Advocacy in Action
A Commitment to Service
Pro bono service is a cornerstone of the Penn Carey Law experience, reflecting a deep commitment to advancing justice and serving underserved populations.
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ach year, students contribute thousands of hours to a wide range of projects through the Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC), which serves as the hub for the Law School’s renowned pro bono program. In the 2024–25 academic year, students volunteered over 27,000 pro bono hours benefiting nearly 50 nonprofit organizations. These efforts included initiatives addressing housing insecurity, youth advocacy, and support for incarcerated individuals, among other things.
The Decarceration Advocacy Project (DAP)
The goal of the Decarceration Advocacy Project (DAP), formerly the Prison Legal Education Project, is to support the decarceration movement by empowering people who are currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania jails and prisons with legal education through weekly jail visits, post-conviction relief assistance including briefs and petitions, and policy change alongside abolitionist policymakers. In the 2024-25 academic year, student advocates provided resources for women incarcerated at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center, distributing self-help legal resource packets to over 500 individuals during weekly visits. DAP advocates also assisted in drafting federal clemency applications, including for those whose sentences would have been significantly reduced under current guidelines, and supported the Death Penalty Policy Project with research to support ending the death penalty nationally.
I came to law school to be an advocate who could collaborate and give incarcerated individuals access to justice. The Decarceration Advocacy Project provides client contact, in-depth understanding of criminal procedure and law, and organization to overcome unfair laws inside and outside of carceral environments, which has truly prepared me to be a holistic, client-centered advocate upon graduation.”
– Dominique Malone L’26
Veterans Law Project (VLP)
The Veterans Law Project (VLP) returned to protect the rights and interests of U.S. military veterans through the legal system, working with partner organizations in Veterans Court on benefits claims, appeals, and other veteran-related legal issues. Project volunteers, which now include about 40 veteran and non-veteran students, conducted targeted legal research, wrote memos and briefs, drafted motions or appeals, and created educational materials for veteran-focused legal organizations in the 2024-25 academic year. Through a partnership with the Veterans Law Center in Philadelphia, VLP advocates also provided legal research to help low-income veterans pursue Veterans Affairs benefits and military discharge upgrades.
Reviving the Veterans Law Project has been an incredible opportunity to partner with veterans’ services in the Philadelphia area. The project pairs student volunteers with organizations to provide legal support to indigent veterans who are often suffering as a result of their service. The Law School has given us great support in our outreach efforts to find partners and projects that further our mission as we rebuild VLP from the ground up.”
– Neil Flattery L’26
Supporting Philadelphia Youth
The Youth Education Project (YEP) and the Law and Justice Mentorship Program (LJMP) remain dedicated to promoting the legal profession in Philadelphia high schools. Volunteers from YEP engaged with 100 students from four Philadelphia high schools, teaching constitutional principles and developing public speaking skills. In April, the students showcased their abilities at the annual moot court competition held at the Law School. Meanwhile, volunteers from LJMP collaborated with Heights Philadelphia and the Pepper Center to provide students from Abraham Lincoln High School in northeast Philadelphia with sessions on topical legal issues and field trips to the Law School, the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, and the James A. Byrne U.S. Courthouse.
My favorite experience at Penn has been teaching with the Youth Education Program. YEP provides an opportunity for Penn Carey Law students to teach local high school students the fundamentals of constitutional law in preparation for a moot court tournament in the spring. My classes met at 7:30 am on Fridays and, despite the early start time, my students’ energy and desire to learn made the experience truly remarkable.”
– James Dlugos L’25
Custody and Protection Project (CAPP)
The Custody and Protection Project (CAPP) provides legal assistance and advice to low-income individuals in Philadelphia who are representing themselves in child custody, child support, and protection from abuse matters. This year, student advocates provided individualized assistance to over 350 pro se clients with custody and protection from abuse matters in Philadelphia Family Court. With substantial training and supervision from Philadelphia Legal Assistance’s (PLA) Family Law Unit, CAPP Certified Legal Interns also represented two clients in court, obtaining an order granting one client sole legal and physical custody and negotiating an agreement for the other client for primary physical custody.
As President of the Custody and Protection Project, we help hundreds of pro se litigants each year navigate the Philadelphia family court system. Many of our clients have survived domestic violence, sexual assault, and other challenges. Working with the Custody and Protection Project has allowed me to grow as an advocate, a leader, and a mentor to other students.”
– Cary Chapman L’25