Description:

Prisoner Legal Services (PLS) volunteers with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department’s PLS office to provide pro bono legal services to incarcerated people at San Francisco County Jail #3, located in San Bruno. Supervised by PLS attorneys, student volunteers provide incarcerated people with legal information on criminal law, conditions of confinement, collateral consequences, custody, release, and miscellaneous civil matters. Generally, our volunteers staff PLS weekly or biweekly.

Description:

Volunteers are asked to commit to one weekly or biweekly two-hour shift at San Francisco County Jail #3 (about a 30-minute drive from campus) and complete necessary follow-up from jail visits, often including legal research and memo writing. Before starting in-person jail visits, students will receive training from PLS attorneys, attend a cultural competency training, and receive security clearance from the Sheriff’s Department.

Open Membership Spots: 15

Adv. Degree Student Participation: Permitted

Winter Start: Permitted, But Winter Start Preferred

Eligible for Meeting NYS Bar Pro Bono Requirement: Likely

Language Ability Preference: Spanish is useful but not a prerequisite.

Project Leaders: John Garrison and Sara Wishingrad