President-elect of the New Hampshire Bar Association Ellen Arnold JD '77 is honorary Chair of this year's Public Interest Coalition (PIC) Auction, a Pierce Law tradition that brings together members of the NH legal community to support public interest endeavors. She writes about the value of the event in this week's New Hampshire Bar News:
"In our quest to provide access to justice, this event is an opportunity to get together with colleagues, make a personal contribution, and afford students the opportunity to perform pro bono legal work for non-profit organizations in New England and throughout the United States.
Last year, the auction raised $56,000 which supported 12 student fellowships for pro bono work. It supported legal services to a diverse variety of public interest groups, including New Hampshire Legal Assistance, the Federal Public Defenders’ office in Nashville, Tennessee and “Save our Wild Salmon” in Portland, Oregon. Other beneficiaries included the New Hampshire Public Defender’s Office, New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, New Hampshire National Education Association, Disabilities Rights Center, and NH Civil Liberties Union. These fellowships provide valuable legal services and opportunities for students to learn and, hopefully, continue to commit their energies and skills to the public interest."
Arnold also lifts the curtain on a few of the items on auction this year, including Red Sox tickets and coffee with Governor John Lynch.
To learn more about the Public Interest Coalition Auction, see www.piercelaw.edu/auction.
