The CLSS Pro Bono Program lets students develop lawyering and leadership skills while serving the community. It's entirely run by penultimate and final-year LLB, JD and LLM students, and is currently open only to CLSS members.
The program runs the following project groups, which may involve (but aren't limited to):
- conducting legal research;
- organising educational workshops or networking events;
- preparing academic/formal publications or law reform papers; or
- providing client service.
The nature of work and level of commitment vary across project groups and semesters. For more information, contact the Education Director at education@usyd-clss.com.
Selection Criteria
Please address the following in your cover letter:
- commitment to social justice;
- ability to commit for at least a semester;
- ability to work independently and take initiative in a team;
- writing and oral communication skills;
- understanding of legal practice issues, e.g. confidentiality and conflict of interest;
- (preferable) experience in customer service, administration, or working with people of vulnerable or diverse backgrounds.
Ready to register your interest?
Disclaimer
The CLSS Pro Bono Program provides limited referral services and gathers legal information that's readily available online. Law students are not permitted to give legal advice without the supervision of a registered Australian legal practitioner. We encourage you to seek a lawyer directly if you need legal assistance:
- Currently-enrolled USYD students — SRC Legal may provide free legal services.
- Living near campus — Redfern Legal Centre or Inner City Legal Centre may provide free legal services.
- General public — contact the Law Society of NSW or the NSW Bar Association.
Project Groups
- Animal Rights — defending animals from abuse and neglect.
- Consumer Rights — consumer protection — misleading conduct, fraud, contractual terms.
- Digital Rights — media, communications, data, privacy, security, intellectual property.
- Education Rights — laws and regulations governing universities and students' movements.
- Environmental Rights — environmental protection, construction law.
- Family Rights — family relationships, carers, children, and domestic violence survivors.
- Human Rights — access to justice and the promotion/protection of human rights within Australia and internationally.
- Immigrant Rights — refugee and student visa matters.
- Legal Automation Review — legal automation in both the private and public sector.
- Police Review — police violations and defenders' rights.
- Public Law and Government — constitutional law, administrative law, and their interactions with other areas of law.
- Start-up Law — support for student start-ups.
- Tenancy Rights
- Workplace Rights — employment, industrial, and work health and safety law.