PSR Frequently Asked Questions
1 What is the Public Service Requirement and what are the goals of the requirement?
2 What are the options to satisfy the Public Service Requirement?
3 When can a student satisfy the Public Service Requirement?
4 What must a student who intends to satisfy the Public Service Requirement do?
5 When will my Public Service Requirement show up as complete?
6 Do I need to register for the Public Interest Practicum on Banner?
7 Can I satisfy the Public Service Requirement through a paid externship if I do fifty (50) hours of unpaid work?
8 I am doing unpaid work for a private firm. If I am working pro bono, will that satisfy the Public Service Requirement?
9 What if I am receiving credit for my Legal Externship? Does that still satisfy the requirement?
10 Can you find a practicum for me?
11 What if I can’t complete 50 hours of practicum work?
12 Can I do unpaid work for more than one qualifying organization in satisfaction of the PSR?
13 Additional Questions? See the Public Service Requirement homepage »
1 What is the Public Service Requirement and what are the goals of the requirement?
See the Public Service Requirement homepage.
2 What are the options to satisfy the Public Service Requirement?
See the How to Satisfy the Public Service Requirement
3 When can a student satisfy the Public Service Requirement?
In general, a student may satisfy the PSR once he or she has completed 30 academic credit hours. However, students who have completed one academic year (either day or evening) may satisfy the PSR through enrollment in a Public Interest Practicum for zero credit even if he or she has not completed 30 academic credit hours. For a quick reference, please review Ways to Satisfy the Public Service Requirement » Students are strongly encouraged to satisfy the Public Service Requirement before their final semester in law school.
4 What must a student who intends to satisfy the Public Service Requirement do?
Decide how you wish to complete the requirement – i.e. through a Student Law Office Clinic, Legal Externship, Public Interest Practicum, Street Law Course, etc. Please review Ways to Satisfy the Public Service Requirement for a complete list of approved ways to satisfy the PSR.
Once you have determined how you will complete the PSR, fill out and submit the Intent to Satisfy the Public Service Requirement form. Note: Completing and submitting this form will NOT automatically register a student for the Public Service Requirement option that the student chooses for the following semester/summer. It simply notifies the Director of Public Interest of the student’s intent to satisfy the PSR in the upcoming semester/term. Once a student submits an Intent form, the following steps will occur:
- If a student indicates an intent to satisfy the PSR through enrollment in a Public Interest Practicum, the student will receive an email explaining what paperwork is required for enrollment. Once the student submits the appropriate paperwork, the student’s name will be forwarded to the Registrar’s Office for enrollment in a Public Interest Practicum.
- If a student indicates an intent to satisfy the PSR through another course or program (Legal Externship, Student Law Office clinic, and so forth), the student’s name will be added to the Public Service Requirement database. At the end of the semester, once it has been confirmed that the student has passed the course, the Registrar’s Office will be notified that the student has satisfied this graduation requirement.
5 When will my Public Service Requirement show up as complete?
The Director of Public Interest notifies the registrar of student completion approximately three times a year, after grades have been received each semester. A grade must be available for the specific option the student has completed in order for the Public Service Requirement to be satisfied and reported.
6 Do I need to register for the Public Interest Practicum on Banner?
No, the Director of Public Interest will ask the Registrar’s Office to register the student once he or she has submitted the necessary preliminary paperwork. Upon receipt of the Intent form indicating the student’s wish to enroll in a Public Interest Practicum, the student will receive an email detailing what other forms are required.
7 Can I satisfy the Public Service Requirement through a paid internship if I do fifty (50) hours of unpaid work?
Possibly, but please speak with the Director of Public Interest beforehand to ensure that the work you are doing qualifies for the PSR, and to discuss how best to “wall off” the unpaid work from your compensated duties.
8 I am doing unpaid work for a private firm. If I am working pro bono, will that satisfy the Public Service Requirement?
Just because you are unpaid does not mean that the work is pro bono. While you can satisfy the Public Service Requirement by volunteering at a private law firm, you must do at least fifty (50) hours of uncompensated work that the firm has undertaken on a pro bono basis. Please contact the Director of Public Interest with questions about whether a particular project constitutes pro bono work.
9 What if I am receiving credit for my Legal Externship? Does that still satisfy the requirement?
Many externships with the Legal Externship Office satisfy the Public Service Requirement. (See the Ways to Satisfy the Public Service Requirement). You may satisfy the Public Service Requirement with a qualifying externship for which you received credit.
10 Can you find a practicum for me?
It is the student’s job to find his or her own practicum. While the Director of Public Interest works to develop and advertise practicum opportunities to the student body, it is ultimately the student’s responsibility to find a supervisor and a practicum opportunity.
11 What if I can’t complete 50 hours of practicum work?
In order to pass the Public Interest Practicum for zero or one academic credit, students must complete at least fifty hours of practicum work. There is no exception to this rule. Students who do not complete a minimum of fifty hours cannot pass the practicum and will not satisfy the Public Service Requirement.
12 Can I do unpaid work for more than one qualifying organization in satisfaction of the PSR?
Yes, you can. If you are considering this approach, please contact the Director of Public Interest to discuss where you will be working and how to handle the logistics of this option.
13 Additional Questions?
If you have additional questions, please email publicinterest@law.du.edu.