Law School Institutional and Financial Support
Funding Opportunities
The Public Interest and Social Justice program at Santa Clara provides many funding opportunities (PDF).
Institutional Support
Santa Clara School of Law provides support for social justice and public interest in many ways, including institutional and financial support.
- The Law Career Services (LCS) staff is committed to assisting law students interested in social justice and public interest work.
- Nationally recognized Public Interest Law Career Services (PILCS) is an integral part of the LCS office and one of the few centers nationwide managed and staffed entirely by law students. The 2006-07 student coordinators are Nicole Clemens and Braeden Sullivan. PILCS manages the Pro Bono project, which recognizes law students who volunteer their time throughout the year, and helps coordinate the Public Interest and Social Justice Law Celebration and Graduation Ceremony. PILCS is located in Law Career Services at Loyola Hall, 425 El Camino Real. Contact PILCS at (408) 261-2539 or by e-mail at pilcs@scu.edu.
- The Academic Success Program (ASP) complements the law school curriculum by focusing on the development of academic and non-academic skills that are necessary to succeed in law school. ASP recognizes that each student brings to school his or her own learning style and life experiences. ASP’s goal is to create a comfortable learning environment that presents a variety of teaching methods and opportunities for students to identify and use their preferred approaches to learning.
- Through the Public Interest and Social Justice Endowment, students, faculty, and other members of the Santa Clara community support student work for social justice. The Public Interest and Social Justice annual fundraising auction (aka Benefit for Justice) is a social highlight of the school year in which students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni/ae support students seeking to fund their social justice and public interest work.
Financial Support
- Public Interest and Social Justice Endowment
Santa Clara University School of Law established the Public Interest and Social Justice Endowment Fund in 1989 in response to a growing need to support Santa Clara graduates who are committed to the practice of public interest and social justice law but find it increasingly more difficult to pursue that career path in the face of significant student loan debts.
The Endowment provides financial support to students and alumni/ae through two programs, Summer Grants and Income Supplement Grants. Read here about funding recipients.
- Public Interest and Social Justice Endowment Summer Grants
Public Interest and Social Justice Summer grants support students working in summer public interest positions as volunteers or for low pay. In Summer 2007, the Endowment funded over $70,000 in summer grants to students volunteering with public interest and social justice legal organizations.
2007 Summer Grant Recipients (PDF)
2008 Summer Grant Application (DOC)
- LGBT Legal Issues Summer Grants
Santa Clara University School of Law students who plan to work full-time for a LGBT organization, in a position doing legal work, may apply for this LGBT Legal Issues Summer Grant. Applicants should show a demonstrated commitment to and interest in the rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender individuals and people living with HIV, regardless of their sexual orientation. Two grants of $5,000 will be awarded.
2008 LGBT Summer Grant Application (DOC)
- Income Supplement Grants
The Income Supplement Grant Program ensures a minimum income to selected Santa Clara University School of Law graduates working in public interest and social justice jobs at low salaries. Grant recipients work for organizations that seek to improve the lives of the marginalized, subordinated, and underrepresented clients and causes.
As stated in the original founding document, the goal of the program is, "… to insure that, after deducting any payments due on law school loans, each graduate of Santa Clara University School of Law who wishes to practice public interest law has a minimum adjusted income of $25,000." The Endowment’s Executive Board has recently voted to raise the adjusted income figure to $50,000. The award carries a $7,000 annual cap and a $49,000 lifetime cap.
The Endowment awarded two grants in 2002, five in 2003, four in 2004, three in 2005, and three in 2006. 2006 award recipients had law school debt ranging from $77,000 to $185,000. After applying the prescribed formula, which takes into consideration loan repayment expense and other deductions, the applicants were found to be eligible to receive a total of $18,350 in 2006. Sufficient Endowment income was available to fund 100 percent of that amount.
2008 Income Supplement Grant Application(DOC)
2008 Income Supplement Grant Application (PDF)
- Public Interest Scholarships
In addition to the Endowment’s financial assistance programs, the School of Law funds a number of public interest scholarships for incoming students with a demonstrated commitment to public interest work.
- Additional Support
Additional support is available through Justice John Paul Stevens Fellowships and the Wildman Writing Award.
Donations
To make donations to the Public Interest and Social Justice Endowment, please visit the website for Giving to Santa Clara University at www.scu.edu/giving. This website provides an easy and secure method to donate. You also may send donations to the Endowment to the address below:
Public Interest and Social Justice Endowment
Santa Clara University School of Law
c/o Center for Social Justice and Public Service
500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA
95053-0425