Marquette Law School Earns Fourth Ever ABA Pro Bono Award

Marquette Law School has been named the recipient of the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Publico Award. The honor recognizes the volunteer legal services the school provides to low-income and disadvantaged persons. This is the fourth time in 40 years that a law school has received this specific distinction from the ABA.

The award acknowledges the scale of volunteer work conducted by the legal community at Marquette. In 2025, volunteer attorneys and law students recorded more than 6,000 client visits. These figures demonstrate the sustained commitment of faculty, staff, students, and alumni to serving the public interest through direct legal aid.

President Kimo Worthy noted the achievement in his fall 2026 address to the university community. He extended congratulations to the entire Law School team for their contributions. The award serves as a marker of the institution’s dedication to its Jesuit values of service and social justice.

This recognition arrives as the university continues to engage in broader institutional planning. The Mission Priority Examen began in earnest this semester to reaffirm the school's Catholic, Jesuit mission. Co-chairs Dr. Stephanie Quade and Dr. Bill Fliss are leading the process with a steering committee. Dialogue sessions will be held this fall to gather input from the Marquette community.

The Law School’s award is one of several developments highlighted in the president’s recent correspondence. The Near West Side Partners marked its 11th year of collaboration with anchor institutions including Advocate Aurora Health and Harley-Davidson. The group plans to develop North 27th Street into a health and wellness corridor. Advocate Aurora will open The Beacon facility on 27th Street and Wisconsin Avenue in 2027.

Marquette Dental School students will provide care to children with special needs through an externship program. This program will operate in partnership with Community Smiles Dental within the new Beacon facility. Additionally, the Haggerty Museum of Art received the inaugural 25 Year Award from the American Institute of Architects on Oct. 2.

The museum was honored for its architectural legacy and continued influence on Wisconsin’s built environment. Pope Leo XIV commented on the role of museums during a meeting with global directors earlier in the month. He described museums as places of memory, beauty, and history. The university community is scheduled to attend the Presidential Address on Nov. 9 in the Alumni Memorial Union Monaghan Ballrooms.