Through an annual nationwide survey, the Association of American Law Schools (AALS) measured law school contributions to the delivery of much-needed legal services through clinics, other experiential courses, and the pro bono activities of law students. 

In the fall of 2024, 82 law schools reported that 18,929 law students in the graduating class of 2024* contributed 4,704,109 hours in legal services as part of their legal education, an average of 248 hours per student. Independent Sector, a nonprofit organization coalition, estimates the value of volunteer time as $33.49 an hour. Using this number, the total value of the students’ time at these schools is estimated to be in excess of $157.5 million.

In the same survey, 85 schools reported that 50,493 law students in all class years (1L-3L) during the academic year 2023-24 contributed 4,415,617.5 hours in legal services, an average of approximately 87.5 hours per student. Using the Independent Sector Value of Volunteer Time, these services are estimated to be worth over $129.3 million.

Schools represented in the survey account approximately half of the students in American Bar Association accredited law schools in 2023-24, therefore contributions from all law schools could be nearly double the reported amount. In addition, several schools reported that some hours go uncounted or are difficult to track, so reported contributions were also likely higher. The project also did not include hours contributed by students in law school master’s degree programs such as an LLM program.  

Law students contributed hours through a variety of efforts that span most every legal subject area. The clinics, externships, and projects serve veterans, people in rural areas, small business owners, children and parents, victims of violence, and others who would likely otherwise go unrepresented in important legal matters all while enabling students to apply classroom concepts to legal problems under the supervision of lawyers and professors.

“AALS is proud of the contributions our nation’s law students make though clinical courses and pro bono efforts,” said AALS President Austen Parrish, Dean and Chancellor’s Professor of Law at University of California Irvine School of Law. “Through these efforts, students gain practice and professional skills while making a positive impact on individuals and communities in need.”   

“Experiential education is growing as law schools work hard to bridge gaps in the availability of legal services for those of limited means while simultaneously doing even more to prepare graduates to hit the ground running in their careers,” said Kellye Y. Testy, AALS Executive Director and CEO. “No matter students’ areas of focus, they have the opportunity for hands-on learning that enhances their practice-readiness as lawyers.”

Law students contributed hours to hundreds of efforts serving thousands of clients, including the following examples:

• Albany Law School – The Family Violence Litigation Clinic   
• Arizona State University Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – Lisa Foundation Patent Law Clinic   
• Boston University School of Law – International Human Rights Clinic
• University of California, Berkeley School of Law – Digital Rights Project
• Capital University Law School – Mediation Clinic   
• The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law – Columbus Community Legal Services 
• Columbia Law School – Science, Health, and Information Clinic   
• Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law – The Entrepreneurial Law Clinic   
• Duke University School of Law – Children’s Law Clinic
• University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law – The Heirs’ Property Clinic   
• Harvard Law School – Animal Law & Policy Clinic  
• University of Houston Law Center – Entertainment Law Clinic   
• Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law – Health and Human Rights Clinic   
• Lewis and Clark Law School – Low Income Taxpayer Clinic   
• The University of Michigan Law School – Michigan Innocence Clinic   
• New York Law School – Housing Rights Clinic 
• Notre Dame Law School – Special Education Clinic   
• Seattle University School of Law – Workers’ Rights Clinic   
• St. Mary’s University School of Law – Real Estate Clinic    
• The University of Texas School of Law – The Parole Project   
• Tulane University Law School – First Amendment Clinic   
• University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law – Pro Bono Initiative
• University of Wisconsin Law School – The Restraining Order and Survivor Advocacy (ROSA) Clinic   
• Western New England University School of Law – The Family Mediation Clinic   
• William & Mary Law School – Lewis B. Puller Veterans Benefits Clinic

The following 94 schools contributed information for the survey:

• Albany Law School
• University of Arkansas School of Law
• University of Baltimore School of Law
• Baylor University School of Law
• Boston University School of Law
• Brooklyn Law School
• University at Buffalo School of Law, SUNY
• California Western School of Law
• Capital University Law School
• Case Western Reserve University School of Law
• University of California, Berkeley School of Law
• University of California, Irvine School of Law
• University of California, Los Angeles School of Law
• The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law
• The University of Chicago, The Law School
• Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology
• University of Cincinnati College of Law
• University of Colorado Law School
• Columbia Law School
• University of Connecticut School of Law
• University of Dayton School of Law
• DePaul University College of Law
• University of Denver Sturm College of Law
• University of Detroit Mercy School of Law
• Drake University Law School
• Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
• Thomas R. Kline School of Law of Duquesne University
• Emory University School of Law
• Florida State University College of Law
• Fordham University School of Law
• The George Washington University Law School
• Georgetown University Law Center
• University of Georgia School of Law
• Georgia State University College of Law
• Harvard Law School
• University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law
• Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University
• Howard University School of Law
• Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
• Indiana University Maurer School of Law
• University of Iowa College of Law
• University of Kansas School of Law
• Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center
• University of Louisville, Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
• Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
• Loyola University Chicago School of Law
• Marquette University Law School
• University of Maine School of Law
• University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth
• The University of Memphis, Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law
• University of Miami School of Law
• The University of Michigan Law School
• University of Minnesota Law School
• University of Mississippi School of Law
• University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law
• Mississippi College School of Law
• Mitchell Hamline School of Law
• University of Montana Alexander Blewett III School of Law
• University of New Hampshire School of Law
• New York University School of Law
• University of North Carolina School of Law
• North Carolina Central University School of Law
• University of North Dakota School of Law
• Northern Illinois University College of Law
• Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law|
• Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
• Ohio Northern University, Pettit College of Law
• Oklahoma City University School of Law|
• University of Oregon School of Law
• Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law
• University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School
• Penn State Dickinson Law
• Penn State Law +
• University of Pittsburgh School of Law
• University of Puerto Rico School of Law
• The University of Richmond School of Law
• St. John’s University School of Law
• St. Mary’s University School of Law
• St. Thomas University School of Law
• University of San Diego School of Law
• University of San Francisco School of Law
• Santa Clara University School of Law
• Seattle University School of Law
• South Texas College of Law Houston
• Southern Methodist University, Dedman School of Law
• Southwestern Law School
• Stetson University College of Law
• The University of Texas School of Law
• Texas A&M University School of Law
• Texas Tech University School of Law
• Tulane University Law School
• Vanderbilt University Law School
• Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
• University of Virginia School of Law
• Wake Forest University School of Law
• University of Washington School of Law
• Wayne State University Law School
• West Virginia University College of Law
• Western New England University School of Law
• Willamette University College of Law
• William & Mary Law School

This is the seventh AALS Law Student Pro Bono Hours Report. Reports for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023 are available on the AALS website. The survey was not conducted in 2020 or 2021 due to complications related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

*Class of 2024 numbers include all three years of law school in a JD program.

+Penn State Law recently reunited with Penn State Dickinson Law under the name Penn State Dickinson Law. The schools contributed information separately in 2024.