Paladin, a pro bono management platform, and Practising Law Institute (PLI), a nonprofit legal education provider, have announced a partnership aimed at integrating skills training with pro bono work for law students.

Under the arrangement, law students using Paladin’s platform to find pro bono placements will also have access to PLI’s on-demand training programs. The idea is to pair the moment a student takes on a pro bono matter — such as an immigration intake clinic, elder benefits case or innocence research project — with targeted instruction to help them handle it.

PLI already offers practical training at no cost to law students through its Law School Hub, with programs covering pro bono skills, AI in legal practice and various practice areas. Paladin, meanwhile, launched its law school program in August 2025 with 30 schools and it reports that students have since signed up for more than 5,600 pro bono cases through the platform.

Kristen Sonday, cofounder and CEO of Paladin, said that she sees the integration of legal training with hands-on pro bono experience as the future of legal education.

“Especially with the advancement of AI and associates’ work changing so rapidly, there is no substitute for real-world pro bono experience,” Sonday said. “With PLI’s trusted, expert-led training programs and Paladin’s network of student-specific opportunities, students are entering a new era of experiential learning.”

PLI’s Chief Strategy Officer Kirsten Talmage said the initiative is intended to help law schools provide practical training while building a pipeline of lawyers who will continue pro bono work throughout their careers.

“By integrating pro bono into their legal education, students strengthen the substantive skills that support career advancement, while also deepening empathy, building stronger connections to their communities, and enhancing their overall sense of purpose and fulfillment,” she said.

Paladin works with more than 350 legal services organizations and connects them with law firms, in-house legal departments, and bar associations seeking pro bono matters.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.