St. Mary’s University School of Law’s pro bono efforts were bolstered by aid from the Texas Bar Foundation. A $15,000 grant will support six law students who work in unpaid positions with legal service providers for low-income clients and government agencies.
“Without the fellowship, I would not have been able to complete my summer placement,” St. Mary’s Law student Leslie Espiricueta said in a press release. “As a first-generation student from a low-income background, pursuing my passions is a luxury I am usually unable to afford. The fellowship let me do something I loved during the summer without having to worry about how I was going to pay my rent or eat for the week.”
In 2021, St. Mary’s Law students recorded more than 13,300 pro bono and community service hours. Several of the students spend their summers working with nonprofits or government agencies.
Funding from the Texas Bar Foundation will support students and encourage and promote legal assistant to poor and disadvantaged people while also enhancing the ethical and professional practice of law.
Since forming in 1965, the Texas Bar Foundation has awarded more than $25 million in grants to law-related programs. For more information, go to txbf.org.