PILS Officers, from left to right, William “Grey” Fitzgerald (Secretary/Treasurer), Blaike Lee Ordes (Community Service Chair), Emily Fields (Philanthropy Chair), Katelyn Davis (Education/Youth Outreach Chair), Karleigh Gwyn (Careers/Fellowships Chair), Chris Ward (Community Service Vice Chair), Kay Davis (Pro Bono Vice Chair), McKenzie Connelly (IT/Publicity), Madeline Meyer (President), and Professor John Devlin (Faculty Advisor).
Focused on community service, youth outreach, philanthropy, and pro bono work, the Public Interest Law Society provides LSU Law students and alumni with ample opportunities to give back to the Baton Rouge community through volunteering, fundraising, legal assistance, or all the above.
“I think PILS fosters a relationship with the community early on, especially when you have people that will potentially be future community leaders,” said PILS President and 3L Madeline Meyer.
Each academic year, PILS chooses an organization or cause to fundraise and advocate for, and this year it’s the Big Buddy Program, a nonprofit providing children in the Baton Rouge area with positive role models and a supportive community. PILS recently raised over $820 for Big Buddy at their fundraising kickoff bake sale, which was just one of many events the student organization has on its calendar.
PILS recently hosted “A Nightmare at Paul M. Hebert,” a Halloween-themed fundraising event featuring crafts, games, food, and a scary movie. In late September, it teamed up with the Louisiana Bar Association to host a virtual “Free Legal Answers” event, at which law students and local attorneys provided legal advice for individuals who could not otherwise afford to consult an attorney. The initiative not only benefits members of the Baton Rouge community, but it also allows LSU Law students to network with local attorneys and practice researching and answering legal questions. During the last week in October, PILS partnered with the LSU Law Office of Career Services to host a series of events at the Law Center during Public Interest Week, including panel presentations, networking events, a career fair, and evening reception.
Meyer said one of the things she loves most about PILS is its ability to serve the LSU Law and broader community in ways both small and large through its various initiatives.
“I love this organization,” she said. “It makes me feel like I’m contributing and as though I can actually make a difference, even in ways I would never think of.”
Meyer hopes to encourage her fellow law students to continue giving back to their communities after graduation, especially through pro bono legal work.
“Because we overlap with general community outreach, we are fostering a culture of community and giving back, particularly through pro bono within the legal field,” she said.
PUBLIC INTEREST LAW SOCIETY 2022-23 OFFICERS
- Faculty Advisor: Professor John Devlin
- President: Madeline Meyer
- Executive Assistants: Allie Adger, Eloza White
- Pro Bono Chair: Andrea Houghtaling
- Pro bono Vice Chair: Kay Davis
- Community Service Chair: Blaike Lee Ordes
- Community Service Vice Chair: Chris Ward
- Education & Youth Outreach Chair: Katelyn Davis
- IT/Publicity Chair: McKenzie Connelly
- Public Relations Director: Kayla Meyers
- Webmaster: Hannah Hummel
- Fellowships & Career Chair: Karleigh Gwyn
- Philanthropy Chair: Emily Fields
- Secretary/Treasurer: Grey Fitzgerald
- 1L Section 1 Rep: Randi Williford
- 1L Section 2 Rep: Taylor Guice
- 1L Section 3 Rep: Matthew Broussard
