"It's not strictly for people who can't afford it," Deutch says.

"In the civil rights field, we may bring a case for its effect on society," he adds, recalling the firm's work on the Boston desegregation case.

Currently, Deutch says, the firm is representing a Harvard "instructor" who was denied housing in Boston because of his race.

All of which is encouraging news for clinical instructors. They say their programs, born out of the social consciousness two decades ago, can still have an impact on public service in the years to come.

"Clinical programs give people a running start," says Goldstein. "And even for people who do not do pro bono work, it is still quite important that they did clinical work, because it dramatically affects their value and role are partners in terms of resources."

"The clinical progam does make a difference. It makes people aware of what's out there available to them," Butts says. "They may choose to go into corporate work, but they will be more sensitive to the need for pro bono lawyers."