Law Students Help Fill Critical Need During 2026 Pro Bono Marathon

UNH Law students at work during the 2026 Pro Bono Marathon, checking lists, making calls to attorneys with the help of 603 Legal Aid staff.

During this year’s Pro Bono Marathon, UNH Law students placed 22 pro bono cases with N.H. attorneys, the highest number in several years.  The cases included criminal-record annulments, family law, debt collection, wills and advance directives, and bankruptcies. The event was hosted by the Warren B.  Rudman Center for Justice Leadership & Public Service with Students for Public Interest Law and 603 Legal Aid.

Students for Public Interest Law took the lead on this year’s marathon, helping the Rudman Center and 603 Legal Aid spread the word and boost involvement. 

“It is always a pleasure to work with 603 Legal Aid. At the Pro Bono Marathon, they helped everyone in the room feel at ease with the concept of cold calling,” said Aleksa Hall, 2L, President of Students for Public Interest Law. “603 Legal Aid is actively helping in the lives of individual people, and I am grateful to have been part of the event.” 

Every fall during Pro Bono Month, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law students, faculty, and staff sign up to make calls to attorneys around the state asking for their help on behalf of people in need.    

Danny Quinonez spent several hours making pro-bono pitches during the marathon.

On the morning of the marathon, 603 Legal Aid staff arrive with lists of cases and names of UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law graduates who have expressed interest in doing pro-bono work.  After volunteers collect their assignments, the room is soon busy with pro-bono pitches. 

The full-day event fills a critical need, according to Janice Rabchenuk, Pro Bono Director with 603 Legal Aid, a partner since the marathon’s inception. 

“It was inspiring to see the incredible dedication and energy that the law students brought to the recent event,” Rabchenuk said. “Many remarked that they were thankful for the opportunity to have a role in connecting clients in need with volunteer attorneys. They enjoyed the opportunity to make a difference to those in our communities in need of legal help.”