The Public Interest Law Project (PILP), a student group at Lewis & Clark Law School, is holding its annual auction on Saturday, February 22, 2020, to support students interested in public interest law. Public interest law is the practice of law pursued on behalf of both individuals and causes that are not typically served by the for-profit-bar. Public interest lawyers serve the public by working for civil and criminal legal services organizations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, lobbying for the advancement of rights, and more. Public interest work is not confined to any one political ideology; it is work undertaken to advance concepts of justice, fairness, and protection of the public, rather than for purposes of commercial or personal gain. Public interest lawyers seek access to justice for everyone, regardless of their background or income.
This year, PILP was able to provide awards to 13 students working at a variety of organizations including:
- Clackamas Indigent Defense Corporation
- Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center
- Metropolitan Public Defender
- Catholic Charities Immigration Legal Services
- Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance
Students who earned an award were able to pursue an otherwise unpaid internship without sacrificing their own financial security. It is imperative that more lawyers enter the public interest field, and PILP works to keep those doors open to those who may otherwise be financially unable.
