Make a Splash With Pro Bono
By Join the Pro Bono team in some fun activities this bar year. Jay Jerkins and I, co-chairs of the Pro Bono section, want to welcome you to a new bar year with new opportunities for pro bono work.
Why is pro bono important? The NC State Bar asks each lawyer to commit to providing 50 hours of legal services to those who are unable to pay, according to Rule 6.1, which states in further detail: every lawyer should
“(a) provide a substantial majority of the (50) hours of legal services without fee or expectation of fee to:
(1) persons of limited means;
(2) charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters that are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means; or
(3) individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties or public rights, or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and
educational organizations in matters in furtherance of their organizational purposes, where the payment of standard legal fees would significantly deplete the organization’s economic resources or would otherwise be inappropriate;
(b) provide any additional services through:
(1) the delivery of legal services described in paragraph (a) at a substantially reduced fee;
or
(2) participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession.
In addition, a lawyer should voluntarily contribute financial support to organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.”
Our plans for this year include the following fun activities:
- Empower hour to clear the queue, where you can answer the legal questions on the NCBA Free Legal Answers website and help someone on your own time, or join us. Dates are forthcoming. However, if your firm would like to set up a time to have one, please let us know, and we will assist you.
- Pro Bono at the Beach. This year, we are making it easy to participate in custody clinics. The first is our custody clinic that will be held on January 28 in Wrightsville Beach, the day before the intensive. So, if you are planning to come anyway, let’s help for a couple of hours by giving some legal advice and preparing documents. We plan to pair with the paralegal division to assist with this event. There will be a social that evening to celebrate your contributions. Locations and times forthcoming, but somewhere from noon to 3 p.m.
- Rebuild Asheville. Our next custody clinic will be held the day before the annual meeting in Asheville this year. Our clinic will be focused on helping parents who have faced so many challenges already, and legal assistance is far from their budget. Most people come up the day prior to the annual anyway, so if you are in town, spend a few hours with us giving this much-needed help. Again, as a thank you, we will have a social that evening. Locations and times forthcoming, but somewhere from noon to 3 p.m.
- Our final push this year is to increase the family bar presence at 4ALL. As the co-chair of 4ALL this year, this is an event that is easy to participate in and something that I personally love. You can do this from your office, a live location, or even your home. You are giving legal information in an area of law you already know. There is no commitment to the clients on the phone, and once you hang up, your work is done. These are short conversations, and I would be happy to discuss any reservations you have about it.
So, join us for one or all of the events we have lined up this year, and get those pro-bono hours in. We would love to hear your thoughts and ideas for future events or on how to make these events more successful. Please always reach out to Jay and me regarding all your pro-bono needs.
Have a wonderful bar year!