The American Bar Association recommends a minimum of 50 hours of pro bono work per year for attorneys. That is not just a suggestion; it is an opportunity for professional responsibility. In the current economic climate, there is no better time to offer a wealth of justice to those who have neither.
The American Bar Association recently cited that 80 percent of poor people who need legal help in civil matters do not receive it. This affects foreclosure, bankruptcy, family and custody cases. While number of pro bono hours is on a slow rise nationally, it has stagnated in Florida, where Bar membership increases by about 2,500 annually. The current campaign of the Florida Bar encourages lawyers to take one pro bono case.
Pro bono work is an opportunity for community involvement, laced with networking, and it is also a chance to practice areas of law in which you might not otherwise participate. There is a large helping of mutual benefit for the client and the attorney in pro bono work. The challenge to lawyers is to expand your network, expand your experience, and expand justice by one case.
Attorneys seeking pro bono opportunities in St. Johns County may contact Megan Wall of St. Johns County Legal Aid at (904) 827-9921.
