From the entire Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising (OPIA) team, we are excited to welcome you to Harvard Law School! 

During your first year at HLS, there are many ways to get involved with the public interest community, including becoming part of the Public Interest Law Collective (PILC). PILC is a student-led effort designed to provide support and uplift students who plan to use their legal education in service of the public good.  

To join, take 10 minutes to thoughtfully fill out the registration form by September 17. The form asks you to briefly describe what areas of public interest law you are curious about, what you are anxious about, and what you hope to give/get out of PILC. Based on the information provided, OPIA will divide 1L PILC members into groups of 8-10 students, based on career interests, hobbies, and other shared enthusiasms.   

Each small group will be assigned to two upper-class leaders who are also navigating the public interest path at HLS and are available for peer mentoring conversations. Together with your leaders, your group will co-create community building activities designed to foster connection and solidarity. Beyond 1L year, you will become a vital part of fostering and supporting the public interest community at HLS for future generations of law students.  

We ask that each PILC member commit to the following:  

  • Support and uplift your public interest classmates as individuals and as a law school constituency.  
  • Attend two community building activities in each of fall and spring terms (four total for the academic year) that your group plans together. These activities are up to each group to determine and could be anything from social outings (meals, game nights) to community engagement (volunteering, attending lunchtime programs together) to whatever your group finds meaningful and connective.  

Finally, mark your calendars for a PILC kickoff event on September 23 at 6:15pm in WCC 2012, where you will meet other 1L members and your upper-class leaders.  

Questions about PILC? Please email OPIA.