Students will assist incarcerated individuals with preparation of a parole packet for submission to the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole. Students will work in teams, and one student volunteer on each parole team will be selected to serve as “Team Lead.” In addition to their work helping to craft their team’s parole packet, including interviewing the client and family members, affidavit drafting, research, and writing, the Team Lead also will be responsible for overseeing the team’s administrative responsibilities (i.e., calling team meetings, submitting team travel documents, compiling exhibits for the team’s final parole packet). Team Leads will track their team’s progress and update their Pro Bono Scholar on progress and when additional support is needed. Team Leads work closely with their team, Supervising Attorney, and Pro Bono Scholars and play a key role in keeping their team on track and moving forward. Students with prior work experience or parole project involvement may find this role more manageable, but anyone passionate about getting people out of prison and interested in taking on a leadership role requiring project management is encouraged to apply.
Organization
Parole Project, Mithoff Pro Bono Program
The Parole Project is an internal project of the Richard and Ginni Mithoff Pro Bono Program. Its mission is to prepare parole packets on behalf of incarcerated women in order to provide the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole with information that enables the Board to gain a more holistic, human picture of incarcerated individuals it reviews for parole.
Project Details
- Project Start Date
September 2023
- Approximate hours of work requested
- 30-50 hours over the course of the academic year, including training sessions; most packets will be submitted in March or April 2024 with a parole hearing in May or June, but final timing depends on agency timelines and hearings can run into July. Note that any formal obligation to the project terminates with the end of the academic year, but many team members opt to continue to work with their clients through the final hearing, regardless of timing
- Training
- Thursday, September 7, 6:30pm-8:30pm (TNH 2.139) (Parole Overview) AND Thursday, September 14, 5:30pm-7pm (TNH 2.139) (Client Interviewing)
- Skills used
- Interviewing; document requests; document review; legal research and writing; team collaboration; project management; professional communication; potential oral advocacy
- Project location
- Preparation of the parole packet typically involves travel to meet with the client at least one time in-person; drafting the packet can be done at the law school or remotely; training will be held at the law school
- Address
- 727 E. Dean Keeton Street, Austin, TX 78705
- Number of student volunteers requested
- 16
- Class year preference
- 2L, 3L
- Required skills
- Preference will be given to returning student volunteers as well as students with prior experience with interviewing and direct client services, but anyone passionate about getting people out of prison and interested in taking on a leadership role, including 1Ls, is encouraged to apply; applicants’ prior experience with project or case management, if any, also will be considered
- To Apply
- Complete the 2023-2024 Parole Volunteer Application by noon on Friday, September 1 (copy / paste this address into your browser: https://utexas.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bemulZYfhBTC7nU ). While there is a preference for 2L & 3Ls, 1Ls are also encouraged to apply