The missions of Samford University, Cumberland School of Law, the Alabama State Bar and the American Bar Association are united in prioritizing service to others. The Public Interest and Pro Bono Program at Cumberland allows students to immediately begin helping others from the first week of orientation on Serve Day. Throughout the school year, students have the opportunity to participate in interactive legal clinics serving real clients on topics ranging from estate planning and expungement to evictions and family law matters. Birmingham, Alabama, is also home to several public interest organizations such as the Birmingham Volunteer Lawyers, the Southern Environmental Law Center and Legal Services of Alabama for students to get practical experience by volunteering during the summer or school year.
Cumberland supports public interest volunteering and careers by offering a summer stipend. Students can apply for a stipend to receive funding when they volunteer for a qualified public interest or public service organization.
Public interest and pro bono are an important part of the Cumberland School of Law experience. Students learn about public interest careers and meet nonprofit organizations during the Public Interest Fair each spring. There are also several opportunities throughout the school year for students to learn more about public interest work from attorneys in the field at educational panels.
Serving others is an excellent way for law students to support their community, meet lawyers and gain practical legal skills for their future law practice. Cumberland is a place where law students can serve and build lifelong skills to serve others throughout their career.
Sign Up to Serve
Serve Day for First-Year Students
Established in fall 2007, the 1L Service Project is now a tradition during first-year orientation. To conclude a week of traditional school orientation events, Cumberland School of Law embarks on a class service project on the last day of orientation. The first-year class, faculty and staff provide hundreds of volunteer hours in one afternoon to community service projects at locations such as the nature preserve, state parks, Habitat for Humanity sites and local ministries. The 1L Service Project fits with the law school’s pursuit to engage students in community-based volunteer efforts. The class project provides students with an opportunity for community outreach in a city that is new to most of them and gives new classmates a chance to interact.
Pro Bono Month
Every October the governor of Alabama at the request of the Alabama State Bar proclaims the month of October as “Pro Bono Month.” The American Bar Association has Pro Bono Week during October as well. Pro Bono Month serves two purposes. First, there are more opportunities through legal clinics and educational programs to serve Alabama citizens in need. Second, students are given a chance to sign the Pro Bono Pledge. By signing the Pledge, students agree to make pro bono work a priority during law school and also in their future law practice. In 2023, Cumberland beat its rival law schools in Alabama by having the most first-year law students to sign the Pro Bono Pledge.
Public Interest and Pro Bono Service Awards
The Cumberland Spirit of Service Award annually recognizes students who have completed at least 20 hours of pro bono legal work and/or community service. Students track the hours they work during the Fall and Spring semesters. The Award is provided during Cumberland's annual Awards Day held during the Spring semester.
Cumberland Public Interest and Community Service (CPICS)
The mission of Cumberland's Public Interest and Community Service Organization (CPICS) is to promote, encourage and organize ongoing community service and public interest projects with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Big Brother Big Sister, local high schools and elementary schools, Legal Aid and Legal Services, animal rescue organizations and others. By providing students opportunities to serve their campus and community, the Public Interest and Community Service Organization provides contact with public interest career opportunities for future legal professionals.
Public Interest Stipends
Cumberland’s Public Interest Program, in coordination with generous donors, offers stipends for qualifying rising second- and third-year law students to fund uncompensated public interest summer internships. The public interest stipends are an integral part of Cumberland’s mission to graduate lawyers committed to professionalism and public service.
About the Public Interest Stipend Program
The fellowships are made possible through the generosity of Cumberland School of Law alumni and friends.
Students volunteer a minimum of six weeks at an approved public interest entity. In past years, these jobs have been with judges, state and federal prosecutors, state and federal public defenders, environmental and public policy groups, and volunteer lawyer programs. Students have worked in several states including Alabama, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Award Criteria
- The educational benefit of the proposed internship experience
- The benefit to the community of the proposed internship experience
- The student’s expressed interest in pursuing a career in public interest work
Award Amounts
- $1,500 for 6–9 weeks
- $3,000 for 10+ weeks
- Awards are dependent upon annual funding availability
- The work must be full-time (30+ hours per/week) for the stated number of weeks
- Students must perform law-related work and be supervised by an attorney
Past Summer Placements
- Legal Aid Society
- Alabama Appleseed
- Various circuit and district judges
- Birmingham AIDS Outreach
- Jefferson County District Attorney and Public Defender
- Shelby County Public Defender
- Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s Office
- Federal Public Defender’s Office
- U.S. Attorney’s Office
- Baker Donelson Pro Bono Fellowship
- Cobb County District Attorney
- Office of Governor Kay Ivey
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Orange County District Attorney’s Office
- Georgia Supreme Court
- Black Warrior Riverkeeper
Testimonial
“I am deeply appreciative of the invaluable learning experience I gained during my summer externship at the Bronx District Attorney's Office.
It's been an incredible opportunity to witness firsthand the workings of our justice system and to contribute meaningfully to the pursuit of justice with a team that's committed to the focus on justice with integrity!"
—Zedekiah Toy
Public Interest Fellow
Beginning in 2024, rising 2L and 3L law students were eligible to apply for the Public Interest Fellow. The Fellow is selected to assist with implementation of Cumberland’s Public Interest Program, specifically with creating and implementing opportunities for students to serve the greater Birmingham community. The Public Interest Fellow serves a one year term and is provided a stipend for working with the Public Interest Program.
To learn more about our Public Interest and Pro Bono Program, contact Rachel Martin, director of Clinics, Externships and Public Interest at rachel.martin@samford.edu.
