February 8, 2022 | Taylorann Vibert

PILG Auction Offers Deals, Supports Public Service

The annual PILG Auction is the main fundraising event for the Public Interest Law Group at the UConn School of Law, which supports students in public interest summer jobs.

keyboard with button marked BID

The 29th Annual PILG Auction will run from Feb. 18 to 25.

Wine classes, a luxury hotel weekend, bar preparation courses and more will be on the block starting Feb. 18, 2022, in an auction to support UConn Law students in public interest fellowships.

The annual PILG Auction is the main fundraising event for UConn’s Public Interest Law Group, which supports students in public interest summer jobs. Students gain valuable legal experience while serving underrepresented communities in Connecticut and across the country. In the past students have worked for organizations such as Greater Hartford Legal Aid, the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services and the United Nations Refugee Agency.

The 29th Annual PILG Auction will begin with a livestreamed online event on Webex from 6 to 9 p.m. on Feb. 18. The kickoff will include speeches from Dean Eboni S. Nelson and Public Interest Law Group President, Emily Leen, a cocktail contest and bidding on exclusive kickoff items with an auctioneer who will describe the items.

The items up for grabs at the kickoff include a deluxe stay at Delamar in Blueback Square in West Hartford, a private wine class for twenty at Total Wine & More, a $1,000 tasting for 10 at the Doro Restaurant Group, and a Themis Bar Review course.

The event is free and open to the public. Guests may register on the UConn Foundation website to attend the kickoff.

After the event, the auction will continue on the GiveSmart platform. Participants may check items and place bids throughout the week. Only the winners will be charged for bids, and credit cards will be charged after the auction closes on Feb. 25.

All bidders during the livestreamed event and the subsequent online auction must register on the GiveSmart website.

“This year’s auction will be the best yet,” promised Hannah Lauer, one of the group’s auction chairs. “We have a record number of items, including some never-before-seen donations from professors and businesses in the area. The auction is a great opportunity to give back to the law school community and to have fun with your colleagues.”

Donations to the Public Interest Law Group are also welcome and may be made on the UConn Foundation website.