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Not doing pro bono work? ABA wants to know why
TRACEY BLAIR
Legal News Reporter
Published: February 22, 2017
Attorneys on active, emeritus pro bono or corporate registration status are most likely familiar with the Ohio Supreme Court’s annual email with a link to the 2016 voluntary pro bono website.
The reporting website allows attorneys to voluntarily and anonymously report pro bono work performed and contributions to legal service organizations made during 2016.
New to the email this year is a second link to a national survey on pro bono work currently being conducted by the American Bar Association.
E. Jane Taylor, director for pro bono and communications for the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, is encouraging fellow attorneys to participate in the national survey.
The ABA survey solicits information about pro bono work in the prior year, which is similar to Ohio’s own voluntary reporting process.
The difference is, the ABA survey also asks questions related to characteristics of a lawyer’s typical pro bono work and about factors that encourage or discourage the choice to do pro bono work, Taylor said.
“I’m looking forward to hearing how we can do a better job responding to volunteers’ needs,” Taylor said. “The ABA survey is also a chance for Ohio to see where we rank with other states in pro bono work.”
Taylor added that time restraints are a common reason attorneys may not perform pro bono work.
“But there are plenty of ways for attorneys who are time-restricted to volunteer their services to low-income and vulnerable Ohioans,” she said.
For example, one option is participating in one or two-hour advice clinics on specific legal subjects.
In addition, busy lawyers who are experts in a specific area can act as mentors to help others do pro bono work.
“I think the importance of pro bono work by lawyers can’t be overstated,” said Taylor. “We’re uniquely positioned to serve people who can’t afford to hire a lawyer. It’s a responsibility to our profession. Also, it makes you feel good. At the end of the day, it feels really great to help people.”
Jennifer van Dulmen, who manages the Volunteer Legal Services Program at Community Legal Aid, agrees.
Community Legal Aid is a nonprofit law firm serving clients in Columbiana, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull and Wayne counties.
"Last year alone, we had 250 volunteer attorneys handle about 1,200 cases for us,” van Dulmen said. “Together, they gave roughly $1.3 million in donated time in 2015. That's amazing."
She added that Community Legal Aid clients often have nowhere else to go.
“We are their last resort, their last hope for fair legal representation.,” van Dulmen said. “Our volunteer attorneys who help these clients can make a world of difference for someone in need.
"Lawyers who do pro bono help to minimize the justice gap in America. We alone have the ability to help somebody with legal problems.
"Our volunteers handle all kinds of cases, from consumer cases, to collections issues, to domestic violence and family law, to records sealing. We have a full spectrum of opportunities that are as easy as answering clients' legal questions over the phone, to full litigation and complicated legal cases and appeals. So the level of involvement can vary, and really is up to the individual volunteer to decide what they're comfortable with."
Community Legal Aid Executive Director Sara Strattan said attorneys don’t deserve their bad rap.
"It's a little-known fact that lawyers are among some of the most generous people in the world, and we have the wonderful experience of working with the best of the best,” Strattan said. “They consistently amaze us with the donations of their time and talent that they make with our clients. It's only through their efforts that justice can become a reality for the people that they represent."
Both voluntary pro bono reporting and the ABA survey will be open through March. The results are expected to be available by mid-summer, said Taylor.
Attorneys who have not yet received the Supreme Court’s email may request links to both the reporting website and the ABA survey by emailing justiceinaction@olaf.org.