KU Law students make 2025 honor roll for pro bono service
LAWRENCE — Sixty-five University of Kansas School of Law students provided more than 2,500 hours of free legal services during the 2024-2025 academic year. This is the largest number of students who completed pro bono service in an academic year since the beginning of KU Law’s pro bono program.
The students’ services included preparing tax returns for low-income residents, representing parties in the KU Court of Parking Appeals and helping individuals expunge criminal records and reinstate their driver’s license. Several students traveled to Native American reservations in South Dakota to serve as election observers and protect voters’ rights. Others worked with volunteer attorneys to provide legal information and advice to income-eligible Kansans through the Kansas Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers Program. Students also assisted judges, worked in prosecutors’ offices and other government agencies, including the Department of Justice, and served as court-appointed special advocates for children in foster care.
“KU Law students consistently demonstrate a commitment to doing legal work for the public good,” said Meredith Schnug, clinical associate professor and associate director of the Legal Aid Clinic. “They have devoted thousands of hours to pro bono service while gaining practical legal experience in the process.”
KU Law defines pro bono work as uncompensated, law-related work that benefits the public, such as through a nonprofit organization or government agency.
The following 50 students completed 15 hours or more of pro bono service during the 2024-2025 academic year, earning a spot on KU Law’s Pro Bono Honor Roll. Students are listed by name, graduation year and hometown:
- Cecilia Bailey, 2025, Springfield, Missouri
- Davis Bax, 2026, Stilwell
- Camilla Brown, 2027, Topeka
- Kaitlyn Cairns, 2025, Andover
- Carly Cook, 2025, Colleyville, Texas
- Mitchell Dondlinger, 2027, Overland Park
- Ian Englebright, 2026, Wichita
- Lauren Fallis, 2027, Leawood
- Danielle Ferrigno, 2027, Overland Park
- Karenna Fife, 2026, Honolulu, Hawaii
- Gabriella Fischer, 2027, Salina
- Christian Fish, 2026, Pensacola, Florida
- Kennedy Frost, 2027, Allen, Texas
- Kylie Hance, 2025, Leawood
- Jacob Himberger, 2026, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- David Holt, 2027, Bonner Springs
- Skylee James, 2025, San Diego, California
- William James, 2025, St. Charles, Missouri
- Keirn Kinnan, 2026, Lenexa
- Matthew Koegel, 2025, East Meadow, New York
- Grace Lahr, 2025, Scottsdale, Arizona
- Amy Larson, 2027, Riverton, Wyoming
- Emma Leonard, 2025, De Soto
- Kelli Ludlum, 2025, Uniontown
- Ross Luinenburg, 2025, Rochester, Minnesota
- Evelyn Manresa, 2026, McPherson
- Keith Marshall, 2027, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
- Sadie McWilliams, 2027, Basehor
- Sidharth Mohan, 2027, Wellington, Florida
- Sam Mousa, 2027, Kansas City, Missouri
- Ava Mumgaard, 2027, Omaha, Nebraska
- Israel Nelson, 2025, Gastonia, North Carolina
- Evan Norkey, 2026, Olathe
- Shelby Norman, 2027, Lee’s Summit, Missouri
- Liz Oltjen, 2026, Leawood
- Nathaniel Page, 2027, Parker, Colorado
- Gabby Phillips, 2025, Norwich
- Neil Pol, 2026, Suwanee, Georgia
- Bella Price, 2027, Spring Hill
- Andrew Propeck, 2027, Wildwood, Missouri
- Grace Robinson, 2027, Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Carson Schmidt, 2026, Olathe
- Yuvia Serna, 2025, Carol Stream, Illinois
- Tanya Singh, 2026, Manhattan
- Brett Smith, 2026, Edmond, Oklahoma
- Nastacia Smith, 2027, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Christopher Storino, 2027, West Windsor, New Jersey
- Mara Taubert, 2027, Pipestone, Minnesota
- Chandler Thompson, 2027, American Fork, Utah
- Cody White, 2026, Troup, Texas.
The American Association of Law Schools (AALS) invites member institutions to recognize one student annually for the AALS Pro Bono Honor Roll. This year, KU Law nominated Evan Norkey, Class of 2026.
Norkey has demonstrated a commitment to pro bono service since they first started law school. Despite the demands of the first-year schedule, Norkey sought out multiple opportunities to engage in pro bono service — performing more than 90 hours of service during the academic year. In their second year of law school, Norkey’s continued involvement with pro bono service included an additional 50 hours. They served as counsel through the KU Law Court of Parking Appeals, drafted pleadings through the Guardianship Assistance Program, prepared tax returns with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, helped with the school’s expungement clinic and participated in the Free Legal Answers Pro Bono Day in collaboration with the Kansas Bar Association.
“Pro bono work provides a unique opportunity to gain practical experience while helping meet unmet legal needs,” Norkey said. “I came to law school to provide legal services for people who otherwise could not access them, so pro bono work has been an integral part of my time in law school. I look forward to continuing my involvement with pro bono work and public interest organizations as I finish law school and begin my career.”
In addition, 15 students were honored with Pro Bono Distinction for completing 50 hours or more of pro bono service throughout their law school career. Collectively, members of the Class of 2025 performed more than 2,340 hours of pro bono service during their time in law school.
“Pro bono work has been one of the most meaningful parts of my law school experience. Whether I was helping someone expunge their criminal record, obtain legal guardianship of their loved one with a disability, contest their parking ticket, or file their taxes, I saw how even limited legal support can have a significant impact,” said Skylee James, Class of 2025. “The Pro Bono Program reminded me what drew me to law in the first place — to help make the legal system more accessible and empowering. It also taught me that advocacy starts with empathy and humility, and that listening — not leading — can often be the most valuable way to offer support. I’m grateful to KU Law for providing so many opportunities to serve individuals who often don’t have access to legal help.”
Students who received Pro Bono Distinction were recognized at the law school’s Hooding Ceremony on May 17:
- Cecilia Bailey, 2025, Springfield, Missouri
- Kaitlyn Cairns, 2025, Andover
- Dane Caster, 2025, Inman
- Carly Cook, 2025, Colleyville, Texas
- Hailey Black Danks, 2025, Kansas City, Missouri
- Ryan Fuentes, 2025, Thornton, Colorado
- Kylie Hance, 2025, Leawood
- Skylee James, 2025, San Diego, California
- William James, 2025, St. Charles, Missouri
- Matthew Koegel, 2025, East Meadow, New York
- Grace Lahr, 2025, Scottsdale, Arizona
- Kelli Ludlum, 2025, Uniontown
- Gabby Phillips, 2025, Norwich.