Members of the University of Miami School of Law community, alumni, and public interest employers recently gathered for the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center’s Annual Public Interest Recognition Ceremony.
Interim dean Patricia Abril welcomed guests, acknowledging the energy in the room and the importance of celebrating the pro bono ethic at the law school. She shared that during her first year as interim dean, she noticed the sense of community around service and congratulated students on their meaningful involvement.
Judge Beth Bloom, J.D. ‘88, from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, served as the keynote speaker and inspired the audience with her thoughts on leadership, justice, and ensuring the rule of law. She shared that, as a proud law school graduate, she is impressed by the number of opportunities for community engagement and encouraged students to continue their commitment to giving back by serving as leaders in the legal profession.
During the ceremony, students from each class were honored for their commitment to pro bono advocacy and community service. Students participating in the Pro Bono Challenge pledge to volunteer at least 75 hours of pro bono legal work during law school. The students who logged the most pro bono hours during the 2024-2025 academic year were 1L Carlos Santiago (Catholic Charities Legal Services), 2Ls Robert Bernstein (Broward County Public Defender) and India Morin (Judge Sanchez with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida), and 3Ls Nicholas Tricarico (Federal Public Defender’s Office and hours logged above and beyond his Human Rights Clinic requirement) and Emily Grady (Judge Jordan-11th Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge Torres-U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida).
Students participating in the Community Service Challenge pledge to volunteer at least 25 hours of non-legal community service each year. The students who logged the most community service hours during the 2024-2025 academic year were 1L Stephanie Haik, 2L Marisa Ewing, and 3L Saagar Patel.
“We are so proud of the students who have chosen to participate in the Pro Bono and Community Service Challenges,” said HOPE associate director Sharon Booth. “Pro bono work, in particular, allows students to develop skills while serving the community and fulfilling an important mission of the legal profession. This year, students logged over 20,000 pro bono hours, serving clients and causes near and far.”
Each year, HOPE presents an Exemplary Service Award to a student or group of students who have gone above and beyond in providing services to those most in need. This award is based on a commitment to addressing the unmet needs of the underrepresented and demonstrated commitment and leadership through service. This year’s awards went to Immigration Clinic students Lauren Rasco, Maria Rios, and Olivia Sabates for their work representing a transgender woman in deportation proceedings and to Litigation Skills externship student Lily Arslanian for her work representing indigent defendants at the Miami-Dade Public Defender’s Office.
Students participating in the Miami Public Interest Scholars Program, Miami Law clinics, Litigation Skills, externships, Center for Ethics and Public Service, the social justice concentration, Alternative Breaks, and the HOPE Liaison Program were acknowledged at the ceremony, in addition to students who will serve as summer fellows and members of the Public Interest Leadership Board.
Assistant dean for Public Interest & Pro Bono and director of HOPE, Marni Lennon, echoed the sentiment of the evening. “The recognition ceremony allowed us to celebrate the unwavering commitment to access to justice at the University of Miami School of Law. We are so proud of our students who exemplify a pro bono ethic and embrace the obligation to leverage their skills to serve others.”
Read more about the HOPE Public Interest Resource Center.
2025 Pro Bono and Community Service Award Recipients
