• Baylor Law School receives rare honor for pro bono service

    Baylor Law School

    When only two law schools are awarded an American Bar Association (ABA) Pro Bono Publico Award in a 30-year period, it’s clear that a school must reach a very high standard of service to the disadvantaged to receive the honor. Baylor Law School has met that standard and, earlier this month, became just the third law school since 1984 to win the prestigious award.

    The award is presented each year to five separate individuals and/or organizations that have “demonstrated outstanding commitment to volunteer legal services for the poor and disadvantaged.” Award recipients are automatically in elite company when they are selected, but it’s even more special for a law school to receive the award — and Baylor Law’s commitment to serving the disadvantaged and poor in the community is indeed special.

    Baylor Law’s Pro Bono and Public Service Program partners with numerous organizations and provides numerous opportunities for students to offer services to those who badly need what Baylor Law School students offer, but lack the means to pay. And student zeal for service is evidenced in the more than 3,600 hours Baylor law students have dedicated to pro bono services since 2010.

    The Pro Bono Publico Award is not the first time Baylor Law has been honored for pro bono service; last year, the law school won the W. Frank Newton Award (an award named, fittingly, after a Baylor graduate) from the State Bar of Texas for its commitment to providing services to the poor and disadvantaged. This year’s honor will only enhance Baylor’s ability to attract students and faculty with a passion for service who live out Baylor’s mission in the legal field.

    Baylor Law will be recognized for the award at the 2015 ABA Annual Meeting in August.

    Sic ’em, Baylor Law!