Attorneys often witness a person’s worst day. That’s something law student Isabelle Hurdle Hassell (BA ’24) observed while volunteering at the Timpanogos Legal Center in Provo, which brought her face-to-face with community members desperately seeking legal protection and guidance.
Many of the people who visit the clinic are facing custody battles, home evictions, or domestic abuse but can’t afford legal services. Hassell remembers being moved by how sensitive and empathetic the attorney she partnered with was during a particularly emotional meeting with a client. “I had a moment where I thought, ‘That’s what I want to be like,’” she says. “I need to learn so that I can be like that.”
As part of the BYU 150 celebration, departments across campus are completing “Beacons of Light” projects to showcase how they radiate light. BYU Law’s Department of Student Affairs invited students to pledge to complete 50 hours of pro bono legal work before graduation.
“We are encouraging students…to live in such a way that they’re emulating the Savior,” says director of student affairs Denise R. Beatty ( JD ’96), who oversees the initiative. “Lawyers are uniquely positioned to use all of their skills…to serve those around them, and the pro bono program really encourages the use of both their heart and their mind.”
Hassell’s volunteer work at the Timpanogos Legal Center allowed her to partner with licensed attorneys to help tackle real cases while helping her fulfill her pro bono pledge. Fellow student Graciana Messier (’27) also spent time volunteering at the clinic. “Not everyone in society has the privilege of going to law school and having this type of education,” she says. “It’s good to do service and do work for people that need it.”
Both she and Hassell are passionate that pro bono service is a responsibility. “Pro bono work should [always] be something that is a part of your legal career,” says Messier.
