Public Interest/Pro Bono - College of Law

Public Interest/Pro Bono

First-year law students serving the community by volunteering at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.

The Public Interest Board is a student-run organization at The University of Tulsa College of Law that involves students in community service, public service, and pro bono work as they progress through their legal education. Students assist the underserved and underrepresented in the Tulsa community. During a semester, students log approximately 6,000 hours (equivalent to more than 22 weeks of full-time work) in public interest service.

TU College of Law believes in instilling a life-long commitment to public service by assisting clients with unmet legal needs and enabling public service organizations and individual lawyers to accept more public service cases. Incoming students participate in public service day during Foundations of Legal Study week (orientation), and numerous school-wide events are held throughout each year. Additionally, students who volunteer at local non-profit organizations during the summer are eligible to receive public interest law stipends to assist them financially during their endeavors.

Donate to the Summer Stipend Program

Please select ‘College of Law’ and in ‘Additional Notes’ please include ‘PIB.’ Without those two designations, the donation will not go to the Public Interest Board. Thank you.

Each student becomes a member of the Public Interest Board upon enrollment at TU Law and is encouraged to complete 60 or more hours of community service prior to graduation in order to receive service honors. The program is designed to mirror both the American Bar Association’s Rule 6.1 and the ideals behind the Oklahoma Bar Association’s notion that a lawyer has a responsibility to the public.


The University of Tulsa College of Law Public Service Program cannot provide direct legal advice or legal services to members of the general public.  Law student volunteers must be supervised by a law school faculty member or licensed attorney. For further assistance in obtaining an attorney, please contact the Oklahoma State Bar Lawyer Referral Service or the Tulsa County Bar Association Lawyer Referral Program.

  • Executive Board of the Public Interest

    The Executive Board of the Public Interest Board advises students interest in pursuing public interest involvement, and supervises all student-run pro bono and community service projects. The Board attempts to organize events that provide students with experiential learning opportunities that stress the value of service in the legal community.

  • Pro Bono & Public Service History

    2018 summary

    Pro bono and public service: 3,752 hours
    Pro bono and public service through legal externships: 11,880
    Legal clinics: 16,485 hours
    Total 2018: 32,117 hours

    2017 summary

    Pro bono and public service: 3,159 hours
    Pro bono and public service through legal externships: 8,777 hours
    Legal clinics: 19,970 hours
    Total 2017: 31,906 hours

    2016 summary

    Pro bono and public service: 5,928 hours
    Boesche Legal Clinic: 19,970 hours
    Pro bono and public service through legal externships: 11,455
    Total: 37,353 hours

    2015 summary

    Pro bono and public service: 2,610 hours
    Boesche Legal Clinic: 19,920 hours
    Pro bono and public service through legal externships: 9,540
    Total: 32,070 hours

    2014 summary

    Pro bono and public service: 2,449 hours
    Boesche Legal Clinic: 6,000 hours
    Pro bono and public service through legal externships: 8,730 hours
    Total: 17,170 hours

  • Recent Notable Pro Bono & Public Service Partners
    • Murdock Villa
    • Catholic Charities
    • Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma
    • Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma
    • Tulsa Lawyers for Children
    • Iron Gate Ministries
    • Lawyers Fighting Hunger
    • Court Appointed Special Advocates
    • Tulsa Area United Way
    • Rescued ‘n Ready