Events
PILC hosts many events to educate students about public service, to celebrate our public interest community, and to prepare students for careers in public interest. A complete listing of events for the current academic year can be obtained by following the link at the left.
Public Service Auction
In 2003, Dean Revesz guaranteed funding to first and second year students pursuing summer public interest internships. In support of this mission, students raise over $100,000 through the Public Service Auction each year. PILC partners with students to ensure the Auction’s success. With their help NYU is able to fund over 300 students annually. Please visit the Public Service Auction website to learn more.
Leaders in Public Interest Series
The centerpiece of PILC's education program is the Leaders in Public Interest Series, which brings to NYU leading practitioners in a wide variety of public service careers. The series brings attorneys from around the country to discuss public interest issues and careers. Students have the opportunity to meet with the speakers, both in small groups before the speech and at a networking reception afterward. The first lecture of the Fall semester is the Abrams Public Service Lecture, given by a prominent public figure who has performed exemplary public service. Past speakers have included New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram ‘96, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski, and Senator Joseph Lieberman. Using the links at left, you can access lists of the speakers appearing in the last five years.
PILC Student Advisor Program
PILC’s Student Advisor Program is an opportunity for students to provide ongoing information and inspiration to one another. Student Advisors are third-year law students committed to public interest law and the NYU Law community. Throughout the year, they share their job search strategies, internship experiences, and advice about classes, clinics, journals, and student groups with first year students. The Student Advisors host a series of pizza lunches that focus on various areas of public service law. They also organize a mentoring program for approximately 200 law students and help to organize public interest social events.
Annual Public Interest Student Retreat
In 2008, PILC inaugurated an annual Public Interest Student Retreat. This day-long retreat, which takes place on a Sunday during the fall semester, brings together incoming students and alumni to discuss cutting edge issues in public interest law. Major topics coved include managing the school/life balance and life outside of the classroom. Activities include a radical walking tour of Greenwich Village. It is a great opportunity for 1Ls to bond with like-minded students and deepen their knowledge of public interest law.
D.C. Government Summer Series
PILC launched the D.C. Guarini Government Summer Series in 2009 to foster student interest in careers with the federal government and connect them with NYU alumni. Events include discussions with prominent alumni in government, a panel with more recent alumni sharing their experiences, and a networking happy hour for students and alumni.
Public Interest Legal Career Fair
This annual fair, held each February, is the largest public interest legal career fair in the nation. Prospective employers meet with students from 21 participating law schools who want to obtain summer internships, permanent jobs, or learn more about careers in public interest law. The Fair usually involves more than 200 employers and over 2,000 students attending from 21 law schools. A link to the Career Fair is at the left.
Deans' Cup
Since 2002, students at NYU and Columbia Law Schools have organized an annual basketball game played between the students at the two schools to raise money for public interest law. Each year over 1,400 students and alumni attend the events, which thanks to the generous support of sponsoring law firms, yields almost $75,000 for public interest programs at the two schools.