About the Center for Public Interest Law

In 1993, Columbia Law School took a bold step in deepening its commitment to public service by opening the Center for Public Interest Law. The Center was created and directed by Ellen Chapnick until 2003, when she became the Law School's Dean for Social Justice Initiatives. Akua Akyea is currently the Acting Director; she is supported by a powerful team of lawyers and activists with diverse backgrounds and interests.

With nine full and part-time staff, the Center for Public Interest Law assists students individually in exploring the role of a public interest lawyer in nonprofit organizations, government agencies, international human rights organizations, academia, and other areas, including pro bono service in private law firms. The Center provides information, counseling, and guidance about permanent jobs, summer and semester internships, and houses Columbia's mandatory Pro Bono Program. The Center also serves as a focal point for students interested in the Law School's public service courses, clinics, and field projects, helping them forge a comprehensive education that meets their evolving individual needs.

The Center takes the lead in developing projects and internships with nonprofit, governmental, and law firm partners from the Lower East Side to the Bronx, from San Francisco to Atlanta, and from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe. With an ever-expanding list of pro bono and internship placements and resources to help students identify emerging nongovernmental organizations throughout the world, the Center can advise students no matter what their individual interests.

The Center's schedule of activities ensures that there are plenty of relevant events for public interest students to attend almost daily, as leading social justice advocates present panels and workshops on topics ranging from the rights of day laborers to the European human rights system.

The Center does more than merely foster a climate of intellectual ferment. Amid a bustling atmosphere, it is able to focus on the individual student and his or her aspirations. From ensuring that students meet like-minded peers and mentors, to helping them deal with the potential pressures of following a less-traditional path and maintaining a lifelong, fulfilling career, the Center provides abundant support and assistance. Few law schools offer this kind of "one-stop shopping."