The new student director of the Pro Bono Program at Georgia State Law is no stranger to volunteer work. Before law school, Kierra Powell (J.D. ’23) was working at the Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network(GAIN). The organization’s mission is to protect and empower immigrant survivors of crime and persecution. Kierra worked closely with the GAIN staff attorneys, and she helped coordinate cases that were assigned to volunteer attorneys throughout the community.
The passion and determination displayed by GAIN’s attorneys inspired Kierra to make the decision to attend law school. “I didn't know how a person even goes about applying for law school,” she said. “It just seemed out of my reach, but I realized it probably seemed out of [the staff attorney’s] reach at some point too, so I decided to just go for it.”
Kierra spent her first year of law school as the 1L rep for the Pro Bono Program and is excited to hit the ground running as the student director heading into her 2L year. Here, she talks about her goals for the program and why getting involved is so important to her.
How did you get involved in the pro bono program?
Because of my experience with GAIN, I was able to coordinate with lawyers that made public service work a priority. I knew coming to law school I wanted to find a way to continue supporting pro bono work. Last year, I got involved with the Pro Bono Program and worked with Atlanta Legal Aid Society on their estate planning project, and even though I had just started law school, I was still able to do work that was helping clients, and that was really fulfilling.
What are your goals as the pro bono student director?
I hope to help facilitate meaningful pro bono experiences for students because if I hadn't had that, I don't know if I would be as passionate and excited about school. I think it's important to give back to our greater Atlanta community. I also want to give back to Georgia State and help grow what is already an amazing program.
How do you see yourself using your law degree?
What I really want to do with my law degree is help people build legacies. I think that so many people either don't know how, or don't have access, to leverage the resources available through the law, and so they need help. So many people have been disadvantaged by different systems that have been put in place, so if I could do my part in helping even the playing field and bring some equity to more people, I would love that.
Why should other students get involved in the pro bono program?
Because it is such a great experience! Every law student is qualified to take on pro bono assignments from day 1 of 1L year. The pro bono work that we get from our community partners often doesn’t require special knowledge, and attorney supervisors will ensure you receive the proper training if it does. Students shouldn't worry about feeling like a project is too big for them or feel afraid of taking something on because the projects are intended to be manageable, and we have great supervising attorneys and training to make sure every student succeeds with their project.
Interview by Mara Thompson