New Guide to Public Service at Law Schools

Equal Justice Works (formerly known as the National Association of Public Interest Law) has just published its pilot version of Making Equal Justice Work: A Guide to Public Service at America's Law Schools. The guide collects and compares a number of law school features that indicate their commitment to developing public interest attorneys, from Loan Repayment Assistance Plans, to the amount of resources devoted to helping students access summer and permanent public interest employment. The pilot version has only a limited number of schools' information available; the full version will be posted on Newsweek.com in 2006. (It's not clear from Equal Justice Works' information whether the full version will be free or not, but the pilot version is free.)

If you think a career in public service is in your future, it's worth taking a look at the schools that you're considering applying to. Much of this information is not available elsewhere, or at least not in the aggregate form it is here.

You should also bookmark the main website for Equal Justice Works. They are the main clearinghouse and advocate for the promotion of public interest law at law schools and beyond, and sponsor a number of fellowships for law students and law grads.