The American Bar Association urges attorney to commit to 10 hours of pro bono – or just under a quarter of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct aspirational goal of 50 hours annually per lawyer. The ABA suggests the following opportunities:
• ABA Free Legal Answers (www.abafree legalanswers.org) is an on-line virtual legal clinic through which income-eligible clients can post civil legal questions to be answered by pro bono attorneys from their jurisdiction. Currently, 40 jurisdictions are fully live. Malpractice insurance coverage is provided for pro bono services provided through the site.
• Evictions threaten the safety of renters and livelihoods of landlords. A letter to the legal community from U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland provides specific steps for lawyers to volunteer.
• The ABA Pro Bono Disaster Relief Portal (https://aba.joinpaladin.com/aba-disaster-relief) is a free, centralized, sortable database that lists opportunities to serve those impacted by natural disasters, including COVID-19. Disaster-related legal issues include landlord/tenant problems, insurance claims, FEMA claims and consumer issues such as contractor fraud.
• The ABA Afghanistan Response Project website (www.americanbar.org/advocacy/rule_of_law/afghanistan-response) is a central source of information and opportunities for lawyers to get involved in the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.
• The ABA Commission on Immigration is seeking volunteers to help Haitian migrants apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a temporary immigration status. The clinic is held via Zoom, with shifts on Thursday afternoons, Fridays, and Saturdays. Volunteer attorneys will be paired with a client and interpreter to help the client complete the TPS application. Experienced attorneys will be available to answer questions and will review draft applications. Visit https://ona.salsalabs.org/tpshaitivolunteer/index.html to learn more .
• Pro Bono Matters for Children Facing Deportation (https://cilacademy.org/pro-bono/pro-bono-matters) offers pro bono opportunities to support children facing deportation.
• The Commission on Immigration has opportunities at www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/immigration/pro-bono-at-the-commission-on-immigration/pro-bono-opportunities.
• The ABA Military Pro Bono Project (www.militaryprobono.org) accepts case referrals from military attorneys on behalf of junior-enlisted, active-duty military personnel facing civil legal issues and works to place these cases with pro bono attorneys. The Project is also the platform for Operation Stand-By, through which military attorneys and other pro bono attorneys may seek attorney-to-attorney guidance.
• The ABA Death Penalty Representation Project’s (www.americanbar.org/groups/committees/death_penalty_representation/get_involved/volunteering) greatest need is for attorneys who can represent a prisoner in his or her state post-conviction proceedings. The Project occasionally has smaller, discrete matters such as amicus briefs, petitions for certiorari, and research projects better suited for one or two attorneys.
• The National Pro Bono Opportunities Guide at www.probono.net/oppsguide will assist attorneys in identifying organizations near them that could use pro bono volunteers in civil legal assistance.
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