Written by: Maddie Schwarck

The Pro Bono Program at Iowa Law, led by Professor Brian Farrell, helps students develop the knowledge, values, and skills that are essential to a career in law. “Pro bono projects provide a structured way for students to volunteer with governmental and nonprofit legal agencies,” Farrell explained. “Students engage in legal research and writing while learning about practice areas and networking with attorneys. [The program] helps students integrate public service into their careers from the start.”

Three students share highlights of their pro bono projects.

Liz Vargas Perez (26JD)

“I started volunteering at the New Iowans Legal Advice Clinic [NILAC] during my first semester, and it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. NILAC is a free walk-in clinic where attorneys volunteer to provide legal services to those in need.

“My role has included facilitating communication between attorneys and clients through interpreting and fulfilling various administrative needs of the clinic. One of the most notable moments was in my first semester, interpreting for a client. Despite having legal work experience and being in law school, I found the process they had to go through quite challenging. This experience emphasized how complex and over-whelming the legal system can be for individuals, regardless of their background or education. My passion to make legal services more accessible has only deepened over the past four semesters.”

Maureen Wainwright (26JD)

“In the Housing and Eviction Data Project, I volunteered to catalogue various eviction cases, creating a dataset that Iowa Legal Aid could use to demonstrate the difference in outcomes for litigants with and without representation in housing cases. Through this experience, I learned that many of these individuals either do not have legal representation or do not attend their eviction hearings. I found it rewarding to contribute to Iowa Legal Aid’s efforts in using data to highlight the critical need for legal counsel in eviction proceedings.

“For the Tribal Outreach Project, I have been researching and drafting a proposal for Iowa Legal Aid leadership on how the organization can better serve Indigenous populations in Iowa. We have been reaching out to legal aid organizations across the country to learn about their support for local indigenous populations, as well as gathering information on the specific needs of the Meskwaki, Winnebago, Omaha, and Ponca tribes. While I still am far from an expert on Federal Indian Law, I have learned about the challenges tribes face in accessing legal aid.”

Kathryn Linehan (27JD)

“I am involved in the Citizen Lawyer Program, where I do pro bono work with the Iowa Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission. My research project included a national landscape review of strategies Access to Justice Commissions use to mitigate the adverse impacts of civil fines and fees, particularly for those who are low-to-moderate income. Together with my research partner, we reviewed the work being done by State and Territory Access to Justice Commissions across the United States and prepared our findings in a final memo. In December, I was able to present these findings directly to the Commission. Pro bono work has given me the opportunity to strengthen my legal writing and research skills, work on real-world issues, and give back to the broader community.”