Law Student Volunteer Program
Why volunteer at PILCH?
Volunteering at PILCH provides law students with an excellent opportunity to consolidate and expand their existing legal knowledge, enhance and augment their practical legal skills and witness how the law is practised in Victoria on a day to day basis. Volunteering at PILCH also offers participants an insight into the coordination of pro bono legal assistance by PILCH and the manner in which Community Legal Centres, PILCH member firms, barristers, universities, and corporate legal department members cooperate to promote the public interest and facilitate access to justice for marginalised Victorians.
Former volunteers speak warmly of their experiences at PILCH, and PILCH cultivates their continued involvement with public interest and pro bono work by inviting them to seminars, ensuring they receive PILCH publications and encouraging them to participate in PILCH's fundraising and social events.
Many former PILCH volunteers have gone on to contribute to PILCH through the pro bono practice of their employee law firms.
What volunteer opportunities are available to law students?
PILCH has been an integral part of my development as a law student and lawyer from (almost) day one. PILCH provided an insight into both the private legal sector and the not-for-profit sector and introduced me to an inspiring group of energetic and passionate people working to improve access to justice for disadvantaged individuals and community organisations. Now as a lawyer at Middletons I have been fortunate to be able to continue my relationship with PILCH through the role of pro bono coordinator. I have always regarded PILCH as an important part of my development and an organisation that inspired my passion for social justice.
- Alice O'Connell, Pro Bono Coordinator, Middletons Lawyers
- Ongoing volunteering: one full day per week during the university semester
- Winter Internships: two week block during the winter break (June to August)
- Summer Internships: two week block during the summer break (November to February)
- Student Placements: one day per week for 8-12 weeks as part of a subject at a member university law school, usually undertaken during the university semester while undertaking the subject. The University of Melbourne Law School and La Trobe University School of Law currently participate in this program.
- Fellowships: two week block as an extension of a clerkship undertaken at a member firm. This is a paid placement at PILCH that is usually undertaken during the summer or winter internship period. Allens Arthur Robinson, Clayton Utz and Minter Ellison currently participate in this program.
What does volunteering at PILCH involve?
Volunteers play a pivotal role as the front-line contact for members of the public seeking pro bono legal assistance from PILCH, taking instructions from clients and working with lawyers in the office to determine how PILCH may be able to assist. Volunteers may be involved in many other aspects of the day-to-day work at PILCH, such as assisting with the review of files and matters for referral, preparation of memoranda and briefs, assisting with publications, research, seminars and special events, and observation of the Homeless Persons' Legal Clinic. Please see the Position Description and Selection Criteria for more information.
Who can apply?
Law students in their final or penultimate year of an undergraduate law degree.
How and when do you apply?
We are now accepting applications for Semester 2 Ongoing Volunteer positions during the 2010 academic year.
Please indicate the day of the week you are availabile for ongoing volunteering during the semester! The application deadline is 7 July 2010.