Rewards in Pro Bono Work

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Many University of Arkansas School of Law students have spent the year putting class work to practical use by volunteering to work with Legal Aid of Arkansas, the public defender’s office, city prosecutor’s office, local attorneys and other organizations.

This was the first year the School of Law has officially recognized student pro bono work with a new Pro Bono Program, which is a formal volunteer program with the American Bar Association. The Latin phrase pro bono means “for the good” and is legal shorthand for services provided free of charge.

Two third-year law students were honored in April for devoting hundreds of hours to pro bono work.

One of the students, June Anteski, spent more than 600 hours volunteering at Legal Aid of Arkansas as a pro bono paralegal and Rule XV student attorney. She interviewed walk-in clients and telephone intakes and helped a Hurricane Katrina evacuee file an appeal with the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“We are very fortunate to be in law school,” Anteski said. “We need to donate some time and our skills to helping the less fortunate in the community.”

This wasn’t the first time Anteski has volunteered. Before law school, she volunteered as a teacher of English as a second language. “I have always found volunteer work to be a great experience,” she said.

Although Anteski’s pro bono work didn’t aid her financially, the experiences she gained in legal volunteering certainly contributed positively to her three years in law school. “In many ways, pro bono work is superior to a paid position because it offers flexible hours and lots of hands-on experience helping low-income clients.”

Derick Allison was also honored for his pro bono service. He spent almost 200 hours on pro bono work at the Washington County Public Defender’s Office, working under Wendy Howerton.

He worked with about 25 case files per week. “The sheer exposure to that many fact situations and seeing how they are resolved is a major advantage in starting my own legal career,” Allison said.

Volunteering his knowledge of the law not only benefited low-income clients but also helped Allison apply the law to everyday cases. “On most jobs there is a real limit on how much you can do,” he said about student positions. His work with the public defender’s office renewed his drive to be an attorney.

Both Allison and Anteski will graduate this month with their Juris Doctors from the University of Arkansas School of Law.

Allison earned his undergraduate degree in liberal arts form the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith. He is from Mansfield, Ark., and is the son of Rick Allison and Marie Basham.

Anteski earned her Associate of Arts degree from South Suburban College in Illinois and her Bachelor of Arts in secondary education, social studies from Purdue University.

She is the daughter of Ron Gurgel and Betty Prince. Her mother, Betty Prince, and sister, Heather Prince, live in Mountain Home, Ark.

Allison’s and Anteski’s experiences with pro bono work will continue to affect their careers.

“I will continue to do pro bono work regardless of where I end up,” Anteski said.