Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website

St. John's Law School recently celebrated the National Celebration of Pro Bono with a daylong event, bringing together students and alumni to provide legal assistance to low-income New Yorkers. The event was organized by the Public Interest Center in collaboration with several other organizations within the school.

The initiative involved 100 participants working through the American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers Program, facilitated locally by the New York State Bar Association as New York Free Legal Answers. A total of 30 student-alumni teams addressed various legal issues such as employment, immigration, and tenant rights, offering free guidance to at least 40 individuals.

Jeanne Ortiz-Ortiz, Director of the Public Interest Center, highlighted the planning process for integrating this program into St. John’s Law School. "After learning about the uses of Free Legal Answers Program in an academic setting, I explored how to integrate it at St. John’s," she stated.

Audree Maldonado, a senior associate at Clyde & Co., participated in the event and shared her motivation for joining. “I’m trying to become more intentional about giving back to my community,” she said. She worked alongside students Dayra Rivas and Palek Singh on labor and employment law questions.

Rivas emphasized her personal connection to pro bono work due to her family experiences with legal aid access. "I’ve seen firsthand the benefits of accessible, competent legal aid," she explained.

Singh expressed appreciation for being able to contribute as a first-year law student. "When deciding to go to law school, I knew I wanted to prioritize pro bono and public interest work," she remarked.

The event also featured speeches from Denise M. Miranda '96, Acting Commissioner of the New York State Division of Human Rights, and St. John’s Law Dean Jelani Jefferson Exum, who both underscored the importance of pro bono efforts.

Ortiz-Ortiz praised all participants for their contributions during this successful event: “We’re grateful for the support... But most of all, I want to congratulate all our alumni and students who spent the day making a tangible difference in our community.”