Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation (SPILF)

The Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation (SPILF) was founded in 1978 by Stanford Law School students and alumni. Led entirely by students, the all-volunteer organization was dedicated to creating and supporting opportunities for the public interest community to engage in innovative public interest work.

After a lengthy deliberation, SPILF student leaders decided to let the organization sunset in 2024. This is in recognition of the increasingly limited fundraising yields from student efforts, as well as the Law School’s creation of an endowed center that focuses on public interest programs. The John and Terry Levin Center for Public Service and Public Interest Law (“the Levin Center”) was created in 2007 and has expanded upon SPILF’s legacy.

For over 30 years, SPILF student volunteers raised tens of thousands of dollars each year via a charity auction that brought the SLS community together to support public interest initiatives. With diminishing auction yields in the years leading up to 2020 and then limited success after a return to the live auction, SPILF leaders shifted to a direct mail campaign before deciding to shut down.

During its tenure, SPILF incubated numerous programs that have since been adopted by the Levin Center:

  • One of SPILF’s first initiatives was to raise money to provide summer funding for students who wished to pursue public interest opportunities over the summer. In the early 2000s, the Law School began fully funding the summer public interest funding program and public interest program staff took over administration of the program. Now, a majority of SLS students pursue public interest work during their 1L summer, thanks in large part to this program since so few government and nonprofit employers provide funding.
  • In 1992, SPILF created a grant program that provided support to external nonprofits for more than 20 years. SPILF shifted its focus in 2014 to instead fund SLS student groups wishing to launch new programs. Student initiative grants provided seed funding to new pro bono projects and new student organizations, as well as covered some meals for pro bono projects and travel costs for some Alternative Spring Break trips. In 2023, the Levin Center started providing extra funding to all pro bono projects to cover some meals, above and beyond our long-standing practice of reimbursing students’ transportation and fingerprinting costs. The Levin Center also funds all travel and lodging fees for students participating in Alternative Spring Break trips. The Office of Student Affairs funds all new student organizations.
  • In 2008, SPILF launched and co-funded the SPILF-SLS Public Interest Fellowship, which provided funding for recipients to work full-time for one year in a law-related endeavor designed to further the public interest. SPILF’s leadership in establishing this fellowship program created the momentum that led to the Levin Center fully funding the program starting in 2014. The Law School continues to actively fundraise to support the fellowship program and we now offer 17 postgraduate fellowships.
Michael Caesar, JD '11; Shira Levine, JD '12; Maureen Keffer, JD '11; Meredith Johnson, JD '12; Christy Holstege, JD '12; and Stephanie Klitsch, JD '12.

Six graduates chosen as SPILF-SLS Fellows were reunited at the 2013 Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation’s pre-auction reception. Left to right: Michael Caesar, JD ’11; Shira Levine, JD ’12; Maureen Keffer, JD ’11; Meredith Johnson, JD ’12; Christy Holstege, JD ’12; and Stephanie Klitsch, JD ’12.

  • Finally, SPILF created a 3L Public Interest Bar Grant program to provide cash grants to graduating JD students focused on public interest careers. Graduates each received $1,000 on average. The Levin Center adopted this program in 2024 and will fund it going forward.

The Levin Center will continue to build upon SPILF’s legacy and work closely with student leaders from our Public Interest Fellows and Public Interest Associates programs to identify innovative ways to support public interest students. Rather than relying on student fundraising efforts, the Levin Center will leverage the expertise of the Law School’s development team to generate new resources. 

The Law School and generations of public interest alumni are very grateful for SPILF’s leadership and commitment to public interest work. We would not have the robust and vibrant public interest community at SLS without the incredible efforts of so many SPILF volunteers and donors over the years.  

The Levin Center invites SLS students, faculty, staff, and alums to the annual Spring Public Interest Awards reception on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm in the Manning Lounge (room 270). We will be honoring student and alumni recipients of the Miles L. Rubin Public Interest Award, Deborah L. Rhode Public Interest Award, and Lisa M. Schnitzer Memorial Scholarship. This year we will also be celebrating the legacy of the Stanford Public Interest Law Foundation, which helped launch so many of the critical programs supporting Stanford Law School students and graduates with a commitment to public service. Please RSVP if you can join us.

We look forward to seeing you there!