It can be tough sledding for a project, he said. Oddly enough, this is even more so in the pro bono field because lawyers' traditional work is to represent indigent clients, and the idea of a pro bono activity that does not fall directly within a firm's traditional confines is a further compelling reason to do nothing. These figures vary according to funding and participation. Evaluations by the New York City Board of Education have concluded the program not only acquainted students with the courts, the legal profession and the law, but also resulted in students having more respect for school and their teachers, and a deeper interest in their studies. The major goals are to guide students in recognizing the impact of the law on their lives, increasing their knowledge and appreciation of the legal system and provide information on possible careers.
Teachers love it because it excites kids.
It's a win-win situation for everybody. It not only exposes kids to lawyers, but also the paralegals, secretaries, accountants, librarians, research assistants, human resource directors, and computer specialists who keep a law firm humming. It had a great and observable effect. Freedman said he knows students have gone on to Harvard, Princeton, UCLA, and military academies, but he reminds himself to keep his expectations realistic. The average male student at his high school, he said, lives 34 years, because of violence, poverty and drug abuse.