International Impact
LL.M. students’ pro bono participation grows, paying major dividends
More and more, they’re gravitating toward the Pro Bono Program, Director Deborah Schlosberg says: 80 LL.M. students graduated in May with Pro Bono Honors for completing at least 25 hours of service work. There’s been particular growth in their participation with the 40 Student-Initiated Legal Services Projects and the Berkeley Law Alternative Service Trips, which happen over spring break in locations across the country.
“We’re thrilled with the expansion of LL.M. student engagement in the Pro Bono Program,” Schlosberg says. “Our commitment to access to justice extends beyond the local community. When our international students adopt our mission and take it forward, both within the United States and in their home countries, we’re able to carry forward our public interest mission on a global stage.”
As a non-native English speaker coming to an American campus, Mona Tao LL.M. ’24 wanted to explore as much of what Berkeley Law had to offer as possible. She joined the student-led La Alianza Workers’ and Tenants’ Rights Clinic and also worked with Legal Access Alameda, the pro bono arm of the Alameda County Bar Association.
Like many Berkeley Law students, Tao wanted to do pro bono work to get practical experience outside the classroom. She found it paid dividends in other ways, too.
“Pro bono work often involves interacting with diverse clients from different cultural backgrounds. This experience helped me develop a deeper understanding of cultural differences and communication skills, which I believe is valuable in any legal practice, especially when dealing with clients from varied backgrounds,” she says. “Second, pro bono work allowed me to gain practical experience and insights beyond the classroom … These experiences deepened my understanding of the law in our daily lives.”
Roger Huang LL.M. ’24 had already done pro bono work at home in China, and found it to be a defining moment for him as a lawyer. He wanted to continue that at Berkeley Law, particularly after talking to student leaders from the Workers’ and Tenants’ Rights Clinic, who captivated him with stories of assisting clients and said they particularly needed students who spoke Cantonese, Huang’s native language.
“Inequality still exists in every aspect of our lives. Uneven allocation and distribution of resources widen the gaps and foster discord among us,” he says. “That’s precisely why I see pro bono work as a powerful tool for advocacy and a means to foster social equality.
“I firmly believe that all legal practitioners, including lawyers and students, have a responsibility to improve society, and engaging in pro bono activities is a vital way to do just that.”