The Association of American Law Schools (AALS) recently released the results of an annual survey to measure the contribution law schools make to legal services through clinics, other experiential courses, and the pro bono activities of law students.
In December, 108 law schools reported that 22,336 law students in the class of 2025 contributed more than 5.1 million hours in legal services as part of their legal education, an average of about 230 hours per student. Independent Sector, a nonprofit organization coalition, estimates the value of volunteer time to be $34.79 an hour. Using this number, the total value of the students’ time at these schools is estimated to be in excess of $178 million. The schools represent approximately 60 percent of the students in American Bar Association accredited law schools in the class of 2025.
Many schools reported that some hours were uncounted or difficult to track, suggesting that actual contributions were likely higher.
In addition, the project did not include hours contributed by students enrolled in law school master’s degree programs, such as LLM programs. If the average hours reported per student were applied to the total enrollment in the class of 2025 for all AALS member law schools, the estimated contribution of student volunteer hours to legal services would be worth more than $283 million.
Law students contributed hours through a wide range of activities, including externships with legal aid and community organizations, law school clinics, and student organization projects. These experiential learning opportunities allow students to apply classroom concepts to real-world legal issues under the supervision of lawyers and professors, providing students with practical legal experience while delivering essential services to communities.
“Legal education prepares students for a wide range of meaningful and effective careers,” said Kellye Y. Testy, AALS Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time, these efforts play a vital role in expanding access to justice in many underserved communities, including rural areas, where legal needs too often go unmet, strengthening both the profession and the communities law schools serve.”
Law students contributed hours to hundreds of efforts serving thousands of clients, including the following examples of projects and clinics:
The Association of American Law Schools (AALS), founded in 1900, is a nonprofit association of 174 member and 19 fee-paid law schools.
The mission of AALS is to improve and advance legal education. AALS carries out its mission by promoting the core values of excellence in teaching and scholarship, academic freedom, and diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints, while seeking to serve communities–local, national, and international.
In December, 108 law schools reported that 22,336 law students in the class of 2025 contributed more than 5.1 million hours in legal services as part of their legal education, an average of about 230 hours per student. Independent Sector, a nonprofit organization coalition, estimates the value of volunteer time to be $34.79 an hour. Using this number, the total value of the students’ time at these schools is estimated to be in excess of $178 million. The schools represent approximately 60 percent of the students in American Bar Association accredited law schools in the class of 2025.
Many schools reported that some hours were uncounted or difficult to track, suggesting that actual contributions were likely higher.
In addition, the project did not include hours contributed by students enrolled in law school master’s degree programs, such as LLM programs. If the average hours reported per student were applied to the total enrollment in the class of 2025 for all AALS member law schools, the estimated contribution of student volunteer hours to legal services would be worth more than $283 million.
Law students contributed hours through a wide range of activities, including externships with legal aid and community organizations, law school clinics, and student organization projects. These experiential learning opportunities allow students to apply classroom concepts to real-world legal issues under the supervision of lawyers and professors, providing students with practical legal experience while delivering essential services to communities.
“Legal education prepares students for a wide range of meaningful and effective careers,” said Kellye Y. Testy, AALS Chief Executive Officer. “At the same time, these efforts play a vital role in expanding access to justice in many underserved communities, including rural areas, where legal needs too often go unmet, strengthening both the profession and the communities law schools serve.”
Law students contributed hours to hundreds of efforts serving thousands of clients, including the following examples of projects and clinics:
The Association of American Law Schools (AALS), founded in 1900, is a nonprofit association of 174 member and 19 fee-paid law schools.
The mission of AALS is to improve and advance legal education. AALS carries out its mission by promoting the core values of excellence in teaching and scholarship, academic freedom, and diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints, while seeking to serve communities–local, national, and international.
