On October 5 and 6, 2007, the Columbus School of Law of The Catholic University of America is hosting a national conference titled "The Role of Law Schools in Fostering Commitment to Pro Bono Publico." This two-day conference will include a survey of the ways in which laws schools currently are meeting their obligation under ABA Accreditation Standard 302(b)(2) to "provide substantial opportunities" for student participation in pro bono activities, but, more important, this conference will be a forum to investigate effective and innovative ways in which law schools can expand pro bono opportunities for students; examine the creation of partnerships with alumni and other legal professionals to make free and low cost legal services more available to those who cannot afford such services; and explore ways to enhance the environment within law schools to foster in graduates a life-time commitment to community service, including the provision of pro bono legal services.

Who should attend? We believe the question of what can law schools do better to foster a commitment to pro bono is of interest to all segments of the legal community and can be answered only through a sustained dialogue among academia, the bench, and the bar. Therefore, we hope faculty, staff, and administrators of law schools will attend and engage with interested members of the bench and bar to begin this process.