Feb. 6, 1998 Contact: Maureen Shine (541) 346-3145 Sources: Kim Wittchow or Stacy Fode, UO law students, (541) 343-7169 EUGENE--What will they do on their summer vacations? Some University of Oregon law students are hoping an upcoming auction will help them work in public interest law. UO law students will hold their third annual auction to benefit the Oregon Law Students Public Interest Fund (OLSPIF) on Friday, Feb. 20, at Grayson Hall (UO Law Center), 1101 Kincaid St. The annual fund raiser begins with a preview and silent auction at 5:30 p.m. The main auction begins at 7 p.m.  Auction items include vacation getaways, outdoor adventures, sporting and retail goods, and dinners at participating local restaurants. The event is open to the public. Alcohol will be served and attendees must be at least 21 years of age. "This is a fun opportunity for the public to support the students and public interest law in the process," says Stacy Fode, OLSPIF co-director. "Many non-profits aren't able to pay students, so this fund increases options for students who want to pursue public interest positions." With fund-raising events such as the auction, the student-run OLSPIF helps place UO law students in summer law jobs, traditionally with non-profit organizations representing public interests including minorities, the mentally or physically disabled, the poor and the environment. Students receive grants to help cover salary, travel and living expenses. Last year students raised $12,000 for the fund. In previous years, the fund made it possible for students to work for groups such as the Lane County Law and Advocacy Center in Eugene, the Committee on the Administration of Justice in Belfast, Ireland, and the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission in Wisconsin.  For more information about the auction, contact law students Stacy Fode or Kim Wittchow, (541) 343-7169. -30- #P-4049/Local