Legal Pro Bono: Opportunities for Non-Attorneys
All About Legal Volunteering
The concept of legal volunteering refers to the practice of individuals contributing their time and efforts to legal initiatives or cases on a voluntary basis, without financial compensation. This practice is vital in the legal system, as it not only aids those in need of legal help, but also supports lawyers by allowing them to focus more on high-priority cases and cases that they are passionate about. Legal volunteering comes in many forms. Lawyers and other licensed legal professionals commonly volunteer their services to the underprivileged or work pro bono for nonprofit organizations. However, non-lawyer individuals have plenty of opportunities to volunteer for various legal initiatives , as well. A retired corporate executive may aid legal professionals by providing much-needed assistance with research or by sorting through mountains of quarterly reports. A former school teacher can volunteer her time to help a child understand the complexities of divorce and custody proceedings. In addition to helping lighten the legal workload for licensed lawyers, these non-legal volunteers routinely make significant contributions to countless actions, bridging gaps present in the justice system. Without legal volunteers, many innocent victims would fall through the cracks and many flawed cases would go unchallenged. Legal volunteering is crucial to ensuring that those who need legal intervention receive it and that the legal system operates more smoothly as a whole.
Non-Lawyer Positions in Legal Aid
While legal volunteers include many licensed attorneys (including retired lawyers), there are also opportunities for non-lawyers, too — such as administrative support staff, legal assistants, law students, and neighborhood residents who can assist legal aid by helping with client intake, organizing community events, and providing general administrative support.
Administrative Support Staff
Office management staff and administrative assistants in private law firms can contribute to their pro bono impact in many ways. While some of these roles are performed more toward the back-end of a case (e.g., supporting the filing of an appellate brief, or keeping track of deadlines), all of these tasks are valuable to assist attorneys in providing legal services to the poor.
Client Intake
Staff efforts to support legal aid may begin even before a client has been retained. A telephone or e-mail inquiry from a potential case can represent the first contact with a prospective legal client. Staff can both assist potential clients (intake) and help legal aid staff make the decision about whether the firm is able to take the case.
Client intake staff often work with clients that demonstrate the firm’s commitment to pro bono service. These staff members often take client phone calls, analyze client correspondence, get information about the client’s pending case, gather contact information, meet with the client, and document the client’s needs in the firm’s internal records systems.
Client intake staff work with clients in initial meetings when information is gathered as to the client’s needs, and then that information is catalogued in client files in the appropriate electronic case management system. Staff can also assist with scheduling of client appointments, including assisting clients with transportation arrangements. Staff may perform follow up with clients to ensure that appointment schedules are being met, and to identify any new or ongoing client needs.
Day-to-day, client intake and scheduling staff can help improve client communication and be there as a point of communication for the client to utilize while the case is pending.
Administrative Support
Legal administrative assistants can perform day-to-day tasks that assist attorneys with pro bono projects. These tasks can include, but are not limited to:
- Organizing case files,
- Drafting meeting minutes,
- Scheduling meetings and depositions,
- Maintaining attorneys’ calendars,
- Collecting billing of pro bono cases,
- Filing documents in court, and
- Assisting with client communication and interpretation.
Community Outreach and Client Service
Legal aid staff also organizes community education clinics and events, such as seminars, speaking events, and educational workshops. Staff can assist in finding a location, arranging refreshments, preparing materials to be distributed, and providing a point of contact for those interested in registering for the event.
Where a client has a specific and immediate need, staff can also provide a warm hand-off to the proper attorney, so that the client is not lost among the many voices reaching out to an organization like legal aid.
The community outreach event can also be in the form of interpreter services. When a client or a member of the community seeks assistance with a legal matter, having someone who speaks the same language fluently as the legal staff can improve communication with the client, providing a more seamless experience. While the staff interpreter can alleviate communication barriers, volunteering interpreters can also help with assistance and understanding, such as in the translation of legal documents and accompaniment of the client to court.
Legal Volunteerism is Not Pro Bono
Legal volunteering refers to the donation of time and effort by legal staff and non-lawyers to support the growth of legal aid organizations, community efforts, and those who seek assistance in legal matters. While legal volunteering is not defined by adherence to the rules of professional conduct applicable to attorneys, many of the same principles exist: service to the poor and underserved; service on an unpaid, volunteer basis; and service to advance the cause of justice.
Opportunities in Non-Profit Organizations
There are many opportunities in the non-profit sector for prospective student volunteers. Along with small non-profit and community-service oriented law firms, non-profit organizations exist to help low-income individuals and families with their legal needs. They may be a non-profit of or for a particular ethnic group, a non-profit dedicated to defending the rights of individuals facing eviction or deportation, or a non-profit that specializes in providing assistance to the elderly. The goal of these non-profit legal organizations is to give legal assistance to low-income individuals and families who otherwise cannot get it. Fortunately for Law School Volunteer students, performing community service in this capacity can offer many valuable benefits, including some course credit, if applicable, and real world experience that will serve them well in the future.
In the Chicago area, there are many such non-profit legal organizations. For example, Chicago Volunteer Legal Services helps over 5000 low-income individuals in Cook County each year. The organization has been serving the community since 1974 and covers a range of civil matters including housing, wills, and consumer fraud for its clients. The organization offers over 80 types of cases that volunteers can assist with, including criminal matters. Volunteers work side by side with staff attorneys to offer much-needed legal assistance to clients in need. Other organizations with similar programs include Cabrini Green Legal Aid, the Public Interest Law Initiative, and the Center on Wrongful Convictions, each offering many opportunities for Law School Volunteers.
Court Legal Aid Support
Sometimes, you may want to volunteer with an individual on a case-by-case basis to support them in their encounter with the legal system. If someone needs help getting through the legal process, they can use your help. You may step in as a court companion – essentially a supportive presence with those who are appearing in a court action – or you may also work as administrative volunteer or advocate. This can mean being available for someone who is new to the legal process and arranging for times to meet with them, or simply being the presence of someone who can help people deal with the stress of seeing the court system up close for the first time. This can all be helpful for someone, even if the process no longer seems new to you, especially someone who has no idea what to expect or anticipate from the legal system.
Community Outreach and Educational Opportunities
Education, outreach, or other roles that increase pro bono legal service
While virtually all pro bono programs encourage lawyers to volunteer their time and talent to those in need, some programs enlist others to help with critical legal education and outreach. The American Bar Association’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar includes a Pro Bono Committee that promotes paralegal involvement in pro bono service and provides resources for paralegals. Non-lawyers can also help educate the public on civil legal issues through non-legal community outreach efforts. For example, Legal Services of Greater Miami has developed several workforce development programs to educate the community about the importance of legal education. These programs include the Justice Talks program, a community legal education initiative that connects local bar members with legal services and legal issues for a one-hour interactive session. Another program created by Legal Services of Greater Miami is the Legal Advocacy and Training Center. The Legal Advocacy Center is part of the coalition of organizations that brought LSC to Florida, specifically for the purpose of creating a unified source for justice and an extensive statewide legal advocacy and communication network that educates Floridians about their legal rights. The center coordinates training on legal awareness and rights, as well as promotes citizen involvement in the Florida justice system. The Legal Advocacy Center also advocates for programs such as Veterans Pro Bono Project, which provides veterans with opportunities for meaningful pro bono service, and Pro Bono Law School, which ensures that every law student at Florida law schools is exposed to pro bono. Both programs have been recognized by the State Bar of California. Community engagement is another way non-lawyers can help further legal aid goals. For example, the Connecticut Bar Association coordinates a program called Volunteer Connections. In this program, volunteer coordinators help give away free legal information at community events, much like coordinators work in terms of a local food bank. Whatever legal advice people need, the individual or family members are referred to qualified legal service providers who can then assist them. The legal services staff is responsive, compassionate, and available to help find the most appropriate and helpful information to meet a client’s needs. The Music City Bar Association in Nashville also promotes legal literacy to the public. This type of activity is especially important given estimates that approximately 70 percent of Americans are not receiving the legal support they need and that 90 percent of low-income and about half of middle income Americans face civil legal issues without counsel. To bridge that gap, the Music City Bar Association oversees the Nashville Coalition for Legal Literacy (NCLL). The NCLL is a collaborative effort between the legal community and our Nashville community partners and public library system to foster legal literacy, deliver pro bono legal assistance, and provide a safe and welcoming community meeting space. The NCLL includes many of the city’s most effective legal organizations and encompasses a diverse coalition of community leaders, local citizens, and organizations dedicated to improving Nashville’s civil legal aid landscape. As these examples illustrate, while lawyers comprise the majority of pro bono volunteers, those who have been trained as paralegals and even non-lawyers can provide quality services to those in need. This is all part of the larger social contract lawyers have with our communities.
Virtual Legal Pro Bono Opportunities
Virtual Volunteering: The Possibilities for the Non-Lawyer in the Legal Sector
As technology evolves, so do opportunities to apply the skills of non-lawyers in new and innovative ways. The most common virtual pro bono opportunities are helplines and helpline-based clinics. The Association of Pro Bono Counsel has a useful article on "Adapting Legal Helplines to Remote Delivery Models" that is worth reading for those who have not seen it before. Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo), Navigating Pro Bono Helplines: Adapting Legal Helplines to Remote Delivery Models (April 2021). Technical assistance for how to get started is available from the American Bar Association’s Center for Pro Bono. It offers a "Helplines Resource Guide & Toolkit" and an "Opportunity Recognition and Response Project" guide handling helplines with topic specific online resources. For those who want to do advocacy work while in their pajamas, check out the "Advocacy From Anywhere" e-book from the National Network to End Domestic Violence’s (NNEDV) Safety Net Project and the Worldwide Web Foundation. In the introduction to the book , it says that, the "internet can be a powerful tool to connect and empower advocates." And it has section "getting started at home" that is worth reading. It also has a short section that suggests teams of people can sign up to do advocacy work together "from anywhere" by launching a campaign. It offers some examples of country-wide campaigns and offers some advice on how to run a campaign. It notes that "advocates should always use caution when designing campaigns and encouraging supporters to engage with government or political officials." See pp.56-59; see also pp.14-15. For more information about NNEDV and the Safety Net Project’s approach to using the internet and technology, see its "Tech Safety" website. And lastly, for those who have not read the Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment App Guide, it offers a nice perspective on pro bono opportunities. Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project, "How To Build A Successful Operations Plan And Pro Bono Partnership For Your Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment App" Aug. 2016.
Legal Pro Bono Requirements and Skills
There are no official requirements that are meaningful for a non-lawyer interested in legal volunteering. A few volunteer positions require an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, and a few others ask for prior experience in a specific area, such as HIV/AIDS legal aid. The federal government has even eliminated the need for a college degree for civil service positions. Generally, volunteer groups appreciate employees with these skills:
Many programs offer training. If you’re interested in helping with family law cases for example, a program might have a three-day intensive training session. Or it can provide the training on an as-needed basis. While this formal type of training is very helpful, it is not required. There are many opportunities where good people can easily step into a role and successfully contribute.
Personal and Professional Perks
A significant advantage of legal volunteering, as opposed to other types of pro bono, is that it provides non-lawyers who are part of the volunteer teams with an opportunity to gain first-hand experience and exposure to specific skills or areas of the law. As a result, legal volunteers can polish existing skills, develop new proficiencies, and explore potential areas of interest, which may lead to career advancement in the legal profession. Furthermore, volunteers can fast track their ability to serve in legal capacities by learning about the fundamental basics of practice area laws, such as family law, legal terminology, civil procedure, ethical rules, etc. From note-taking in meetings with clients and preparing arguments in support of appeals to drafting court filings and motions for summary judgments, legal volunteers play a crucial role in helping narrow the gap between what law schools teach and the actual daily tasks of practicing attorneys.
From a networking perspective, legal volunteers have the potential to meet influential people, including top attorneys and judges. For example, a tribunal observer program can provide unique access to the court system and its players. By observing how a case is presented, volunteers can learn a wealth of best practices that they can apply to their own work.
Finally, legal volunteering for non-lawyers also provides a sense of reward and accomplishment, particularly for those who want to make a positive impact and give back to the community. While the legal field is known for being competitive and cutthroat, legal volunteers get an inside look at how collaboration can result in creating positive change. Choosing to donate time to legal activities is an effective way of contributing to society while also learning more about what a career in the legal profession might entail.
How to Pursue Opportunities
A good first step towards volunteering is for a non-lawyer to get in touch with their local bar association. As the professional organization for lawyers, bar associations often have volunteer programs, and can provide valuable information within their communities about how members of the public can get involved.
A simple internet search for legal volunteer opportunities also yields a number of online resources for non-lawyers who are interested in pursuing legal pro bono work. Volunteer Opportunities publishes a list of legal aid organizations , both at a national and state level, that offer pro bono opportunities. Pro Bono Net, a national non-profit working to increase access to justice, has compiled a repository of over 45 volunteer centers throughout the country that connect legal service organizations with community members or organizations looking to volunteer. The Pro Bono Discovery tool gives details on a range of pro bono opportunities in over twenty states.
Lawyers, paralegals, and otherwise qualified non-lawyers can all get involved in legal volunteering.