The University of Houston Law Center marked the start of the 2024 Fall semester with its 10th annual Community Service Days. The milestone project, established in 2014, is a longstanding tradition at the Law Center aiming to instill a sense of public service in students.
“The Law Center started Community Service Day series of service opportunities 10 years ago when I first became dean. I believe that ‘To whom much is given, much is expected.' Being a lawyer is a very noble, honorable, and privileged profession. We have a responsibility to give back to our communities in any way we can whether it is philanthropically, providing our wisdom, or providing actual service,” said Leonard M. Bayes, Dean and Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Chair at UHLC.
The two-day event featured a variety of service projects. Students assisted in Native Seed Packaging with Professor Lauren Simpson, where they sorted, packaged, and labeled native plant seeds that will be available throughout the year in the Law Library.Additionally, students participated in the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Veterans Clinic at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, offering legal advice to veterans and their families. Meanwhile, another group of students assisted at the Houston Food Bank, inspecting and repackaging food for local distribution.
Students also volunteered at the BakerRipley Citizenship Forum at the Magnolia Multi-Service Center, where they worked with attorneys to assist permanent residents applying for naturalization and U.S. citizenship.
As part of the Community Service Days, the UHLC Immigration Clinic joined forces with Catholic Charities USA to host a special clinic dedicated to spousal parole, aiming to assist noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens in regularizing their immigration status. UHLC 1Ls, 2Ls, 3Ls, and even a recent graduate participated in the event.
“By affording the incoming 1Ls with these community service opportunities, it allows them to learn more about the City of Houston and the needs of its people who may need our help. I hope by doing these projects, the students will remember to give back when they graduate and become successful lawyers. No matter whether they become corporate lawyers handling private equity transactions or legal aid lawyers representing indigent clients, we all have a responsibility to go beyond ourselves and help those in need,” said Baynes.
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