Pro Bono Program

The University of South Carolina is home to the first voluntary Pro Bono Program at a U.S. law school.

We believe it's important to foster the ethic of professional obligation to provide service to the public, especially to those who cannot afford legal help. The Pro Bono Program works to connect knowledge to the real world, and for almost 30 years, South Carolina Law students have been actively involved in a variety of activities in service to the community. The range of opportunities is varied and ever changing.

Through their pro bono work students are able to explore career options and gain knowledge and skills of lasting professional benefit, all while making our state and community a better place for everyone.

Founded in 1801, then-South Carolina College flourished pre-Civil War, overcame post-war struggles, was rechartered in 1906 as a university and transformed itself as a national institution in the 20th and 21st centuries.

The Palmetto State established South Carolina College — the precursor to the University of South Carolina — on Dec. 19, 1801, as part of an effort to unite South Carolinians in the wake of the American Revolution. South Carolina's leaders saw the new college as a way to promote "the good order and harmony" of the state.

The founding of South Carolina College was also a part of the Southern public college movement spurred by Thomas Jefferson. Within 20 years of one another, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia established state-supported colleges.