 Law School tuition scholarship the first year, and $20,000 each year thereafter. Miami Scholar awards are renewed if a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better is maintained.

 

Where do I get an application for the Miami Scholars Program?
The application can be found at http://www.law.miami.edu/admissions/jd/miaschol.html.
Prospective students must first be admitted to the University of Miami School of Law before they can apply for the Miami Scholars Program.

 

Is it too late to apply for Miami Scholars Program for this Fall?
Yes. Applications from prospective students are reviewed in the Spring. Current students, however, should keep an eye out for continuing student scholarship opportunities and rising 3L loan forgiveness and scholarship programs.

 

What scholarships or loans are available to students who are interested in pursuing a career in public interest law?
Public Interest and Public Service are central to the mission of the University of Miami School of Law. The increasing costs of undergraduate and legal education have caused many law students to incur significant debt. To alleviate some of this financial burden, scholarships and loans are available through the Public Interest Program and the Public Interest Scholarship. Additional funds are also available through the Florida Bar and Equal Justice Works.

 

Does the School of Law have a Loan Forgiveness Program?
Yes. The Public Interest Program was instituted in 2007 to reduce debt accumulation for students seeking a career in public interest. For more information, please email umhope@law.miami.edu. Also, be sure to visit the EJW website for more information about Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Law: College Cost Reduction and Access Act of 2007.

 

What is the Public Interest Program?
The University of Miami School of Law has instituted a Public Interest Program to allow law students to receive an $18,000 loan applied to their third-year tuition. Upon graduation, participants who work in qualified public interest/service positions for two years will receive loan forgiveness. Program participants are selected based on a demonstrated commitment, and potential for contributing, to public interest work. Recipients will have the opportunity to engage with members of the Bench and Bar and will serve on the Public Interest Leadership Board.

 

How is this different from a traditional Loan Forgiveness Program?
Traditional programs allocate funds post-graduation when debts have already been accumulated. Our program applies funds to your third-year tuition and converts these funds to a loan only if the criteria for post-graduate public interest employment are not met. Our goal is to reduce the amount of debt you incur prior to graduation while enabling more students to choose public interest careers.

 

What is the Public Interest Scholarship?
To offset some of the financial burden of attending law school, and to recognize outstanding students who have demonstrated a commitment to public interest/service, the law school has instituted a Public Interest Scholarship for rising 3Ls who are enrolled full-time at the University of Miami School of Law. Students who have demonstrated both an exceptional commitment to public interest/service and financial need are awarded an $8,000 scholarship and are provided with educational and networking opportunities with the Bench and Bar.

 

What is the Center for Study of Human Rights?
The mission of the Center is to increase knowledge and understanding of international human rights issues, to bring theoretical insights to the study and practice of human rights, to assist public and private human rights organizations throughout the world in addressing the increasingly complex developments in this field, and to equip succeeding generations of lawyers and other professionals with the skills needed to play vital roles in the world community. Working under the supervision of Professor Irwin Stotzky and in partnership with Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center, students have the opportunity to research immigration issues and advocate for clients seeking asylum.

 

Are there classes that offer students hands-on experience?
Many of our workshop courses include field components dedicated to serving the public interest. These include juvenile justice, election reform, children and the law and others. In addition, all of our litigation skills placement opportunities for Certified Legal Interns are public sector placements, allowing students to share with each other the experiences they have serving the public and clients most in need.

 

Is the UM Law Faculty involved in public interest/pro bono work?
Yes. A number of faculty are involved in public interest and pro bono work in areas ranging from environmental issues, homeless advocacy, voter reform, criminal appeals, human rights, immigration reform and representation, disability law, education law, to name just a few.

 

What kind of Public Interest career support assistance is available to students?
The Assistant Dean for Career Planning has an exceptional team of lawyers in the Career Development Office (CDO) to provide support and guidance to students interested in public interest/service careers. HOPE and the CDO sponsor numerous programs throughout the year, compile dedicated publications for public interest/service jobs and offer one-to-one counseling and guidance.