What is a Pro Bono or Volunteer Lawyer?
A Pro Bono or Volunteer lawyer is an attorney who undertakes to take on all or a portion of your case at no expense to you and collects no other fee.
This is distinct from attorneys employed by regular legal assistance organizations. Lawyers in a traditional legal aid group are paid by sponsors such as the Texas Access to Justice Foundation and Legal Services Corporation to handle cases at no cost to the client.
In contrast, a Pro Bono or Volunteer attorney handles the entirety or a portion of your case at no expense to you and without compensation for her work. This distinction is essential to comprehend since every hour a lawyer spends pro bono on your case, they are not working on other matters that would pay them.
Where can I find a Pro Bono or Volunteer Lawyer?
Contacting an organization that specializes in providing Pro Bono Lawyers to people in your circumstance is the easiest approach to locating a Pro Bono or Volunteer attorney.
First, you will likely need to attend a free legal clinic in order to seek assistance.
Please note that there is no assurance that you will receive a Pro Bono Lawyer if you visit a legal clinic. It is simply how some organizations handle requests for assistance.
Some Pro Bono programs are limited to those with low incomes, others to veterans, and others may have additional and/or different eligibility requirements. There are numerous ways to locate a free attorney. You might begin by conducting a simple Internet search.
Legal Services Corporation
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC), a non-profit organization established by Congress in 1974, is the nation’s largest funder of civil legal aid. Congress allocated $465 million to LSC in 2021 to fund its purpose.
The LSC awards these funds to service organizations through a grant program. On their website, you can search for grant recipients that provide pro bono legal services.
Bar associations
The ABA
is the world’s biggest voluntary association of lawyers. With over 400,000 members, it advocates measures to strengthen the judicial system, among other things. Its aim is to promote justice, professional quality, and respect for the law in order to serve the public and the legal profession.
As part of its commitment to public service, the ABA encourages its members and lawyers, in general, to engage in pro bono work. It provides pro bono information and a searchable database of organizations offering free legal services.
Moreover, each state maintains its own bar association. All of them have pro bono committees that provide attorneys with resources and pro bono opportunities. Their websites have further information.
You can also determine whether your county has its own bar association. Many also have pro bono committees that facilitate connections between attorneys and those in need of assistance and other services. Again, their websites have additional information.
Law Firms
Numerous law firms take great pride in their pro bono programs and encourage their attorneys and paralegals to contribute pro bono services to organizations that serve the public interest. Many have volunteer directors who serve as excellent contact points. You can locate these individuals by searching a company’s website.
Law Schools
Most law schools give legal services to those in need through clinics. The majority of these clinics specialize in a certain area of law, such as domestic violence or immigration. These legal clinics, staffed by law students under the supervision of attorneys, offer free legal assistance. One can obtain contact information on the website of a law school.
Likewise, terminating an attorney-client relationship is a simple process. The majority of attorneys will send you a letter noting that the matter has been resolved, thanking you for the chance to represent you and stating that the attorney-client relationship has terminated.
If your attorney represents you in court or before a federal or state agency, there may be an additional stage. Your attorney may need to file a formal notification that they no longer represent you and that all future paperwork should be sent to you directly.