Pro Bono. In January.

In most years, during the month of January approximately 70 Texas Law students travel to South Texas to participate in law-related volunteer projects. The trip is organized by the Pro Bono in January Leadership Team, in collaboration with the Mithoff Program. This trip, Pro Bono in January or PBinJ, takes Texas Law students outside of Austin to a rapidly growing region near the Texas-Mexico border that is dynamic but also has significant unmet legal needs.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2021 Pro Bono in January trip has been cancelled.

In its place, the Mithoff Program will be sponsoring Pro Bono. In January. Through Pro Bono. In January. the Mithoff Program will continue to offer numerous and varied winter break pro bono opportunities to Texas Law students, and to support its pro bono partners in South Texas and their client communities on the Texas-Mexico border.

Students can sign up to work 1- or 2-week internships or for specific clinics during the last two weeks of winter break in January 2021. Short descriptions of Pro Bono. In January. pro bono projects appear below. Students should review the full project descriptions in the Current Opportunities listings before registering for a pro bono project. Registration links for each project can be found in the full project description. All projects will be virtual and students can participate from any location where they have access to wi-fi and a computer.

Registration for Pro Bono. In January. projects will open at 8pm on Monday, November 30. Registration will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to language requirements set by the organization sponsoring the project.

Students must commit to participating in their chosen project at the time of registration. If you are not committed to participating in a project, please do not register for it. Students who are placed on a waitlist for one or more Pro Bono. In January. projects may register for a confirmed (non-waitlist) position for another project. Students who are participating in OCI during the week of January 18 should not register for a project during that week if there is a possibility they will accept an interview slot that conflicts with their selected pro bono project.

Pro Bono. In January. Projects

Week of January 11

Immigration Practice Internship with South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project (ProBAR)
Students will work with lawyers in ProBAR’s Harlingen office for one week over winter break. Students may conduct legal research relevant to asylum applications, prepare asylum applications and other documents for ProBAR service recipients, or both.

Number of volunteer openings: 4
Approximate hours of work requested: 30-40 hours over 1 week
Training: Monday, January 11 (morning)
Project dates: Monday, January 11 through Friday, January 15; most work will be asynchronous but students must be available for orientation the morning of Monday, January 11, and for a work product report from 2pm-4pm on Friday, January 15
Language requirement: The ability to speak and understand Spanish at a level adequate to communicate with clients in Spanish is required for one-half of volunteer openings

Intake Eligibility and Review Session with Texas Law Expunction Project
Students will review applicants’ criminal history records and determine their eligibility to expunge or obtain orders of nondisclosure of criminal records. Students will learn about the expunction and nondisclosure process, apply this knowledge in reviewing criminal history reports for eligibility, and identify additional documentation needed. Expunging records allows people to legally deny offenses and erases records from criminal histories, mitigating future harm stemming from arrests that do not result in a criminal conviction. Orders of nondisclosure direct police departments and other agencies not to disclose criminal records on background checks, and allow people to not disclose offenses on applications for housing or employment.

Number of volunteer openings: 20
Approximate hours of work requested: 5 hours, including training
Training: Students must complete a 2-hour asynchronous training module before the clinic
Project date: Tuesday, January 12, 5pm-8pm
Language requirement: None

Week of January 19

Gender Affirmation Clinic with Texas Law Gender Affirmation Project and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Students will meet with transgender individuals who are seeking to correct or update their legal names and/or gender markers on basic forms of identification. Students will collect information and documents from individuals, explain the name and gender marker change process, and draft petitions and orders. This clinic will focus on serving the trans community of the Rio Grande Valley and El Paso, as well as other border regions.

Number of volunteer openings: 40
Approximate hours of work requested: 5.75 hours, including training
Training: January 19, 3:30pm-6pm (includes pre-clinic work session)
Project date: Friday, January 22, 1:45pm-5pm
Language requirement: None

Number of volunteer openings: 20
Approximate hours of work requested: 5 hours, including training
Training: Students must complete a 2-hour asynchronous training module before the clinic
Project date: Wednesday, January 20, 5pm-8pm
Language requirement: None

Psychiatric Advance Directives Clinic with Texas Law INCLUDE Project
Students will help persons with lived experience of mental illness draft advance directives as part of a person-centered planning approach to the treatment of individuals with mental illness by third parties, including medical and law enforcement personnel.

Number of volunteer openings: 6
Approximate hours of work requested: 4 hours, including training
Training: Thursday, January 21, 6pm-7pm
Project date: Friday, January 22, 11am-3pm (exact time TBD, will be 3 hours within this window)
Language requirement: None

Support Parents’ Education, Advocacy, and Knowledge (SPEAK) Workshop with Texas Law INCLUDE Project
Students will facilitate small group sessions and guide parents through activities designed to educate them about their special education rights and how to access appropriate services for their children. Our presentation and activities also will touch on changes being made in the law and in schools given the current global health crisis. Students will help families make a plan to lobby school staff for the special education services best suited to meet their child’s needs.

Number of volunteer openings: 12
Approximate hours of work requested: 6 hours, including training
Training: Wednesday, January 20, 9am-12pm
Project date: Thursday, January 21, 1pm-4pm
Language requirement: Spanish preferred for a portion of volunteer openings but not required

Supported Decision-Making Clinic with Texas Law INCLUDE Project (University of North Texas – College Students with Disabilities)
Law student volunteers will assist University of North Texas students and their families (or other caregivers/supporters) in learning about guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, with an emphasis on an option in state law to enter into Supported Decision-Making (SDM) agreements. Students will provide direct counseling to young adults on alternatives to guardianship and will lead SDM role-playing exercises. SDM agreements and other alternatives to guardianship allow individuals with disabilities to maintain maximum control over their lives and avoid unnecessary and costly probate proceedings.

Number of volunteer openings: 8
Approximate hours of work requested: 8 hours, including training and self-study
Training: Monday, January 18, 8am-9:30am
Project dates: Monday, January 18, 10am-12pm (UNT student session); Monday, January 18, 1pm-2:30pm (joint session for UNT students and their supporters); AND Tuesday, January 19, 10am-10:45am (debrief); volunteers must be available for all 3 sessions
Language requirement: None

Supported Decision-Making Clinic with Texas Law INCLUDE Project (Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired)
Law student volunteers will assist TSBVI students and their families (or other caregivers/supporters) in learning about guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, with an emphasis on an option in state law to enter into Supported Decision-Making (SDM) agreements. Students will provide direct counseling to young adults on alternatives to guardianship and will lead SDM role-playing exercises. SDM agreements and other alternatives to guardianship allow individuals with disabilities to maintain maximum control over their lives and avoid unnecessary and costly probate proceedings.

Number of volunteer openings: 12
Approximate hours of work requested: 8 hours, including training and self-study
Training: Tuesday, January 19, 10am-11:30am
Project dates: Tuesday, January 19, 4pm-6pm (TSBVI student session); Thursday, January 21, 4pm-6pm (joint session for TSBVI students and their supporters); AND Friday January 22, 10am-10:45am (debrief); volunteers must be available for all 3 sessions
Language requirement: None

Both Weeks (2-week projects)

Asset Preservation and Estate Planning Clinic with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Students will interview low-income residents of the Rio Grande Valley by videoconference across two clinic appointments. During the first appointment, students will guide clients in drafting holographic wills, will draft deeds designed to transfer property outside of probate court, and will help families obtain reductions in their property taxes where applicable. During the second appointment, students will draft documents designed to navigate medical and financial decisions in the event of serious illness and incapacity.

Number of volunteer openings: 20
Approximate hours of work requested: 40-45 hours, including live and asynchronous training
Training: Monday, January 11, 1:10pm-4:30pm and Tuesday, January 19, 1:10pm-4:30pm; review of asynchronous materials will be required before each live training session
Project dates: Tuesday, January 12, 2pm-8pm; Wednesday, January 13, 12pm-6pm; Thursday, January 14, 12pm-6pm; Wednesday, January 20, 2pm-8pm; Thursday, January 21, 12pm-6pm; Friday, January 22, 12pm-6pm; students must be available for all clinic and training dates though the final time windows for clinic appointments may be shorter than six hours per session based on client schedules
Language requirement: The ability to speak and understand Spanish at a level adequate to communicate with clients in Spanish is required for approximately one-half of volunteer openings

Former Client Interviews with Texas Law Parole Project
One student will help interview the Parole Project’ former clients about their successes and challenges upon release from prison and prepare a short summary of findings and recommendations for how the project might be able to support current and future clients upon their release from prison.

Number of volunteer openings: 1
Approximate hours of work requested: 20 hours over 2 weeks
Training: Training and supervision will be provided by Parole Project supervising attorney Prof. Helen Gaebler throughout the project on an as-needed basis
Project dates: Monday, January 11 through Friday, January 22; students will not be required to work on the MLK Holiday (Monday, January 18)
Language requirement: None

General Legal Aid Practice Internship with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
One student will work with lawyers in TRLA’s Edinburg office for two weeks over winter break. The Edinburg office is a general practice office and the student may be assigned work in one or more of three internal practice areas: (1) disaster relief/housing, (2) expunctions and juvenile justice, or (3) immigration.

Number of volunteer openings: 1
Approximate hours of work requested: 60-70 hours over 2 weeks
Training: Training and supervision will be provided by TRLA Edinburg staff throughout the internship on an as-needed basis
Project dates: Monday, January 11 through Friday, January 22; students will not be required to work on the MLK Holiday (Monday, January 18)
Language requirement: The ability to speak and understand Spanish at a level adequate to communicate with clients in Spanish and read Spanish-language documents is required

Public Defender Program Internship with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid
Students will work with lawyers in TRLA’s Rio Grande Valley-based Public Defender Program for two weeks over winter break. These students will help TRLA attorneys research legal issues, draft motions, and/or prepare for court hearings.

Number of volunteer openings: 6
Approximate hours of work requested: 60-70 hours over 2 weeks
Training: Training and supervision will be provided by TRLA Public Defender Program staff throughout the internship on an as-needed basis
Project dates: Monday, January 11 through Friday, January 22; students will not be required to work on the MLK Holiday (Monday, January 18)
Language requirement: The ability to speak and understand Spanish at a level adequate to communicate with clients in Spanish and read Spanish-language documents is preferred for some volunteer openings but not required

Reentry Internship with Capital Area Private Defender Service
One student will help research local reentry services and create reentry resource materials for low-income people accused of criminal offenses in Travis County who are represented by CAPDS-affiliated private appointed lawyers. Students may also have the opportunity to work on other reentry-related projects and/or help CAPDS write text for proposals to obtain funding to support future reentry work.

Number of volunteer openings: 1
Approximate hours of work requested: 20 hours per week for 2 weeks
Training: Training and supervision will be provided by CAPDS staff throughout the internship on an as-needed basis
Project dates: Monday, January 11 through Friday, January 22; students will not be required to work on the MLK Holiday (Monday, January 18)
Language requirement: None

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