Public Interest Law Summer Stipends May Come With Strings Attached

How great that the student groups who are working so hard to raise money for student summer stipends are geting some attention! As a stipend recipient from UO Law, I can empathize with the "strings attached" sentiment. However, I think it important to realize that, at least for Oregon Law, the organization that hands out the money is completely not-for-profit and student run. This means that there isn't a coffer of money somewhere out of which the stipends come. Rather, each school year we start with the money we didn't hand out the year prior (our seed money for the coming year's fundraising) and raise every dollar that we hand out. Students raise this money so that other students may take otherwise unpaid jobs. I guess I don't see volunteering and helping to raise the money as "a strings attached" relationship. 10 hours of relatively easy work for a free stipend seems pretty reasonable and generous.

That being said, it can be frustrating for 1Ls who are already stressed to donate 10 hours over 20 weeks. However, $3000 isn't chump change and it takes a LOT of student volunteer effort to raise a meaningful number of stipends (last year OLSPIF gave out 15). Even if it only covers rent and ramen noodles, it is the difference between the underserved getting legal services or not. It is the difference between a law student helping to increase access to justice or not. Public service is hard and requires that many people make sacrifices. Even hard working 1L's.

It would be nice if the funding were available for public service jobs (so that law students didn't have to raise their own stipends), but it really isn't. Student groups like the Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund (OLSPIF) exist so that students who want the jobs that don't pay the bills can band together and help each other. It may seem unfair to ask for the prospective recipients to help raise the money, but without a group effort there wouldn't be any money.

I am a stipend recipient and a member of the student board of directors for OLSPIF. I believe in what we do. It IS hard work. Sometimes I feel like I do more work for OLSPIF than I do for my classes. Then I remember that OLSPIF supported me last summer. I remember that I am devoted to public interest work and that it isn't about ME, its about increasing access to justice; which never has been and never will be an easy task.

Sarah M. of OR 2:42PM December 12, 2011