Is Your Interest the Public Interest? Discover the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program
Published April 29, 2021
When the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program was founded in 1979, the inaugural members wanted to use BPILP—as it’s affectionately known—as a way to encourage law students to bring equal access to those in need of legal help. Now, more than 40 years later, BPILP is still achieving that goal through funding fellowships and connecting students with valuable placement opportunities.
BPILP is fundamentally about providing students with a means to use their talents to help bring equal access to those in need of legal assistance. Driven by their motto, “There is no justice without equal access,” BPILP has forged a legacy by ensuring student fellows end up in public interest and not-for-profit agencies where they are needed most. In addition to providing valuable services for these often-understaffed agencies, students taking part in BPILP fellowships gain invaluable experiences.
The BPILP partners with the most deserving agencies for their fellowship placements; these agencies cannot always pay the students. This is where the BPILP’s fundraising efforts come into play, allowing law students to serve the public interest and still be compensated for their efforts.
The Buffalo Public Interest Law Program’s annual auction holds a special sort of gravitas of its own. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2019, the BPILP auction has helped raise money annually for its fellowships by auctioning everything from major league sports tickets to spa packages to private jazz piano lessons or wine tastings from UB’s own law faculty! And while the global pandemic did slightly delay the 2020 auction, it still happened virtually in April 2021 with great success.
Some students know from the moment they submit their application just where they want to end up after they earn their degree—and some can’t wait that long to start using their skills! Such was the case for Madison Nash ’22, who spent time working for the Erie County District Attorney’s Office and for the Hon. Richard C. Kloch Sr. ’76, a Niagara County Supreme Court Justice, thanks to BPILP.
“I attended a BPILP general interest meeting [and] I knew that support might be available to help me do the work I wanted,” said Nash, who was concerned about being able to pay rent if she accepted the unpaid internship she truly wanted.
For more than three decades, BPILP has provided students like Madison with valuable placement opportunities in various areas of law including domestic violence, human rights, child welfare, housing, disability, homelessness, unemployment and the elderly. Read Madison’s blog post to discover more about her experience and what it means to be supported by BPILP.
With more than 40 years under its belt, the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program is still going strong and serving the needs of not just UB law students, but the greater Buffalo community at large. If you’re interested in becoming a BPILP supporter, wish to apply for a BPILP fellowship or would just like to know more, follow the resource links below.
Additional Resources
The BPILP website
Buffalo Public Interest Law Program - School of Law - University at Buffalo
Applying for a BPILP Fellowship
Get a BPILP Fellowship - School of Law - University at Buffalo
Hear from a Fellowship Student
Fellowships help students provide access to justice - School of Law - University at Buffalo
