The Law School's vision is to educate community leaders. We emphasize community service as a central aspect of professional responsibility and provide a variety of service opportunities to our students. To demonstrate the commitment of the legal profession to public service, as well as to enhance the program of legal education offered at the Law School, students at the Law School are required to complete twenty-five hours of community service per semester in a project of their choosing.

Although faculty and students are able to structure their community service projects to meet their own individual preferences and schedules, the Law School assists faculty and students in making time for these projects by scheduling one afternoon a week that faculty and students may use to engage in community service projects.

Law-related projects provided by the Law School in the past included a conflict resolution program taught by our students and faculty in the public elementary schools of Buchanan County, a county mapping project in which our students engaged in property research and mapping, working with Buchanan Neighbors United, a group that provides housing repairs to improve substandard housing in Buchanan County, and a gender-bias study of the Virginia state court system in which our students worked as courtroom observers and reviewed documents. Currently, a wide range of over sixty projects are available for students. Following below is a list of some popular, ongoing projects.

The Buchanan County Community Christmas Collaborative ASL students organize and oversee a program designed to provide for worthy children and families during the holidays. Every child sponsored by the program receives clothing, winter jackets, shoe gift certificates from a local department store and his or her special toy request. The BCCCC also sponsors a party for the children and their families to distribute the gifts complete with a magician, food and ...of course... Santa Claus. In 2004, the BCCCC sponsored 175 children from over 80 families.
The ASL 5K Memorial Walk/Run The Annual race is held to commemorate the lives of Tom Blackwell, Tony Sutin, and Angela Dales and to build a stronger community through their memory. The race raises money for the Sutin and Blackwell Endowment scholarships at ASL. Race weekend has become an anchor weekend on the spring calendar with several other campus events scheduled around this extraordinary and admirable event. Student organizers involved in this service project spend their time preparing for the almost 300 participants on race day.
The "Law Revue" The "Law Revue" takes weekly trips to a local retirement home and entertain the residents. These students use their interest in music to satisfy their community service obligation while at the same time brightening the day for the elderly members in our community. The "Law Revue" also entertains ASL students on occasion.
Slate Creek/Grundy Fire Departments Several Students at ASL have experience as Emergency Medical Technicians and Firefighters. These students meet one night a week to offer their services to the local volunteer fire departments. Volunteers assist with firefighting and rescue in Slate Creek, Grundy and surrounding communities. Pictured from left to right: Front: Brian Wilson, Michael Orlando, Josh Mullins, Williams Clemons Back: Vladimir Golondrina
ASL Recycling Program This is student initiated program developed to recycle items used at ASL. Students setup, monitor and physically transport the recycled products to an off-campus location for processing. The group utilizes community sponsorships to fund their initiative. This program has been recognized in the regional news media for their efforts and encouragement of this important cause.

Students are recognized for outstanding service at the Law School's annual awards banquet. Award recipients receive a "Little Red Wagon" award named after a local citizen who donated a hand-made red wagon to the Law School after hearing about what the Law School's Community Service Program. Also, third-year students with 300 or more hours documented in the Office of Community Service will receive the "Willard Owens Award for Excellence in Community Service."