Putting Public Interest into Practice

. . . with liberty and justice for all. Our nation pledges it. Northeastern University School of Law makes it a reality. Ranked the best public interest law school in the nation, we not only share your passion for justice, we also encourage, support and require it. In fact, we put public interest into practice in everything we do.

Through the Curriculum

Our law school curriculum will equip you with the theoretical and analytical skills you need for practice. That’s a given. But it will also give you a very clear sense of how the application of those theories and skills affect the lives of real people. It all begins with our Legal Skills in Social Context program, which uses real social issues as a platform for introducing first year students to the profession of lawyering. In the second term of the course, students form small, faculty-supervised law offices that work with local social service agencies on their very real legal needs.

Through Co-op

Through our Cooperative Legal Education Program, you can be a hands-on participant in virtually every area of public interest law, including working with indigent clients, combating discrimination, helping survivors of domestic violence, advocating for equal access to health care or working with judges and lawyers in public defender and prosecutors’ offices. About 85 percent of our students fulfill the school’s public interest requirement through a co-op. These front-line experiences will help you weave together theory and practice, providing the foundation for your legal career.

Through Our Clinics, Institutes and Special Programs

Our clinics, institutes and special programs allow you to advocate for those too-often underrepresented in the justice system. You often get face time with clients and an opportunity to research and support the causes you believe in. In the clinics, you will stand by your client’s side, wrestling with the emotional and intellectual demands of representing someone whose human or property rights are on the line.

Through Student Group Activisim

Participation in student group activism allows you to exercise your advocacy skills on the issues most important to you. We have more than 30 student groups available ranging from the American Civil Liberties Union to Queer Caucus to the Federalist Society, all to support the needs of Northeastern law students with strong and diverse passions.

Through Special Lectures and Distinguished Speakers

As a thought leader in the area of law in the public interest, the School of Law attracts visiting legal scholars and speakers who specialize in various fields of social justice. The Daynard Public Interest Visiting Fellows Program, the Givelber Distinguished Lecturer Program and the Gordon Human Rights Lecture, in addition to many special lectures (including the NU Law Forum) and panel discussions, bring nationally recognized public interest specialists to campus to address the student body, participate in classes and meet with interested students and faculty.

Through Post-Graduate Success

Though a degree from Northeastern law prepares students for successful practice in any field of law, an impressive 15 percent of Northeastern law graduates work in legal services, advocacy organizations or public defender offices, while another 10 percent enter careers in local, state or federal government. Our Office of Career Services offers programs tailored to the needs of students with an interest in pursuing careers in public interest law.

Through Financial Assistance

The School of Law supports a wide range of public interest initiatives. In particular, the Fund for the Public Interest funds our Loan Deferral/Forgiveness Program for graduates who enter public interest careers. Each year, $700,000 in co-op stipends are distributed to students participating in public interest-related experiential learning opportunities. Our generous Public Interest Law Scholarship and other scholarships support students committed to social justice.