PILA to Host Annual Spring Auction Feb. 26

11th Annual PILA Auction to Honor Nevada Supreme Court Justice James Hardesty

WHAT: 11th Annual Public Interest Law Association (PILA) Auction emceed by Channel 8 News Las Vegas Anchor Dave Courvoisier
WHEN: Friday, February 26 - 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
WHERE: Fremont Hotel & Casino in Downtown Las Vegas
DETAILS: All the proceeds from the auction will go towards grants for students who will spend their summers working in unfunded or low paying positions concerning unmet legal needs of the Nevada community. This year's goal is to raise $30,000.

For the first time ever PILA will be honoring a Nevadan for public service to the state. The honoree will be Nevada Supreme Court Justice James Hardesty.

The Public Interest Law Association (PILA) at the William S. Boyd School of Law is a non-profit, student-run organization that works closely with students, faculty, and members of the community to raise awareness about public interest work and opportunities available to law students.

If you would like to help with the auction, or to donate an item, please contact Nick Portz at portz@unlv.nevada.edu.

For more information about PILA, go to www.pilanv.org.

PILA Aspires to Make $30,000 for Grants at Annual Auction

Nick Portz, president of the Public Interest Law Association (PILA), is a full-time, second-year student at the Boyd School of Law. Portz has been occupied with the 11th Annual PILA Auction that will be held on Feb. 26. All of the proceeds from the auction will go towards grants for students who plan to work for a non-profit organization over the summer.

Portz received a grant last year. During the summer of 2009, Portz worked full-time for the Three Square Food Bank in Nevada.

"It was a great time," Portz said. "But it wasn't a lot of legal work."

During his time at Three Square Portz learned about federal policy issues, federal research and the dangers of people going hungry.

"Hunger leads to students that can't study," Portz said.

Following his experience with the food bank, Portz aspired to become the president of PILA because of the auction.

"I wanted to see the auction reach its full potential," Portz said. "It's also a great opportunity to get Boyd and the community together."

With Portz's assistance, the help of the PILA officers and student volunteers this years' PILA auction looks to be very promising.

For the first time the auction will have an honoree, a master of ceremonies and advertisements in the programs. The auction will honor Nevada Supreme Court Justice James Hardesty and the master of ceremonies will be Channel 8 News Las Vegas Anchor Dave Courvoisier.

A few of the top items this year is a cabin stay in Brian Head, roundtrip tickets for Southwest Airlines and a week stay in Newport.

"We don't pay for these items, they are given to us," Portz said. "We'll take as many items as we can get."

Professors of the law school even help out by donating events such as a round of golf with them or a home-made dinner.

"There's a place for everything we get," Portz said.

Students who receive the grants from the auction must have six hours of service through PILA and plan to work for a non-profit organization. In the past students have traveled to Thailand for the summer, but PILA prefers students to volunteer in Nevada.

"This is the community we give back too," Portz said.

If PILA is able to reach its $30,000 auction goal they should be able to provide grants to seven or eight students.