As the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “I tell law students . . . if you are going to be a lawyer and just practice your profession, you have a skill — very much like a plumber. But if you want to be a true professional, you will do something outside yourself . . . something that makes life a little better for people less fortunate than you.”

The National Celebration of Pro Bono Week is October 25-31, and that means it is a week of celebrating pro bono! This pro bono week, I would like to share with you how you can make an impact in your community by providing legal services to those in need. #celebrateprobono

There are numerous pro bono and community service programs available to attorneys, even during a pandemic. We all have been affected by the pandemic in some way or another, but this blog post is not meant to be a commentary about how much the pandemic has changed our society. Rather, this blog post is meant to encourage you to help your community because more people are in need today than were in need pre-COVID. Many people have lost their jobs and are facing evictions. Many people do not have the option to work from home and cannot afford childcare. Many people are facing increased uncertainty with the holidays approaching. This is why participating in pro bono work is essential right now. This is your time to help your community.

I urge you to consider your “why” when deciding on a pro bono project. A “why” is usually personal. Maybe your “why” has a story behind it. When you work on a pro bono project, you are connecting with other attorneys and your community on a whole different level. You are helping people in need. You are providing a service that only you as an attorney can do. You are providing the opportunity of equal access to justice for all.

Take a look at the following programs (by no means an exhaustive list) available through the North Carolina Bar Foundation. Add one or two or maybe three of the programs that interest you to your busy, there-is-always-something-to-do schedule and make a difference in your community! Malpractice insurance is provided for all pro bono work through NC Bar Foundation programs.

NC Free Legal Answers: A web-based portal that allows financially eligible N.C. residents to ask civil legal questions for lawyers to answer anonymously online, providing brief legal information and advice. Questions generally take 5-7 minutes to respond to. Sort and filter features make it easy for you to find questions that align with your practice and interests. You can take up to 3 days to research a response. To register, visit https://www.ncbarfoundation.org/our-programs/nc-free-legal-answers/.
Wills for Heroes: I am a co-chair for this project, and it is dear to my heart. Volunteers provide free estate planning documents to first responders and their families. We are currently planning to hold semi-virtual clinics starting in the coming months. No prior estate planning experience is necessary. Training is provided. To participate, visit https://www.ncbarfoundation.org/our-programs/wills-for-heroes/.
Legal Aid of NC’s Lawyer on the Line program: Lawyer on the Line is a partnership of the North Carolina Bar Foundation and Legal Aid of North Carolina. Volunteers provide one-hour telephone interviews with Legal Aid clients in need. Volunteers choose the number of referrals they receive (up to four per month) and the types of cases referred to them. Clients are pre-screened for eligibility and need brief advice in one of the following areas of law: bankruptcy, consumer, child custody, employment, criminal record expunction, foreclosure, government benefits, government housing, landlord/tenant, and unemployment. Visit http://www.legalaidnc.org/give-help/volunteer.

If you are still looking for pro bono opportunities that fit your pro bono interests, visit the NC Pro Bono Resource Center website (ncprobono.org). Looking for a project that deals with the area of law that you practice? Looking for a project located in your geographic area? The NC Pro Bono Resource Center has you covered!

Please visit at ncprobono.org and ncbarfoundation.org to view all opportunities available!

If you post on social media this month, make sure to use the hashtag #celebrateprobono!

October 29, 2020/by NCBA YLD