On June 27, Harvard Law School students working in summer jobs around the country will be donating one day of their wages to charitable organizations thanks to One Day’s Work, a new organization founded by HLS students.
“Our goal is to foster a culture of charitable giving at HLS,” said Alec Karakatsanis ’08, one of the organization’s founders. “Because the summer salary at New York firms is now up to about $600 a day, even if just 100 firm-bound students donate, we will raise $60,000 for charity.”
The group initially set a modest goal of getting 100 students to participate, but organizers say over 100 HLS students signed up to pledge their support on the first day, along with several students from Harvard Business School and friends of HLS students on other law school campuses.
“We’re hopeful that students from around the country will join us in this endeavor,” said Michael Glick ’08, another founder of the organization. “One Day’s Work may have started here at Harvard, but we welcome students from other schools to participate. We’re interested in developing a community of giving throughout the legal world, not just among Harvard students.”
Although the group is not advocating for any one specific charity, they have developed affiliations with a diverse group of charitable organizations in order to streamline the giving process for participants. Students may also select their own charity beyond those affiliated with the organization.
Along with Karakatsanis and Glick, eight other 2L’s students make up the One Day’s Work board of directors: Aaron Brooks, Alex Cambouris, Roman Goldstein, Ashley Harris, Ben Huston, Ben Keller, Derek Lyons, and Nicole Valco.