Archives
Auction benefits public-interest law
Proceeds from event fund scholarships so students can pursue specialty
By ILENE FLEISCHMANN
Reporter Contributor
"Public interest" encompasses many areas of the law, including domestic violence, child advocacy, human rights, poverty law, elder law, environmental law, mental health and legal assistance to the indigent. While many organizations are in need of legal assistance that law students can offer, they often cannot afford to provide a paycheck.
The Buffalo Public Interest Law Program (BPILP) will host its 11th annual auction tonight in the Statler Towers, 107 Delaware Ave., Buffalo. The event is the primary fundraiser to provide scholarships allowing UB law students to accept unpaid public interest summer positions.
This year's festivities will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the live auction beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $35 to the public and $25 for students, and may be purchased in the O'Brian Hall lobby.
In 2005, BPILP raised nearly $30,000 to provide 18 summer fellowships.
"We hope our alumni and friends in the legal community will help grant these law students the opportunity to use their expertise to serve the public interest by donating an item for sale, purchasing an advertisement, donating funds for fellowships or simply coming out for a fun evening with a good cause," says Lisa Patterson, Law School associate dean for career services and advisor to BPILP.
Christina Cassillo, a native of Connecticut and a second-year law student at UB, received one of last year's fellowships, which helped fund her work at New Haven Legal Assistance serving low income individuals in need of legal counsel in New Haven, Conn.
"BPILP allowed me to gain legal experience last summer when I would not have been able to otherwise. I worked primarily on abuse and neglect cases. The experience was invaluable," says Cassillo.
"Organizations such as New Haven Legal Assistance do not have the funding to pay interns, therefore groups such as BPILP are incredibly important because they allow the student to gain experience while also providing the organization with the staff support they need," she adds.
Christine King, a second-year law student, was the recipient of a fellowship to work at Rochester Legal Aid last summer. "The organization itself allowed me to meet a lot of people, especially upperclassmen who shared my interest in public interest law, and I was able to make some good friends because of it," King says. Without BPILP, it would be very hard for all of the public interest-minded students to receive information and help with getting started in that field."
Other opportunities BPILP has helped student take advantage of include positions with the Kenya Human Rights Commission; the Erie County District Attorney's Office; the Volunteer Lawyers Project Inc.; New York State Office of the Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Division; and the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy, Capital Post Conviction Unit.
Items for silent and live auction will include fine art, theater and concert tickets, restaurant gift certificates and jewelry, as well as many other unique items. For more information about the auction and the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program, call Lisa Patterson at 645-2056 or email ublaw_bpilp@yahoo.com.