By Anne Barrett

In the autumn of 1999, law student Stacy Rupprecht began discussions with

Michele Mirto, Director of the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP), about the

possibility of law students volunteering alongside volunteer attorneys.  The

law school had a traditional clinical program where students received credit

for clinic work performed on actual cases, but there was no opportunity for

students to volunteer their time and legal skills to gain experience outside

of the classroom.
 
Stacy participated in a large service learning project as an undergraduate

student and felt that she could dovetail her experience and develop a volunteer

program with law students.  The model would pair a law student with a volunteer

attorney at one of the ongoing VLP clinics.  The student would gain hands-on

experience and have the opportunity to interact and learn from practicing

attorneys.
 
To accomplish this goal Stacy joined the Community Service Board at the law

school and with the help and direction of Martha Fenn, the law schools Special

Projects Coordinator, she convinced the law school that a student volunteer

program would offer students the opportunity to gain valuable experience

outside the classroom while providing a much needed community service. 
 
The first student meeting was held in the spring of 2000 where basic information

was disseminated and students signed up to participate during the pilot phase

of the project.  In the summer of 2000, the VLP launched two pilot projects with

volunteer law students. The first project, a collaboration between the United

States Bankruptcy Court and the VLP, is still operating today.  The second

project, the child support program, is still in existence, in a new a improved

format.   Over the years the projects have grown and the participation of

students and volunteer attorneys has increased as well.  In 2009, more than

100 students will participate in five different projects.  It is projected that these

students will help more than 1300 clients in need this year alone. 
 
Today the VLP is proud to report that the student program has become a model

for other programs around the country.  VLP Director Michele Mirto and Judge

Fred Dardis have presented the model at the ABA's Equal Justice Conference. 

The program and its partners have been recognized locally as well as across

the state and around the nation.  Every spring the VLP sponsors an annual

luncheon at which the VLP acknowledges the hard work done by the students

and recognizes specific individuals who go above and beyond.  In the fall, an

award is given to the "Outstanding Student of the Year."  The VLP is pleased to

announce that this award will now be known as the Stacy Rupprecht Butler

Student of the Year Award.