PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AS AN OBLIGATION OF NORTH DAKOTA ’ S LAW SCHOOL
PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AS AN OBLIGATION OF NORTH DAKOTA ’ S LAW SCHOOL
KATHRYN R . L . RAND Dean , University of North Dakota School of Law
As a public citizen , a lawyer should seek improvement of the law , access to the legal system , the administration of justice , and the quality of service rendered by the legal profession . As a member of a learned profession , a lawyer should cultivate knowledge of the law beyond its use for clients , employ that knowledge in reform of the law , and work to strengthen legal education . In addition , a lawyer should further the public ’ s understanding of and confidence in the rule of law and the justice system because legal institutions in a constitutional democracy depend on popular participation and support to maintain their authority . A lawyer should be mindful of deficiencies in the administration of justice and of the fact that the poor , and sometimes persons who are not poor , cannot afford adequate legal assistance . Therefore , all lawyers should devote professional time and resources and use civic influence to ensure equal access to our system of justice for all those who because of economic or social barriers cannot afford or secure adequate legal counsel . A lawyer should aid the legal profession in pursuing these objectives and should help the bar regulate itself in the public interest .
Preamble : A Lawyer ’ s Responsibilities , North Dakota Rules of Professional Conduct
As attorneys , we share the responsibility of contributing professional and public service to improve the law and legal services . That responsibility starts in law school . As North Dakota ’ s law school , we work to instill in our students a commitment to serving our state and our communities . Here are a few examples of our efforts :
• The School of Law , the State Bar Association of North Dakota , and the North Dakota court system continued to promote the Rural Justice Program to help address the critical unmet legal needs in the state ’ s rural areas . We are grateful to the Edson & Margaret Larson Foundation for its continued support of this important program .
• During the 2017 Legislative Session , 11 UND law students work full-time as externs at the state capitol with the experienced attorneys at the North Dakota Legislative Council and the North Dakota Attorney General ’ s office . The students ’ work assists legislators and legislative committees , while the students gain firsthand knowledge of our state ’ s legislative process .
• In March 2017 , the North Dakota Law Review will host its biennial Energy Law Symposium in Bismarck . Working with practitioners and scholars in the field , the students offer CLE programming to attorneys and other industry professionals . This year , law students will be able to earn credit for attending the symposium .
• Under the leadership of B . J . Jones , the law school ’ s Tribal Judicial Institute ( TJI ) provides technical services and training for the Bureau of Justice Assistance ’ s Tribal Court Assistance Program ( TCAP ). It has received federal funding to work with more than 200 Indian tribes in the development and enhancement of tribal justice systems .
• The School of Law ’ s Clinical Legal Education Program contributes to improving access to justice by providing lower income persons with the means to enforce existing legal rights and
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