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It recommended law schools integrate legal analysis, ethics training, and practical experience into their curricula. Bonnar says Osgoode's public interest requirement makes the law school unique and it's something students should consider when applying. "As an institution it gives us the ability to say both as students come in and as they go out that no one leaves Osgoode without doing work in the public interest," she says. "And so as they enter the legal profession, they have an appreciation of what it means to hold access to justice in their hands and really make a meaningful difference." She recognizes, however, that a public interest requirement isn't necessarily the right move for all law schools and there are other ways of encouraging students to get involved. "If you entwine the idea of it serving the public interest as an inherent element of the profession, then perhaps that Hit the ground . At WeirFoulds, we know students and associates are eager to get to the chase. As a regional firm known for our high-quality legal work, prioritized personal service, and a "faster on their feet" approach, we provide the early responsiblity our new recruits are hunting for. Consistently ranked in Canadian Lawyer's Top 10 Regional Firms, we set the pace for a satisfying career. Protect your future. Gain a competitive advantage. WeirFoulds LLP. 22 fall 2013 CANADIAN L a w y e r 4 students 416.365.1110 www.weirfoulds.com will encourage students to seek out these opportunities on their own," she says. PROVIDE MEANINGFUL OPPORTUNITIES Stevens says students will be motivated to do public interest work if there are meaningful opportunities for them at law school. "Offering students rich extracurricular opportunities will entice students to be involved regardless of whether or not it's mandatory," he says. "The challenge is to try to provide the most intellectually stimulating, gratifying opportunities that allow students to make an impact, and if you can provide those I don't think you'll have to make the requirement mandatory because students are increasingly looking for these kinds of opportunities." PBSC is working to develop more opportunities in mainstream areas of the law, says Gershbain, such as tax, wills and estates, and corporate non-profit, because it wants to make sure there are appealing placements available for a variety of student interests. Bonnar says most students express an interest in doing public interest work even without requiring it. "In my experience, the vast majority of students want to give back and that's a huge part of why they came to law school," she says. It also looks good on a resumé. While Sherrard Kuzz LLP managing director Rhonda Cohen says she doesn't necessarily look for a student's public interest experience when hiring for the firm, it doesn't hurt to have it. "Any experience that a student has that enhances their ability to be knowledgeable, worldly, empathetic, and practical is valuable," she says. "We want students who care about their community, who care about other people, and are prepared to get involved." Stevens says students will also personally gain from doing pro bono work and he highly recommends taking advantage of opportunities like PBSC. "The most surprising thing about law school is how incredible the co-curricular opportunities are. They are so meaningful and they really round out your legal education," he says. Gershbain emphasizes the variety of value pro bono work offers students. "First of all, it exposes students to the value of the pro bono ethic. It makes it more likely that they'll go out into the profession

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