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A LEADER IN PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICE

If you are thinking about attending a public interest law school, Penn Law's Toll Public Interest Center sets the standard for pro bono legal service:

  • First national law school to establish a mandatory pro bono requirement.
  • First law school to win American Bar Association's Pro Bono Publico Award.
  • Remains deeply committed to pro bono legal service and to maintaining its leadership role as a national leader in public interest.

Our Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC) is a multi-faceted, co-curricular program whose  mission is to provide all Penn Law students with meaningful opportunities to provide pro bono legal service to under-represented communities. Our students are enriched by this experience while simultaneously being able to contribute to the public interest legal community.

Penn Law is the leading law school in Philadelphia. As such, the public interest legal community actively seeks Penn Law students, giving them opportunities that few law schools can match. Students can help clients in bankruptcy proceedings, civil rights and constitutional law issues, environmental justice, family law, governmental practice, health law, immigration, international human rights law, labor law, women's issues and youth law - to name just a few. And, if students have their own public service passion or interest, we assist them in creating a placement that meets their public service requirement.

In promoting the culture of public service at Penn Law, the Center facilitates a variety of other programs:

  • Supervise student run pro-bono projects.
  • Plan a variety of public interest events, including the annual Public Interest Week.
  • Actively assist students in finding funding for summer internships.
  • Administer the Toll Public Interest Scholars Program.
  • Work with the Scholars to organize the Edward V. Sparer Symposium that is held every spring at Penn Law.
  • Collaborate with Career Planning & Professionalism to advise students who seek public interest careers.
  • Contribute to scholarship in the field.

The Penn Law Toll Public Interest Center's program is large in scope, yet personal in the way it is run, and makes a real difference to our students and our community. Whether you are a prospective student who is thinking about attending a public interest law school or an employer, we know that you will be impressed.


Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us:

Toll Public Interest Center:
Tel: 215.898.0459
Fax: 215.573.5806
Email: all-pic@law.upenn.edu