Law Students Contribute Millions of Hours in Pro Bono Services

A nationwide survey from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) measured the contribution of law students’ pro bono work for the class of 2024

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A nationwide survey from the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) measured the contribution of law students’ pro bono work for the class of 2024.

A full report on the survey is available on the AALS website.

The survey found:

* Law students contributed at least 4.7 million hours to the delivery of much-needed legal services.

* Nearly 19,000 law students contributed to pro bono legal services as part of their legal education, an average of about 248 hours per student. 

* The value of students’ contribution to pro bono services was more than $157 million. Independent Sector, a nonprofit organization coalition, estimates the value of volunteer time to be $33.49 an hour in 2024.

Contributions are more than reported:
Schools represented in the survey account for nearly half of the students in American Bar Association accredited law schools in the JD class of 2024, therefore contributions from all law schools could be nearly double the reported amount. In addition, several schools reported that some hours go uncounted or are difficult to track. The project also did not include hours contributed by students in law school master’s degree programs such as an LLM program. 

The Benefits of Pro Bono Work
As part of their education, law students participate in externships at legal aid and community organizations, law school clinics, and student organization projects. These experiential opportunities enable students to apply classroom concepts to legal problems under the supervision of lawyers and professors. As a result of these initiatives, students gained practical experience in law and communities received critical legal services.

From AALS Leadership
“AALS is proud of the contributions our nation's law students make though clinical courses and pro bono efforts,” said AALS President Austen Parrish, Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law at University of California Irvine School of Law. “Through these efforts, students gain practice and professional skills while making a positive impact on individuals and communities in need.”

“Experiential education is growing as our member schools work hard to bridge gaps in the availability of legal services for those of limited means while simultaneously doing even more to prepare graduates to hit the ground running in their careers,” said AALS Executive Director and CEO Kellye Y. Testy.

Projects and Clinics
Law school clinic, externship, and pro bono opportunities span most every legal subject area today so that no matter students’ areas of focus, they have the opportunity for hands-on learning that enhances their practice-readiness as lawyers. At the same time, the clinics serve veterans, families and individuals in rural areas, small business owners, children and parents, victims of violence, and others who would likely otherwise go unrepresented in important legal matters.

About AALS
The Association of American Law Schools (AALS), founded in 1900, is a nonprofit association of 174 member and 19 fee-paid law schools. Its members enroll most of the nation’s law students and produce the majority of the country’s lawyers and judges, as well as many of its lawmakers. The mission of AALS is to improve and advance legal education. AALS carries out its mission by promoting the core values of excellence in teaching and scholarship, academic freedom, and diversity, including diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints, while seeking to foster justice, and to serve our many communities–local, national, and international. In support of its mission, AALS serves as both the institutional membership organization for law schools, and as the learned society for law faculty.

James Greif
Association of American Law Schools
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