Public Interest and Service at Fordham School of Law

Public Interest and Service

As a Law School rooted in Jesuit principles, a commitment to service underlies everything we do—from our academic mission to scholarship and public service work.

Putting Public Service Into Practice

At Fordham Law School, “In the Service of Others” is more than our motto. We prepare students to confront the challenges of our times—to become leaders in the legal profession who will effect real change through principled, ethical lawyering; through active citizenship; and through an unwavering dedication to justice. Our faculty engages in substantive public service and produce cutting-edge academic scholarship that impacts law, policy, and professional practice. Our alumni are dedicated to serving their institutions, clients, and the greater community through pro bono work at law firms, working in government, and leadership roles in nonprofits.

We offer exceptional opportunities to advance your career in public interest law. Our Public Interest and Service Concentration prepares J.D. students to advocate for disenfranchised individuals and communities. Our legal clinics allow students to work directly with clients and fight for equal justice. And our externship program offers a wide range of experiential opportunities—from nonprofits to government to the judicial halls of New York and beyond.

Our Public Interest Resource Center (PIRC) is a pioneer in facilitating opportunities for students to make a difference for people in need. PIRC is home to 19 student-run organizations devoted to pro bono and public service work. Students contribute more than 100,000 hours annually to public interest projects ranging from advocating for the incarcerated to helping victims of domestic violence.

If you want to learn from your peers, be part of a public interest–oriented community, and pursue service and advocacy to further social justice, then you’ll want to become a Stein Scholar in Public Interest Law and Ethics. This nationally recognized program combines academic requirements—coursework focusing on public interest law and legal ethics—with nonacademic opportunities to help a select group of students develop and enhance their leadership and communication skills.

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Stein Scholars on stairs

Equal justice represents the bedrock of our constitutional democracy. When individuals cannot rely on the justice system to protect their most basic rights, they lose faith in their public institutions. Our A2J Initiative focuses the collective public service energy of Fordham Law School and our community to ensure greater access to justice for the underrepresented. Through teaching, direct service, and scholarship, we are working to address the crisis in equal justice and promote real-world solutions.

Fordham Law’s centers, institutes, and programs advance scholarship and advocacy on a wide range of critical legal issues impacting vulnerable communities. Students engage with expert faculty on crucial immigration and social justice issues at the Feerick Center for Social Justice, shape policy solutions that advance a fairer justice system at the National Center for Access to Justice, and work to address global human rights issues through the Leitner Center for International Law and Justice.

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Karen Greeberg speaking at Center on National Security Event

Public Interest and Service

Studying Public Interest Law at Fordham

Public Interest Resource Center

Fostering Leadership

Expanding Access to Justice

Centers, Institutes, & Programs