Student Practice Organizations

Office of Clinical and Pro Bono Programs (OCP)
Wasserstein Hall, Suite 3085
6 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

617-495-5202

Members of Harvard Defenders and artists at the 2024 Jack T. Litman Symposium, an event organized by the Defenders to spotlight the work of incarcerated artists. Credit: Lorin Granger

Harvard Law School has 11 Student Practice Organizations (SPOs) providing opportunities for students to gain practical legal experience under the supervision of a licensed attorney. 

While students do not receive academic credit for participating in SPOs, their volunteer hours can count towards the HLS 50-hour pro bono graduation requirement starting first day of classes, 1L year.

Student Practice Organizations are run by a student board, where 2L and 3L students assume leadership positions. Everyone, including LL.M. students, is welcomed and encouraged to participate in SPO practice. While membership is open to all HLS students, applications may be required due to attorney supervision capacity.

  • SPO Showcase poster

    Student Practice Organizations (SPO) Showcase

    September 1, 2026
    2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

    Student reps from every Student Practice Organization (SPO) will showcase the legal practice work and the highlights of their student-run organizations. Come learn how to get involved and start gaining legal practice skills right away!

Which SPO is right for you?

Use this tool to filter SPOs to explore which will be the right fit for your interests and the skills you hope to grow.

Sign Up for SPOs

Join us at the Student Practice Organization  Showcase on Tuesday, September 1, 2026 from 2:00-3:30 pm in Milstein West. Student reps from every SPO will showcase the legal practice work and the highlights of their student-run organizations. Come learn how to get involved and start gaining legal practice skills right away!

If you are considering which SPO to join you may review fellow student evaluations of their experience.

Watch the 2025 SPO Panel to hear from SPO student leaders about the organizations’ work and experiences:

Explore the SPOs

Running an SPO

If you’re a student running a Student Practice Organizations, you can find information on policies, budget, technology, and more in this section.