Public Interest Law

A public interest practice is one that (1) helps clients who need free or low-cost legal representation because of poverty, age, youth, or similar obstacle to enforcing their legal rights; (2) uses law to advance a cause, such as environmentalism; and/or (3) uses law to advance equal rights and to oppose discrimination.

Lawyers often choose to do their pro bono work in public interest cases. Full time public interest lawyers are generally employed by non-profit organizations, such as Legal Aid, the NAACP, the Neighborhood Legal Center, or the ACLU.

Almost any area of substantive law can be used to seek justice in public interest cases. The ideal set of courses for a future public interest lawyer depends on what client population, or what cause, he or she wants to serve.