An attorney’s annual obligation to engage in pro bono service is defined in Florida Bar Rule 4-6.1 that requires either volunteering at least 20 hours of legal service to the poor or making a contribution of at least $350 to a legal aid organization.
It’s also a key part of our Oath of Attorney: “I will never reject from any consideration personal to myself, the cause of the defenseless or oppressed.”
The Florida Bar, The Florida Supreme Court and The Florida Bar Foundation have joined forces to encourage attorneys to “up their pro bono game” through the promotion of the One Campaign: “One Client. One Attorney. One Promise.”
Chief Justice Jorge LaBarga’s Access to Justice Commission cites efficient and effective volunteer representation as a vital component to closing the gap in legal services for citizens of low and moderate means.
Service to those less fortunate must be part of who we are as attorneys and as members of the community.
Many of us went to law school because we want to make a difference and we want to help others.
Of course, most attorneys probably would agree that making a good living is paramount, but we also agree that we came to this challenging and respected profession to help make other people’s lives better.
Volunteer service is the right thing to do and also good business.
It can provide professional development and networking opportunities and can be an effective marketing tool.
When you are involved in volunteer service through a legal services organization, you are covered by the organization’s professional liability insurance.
There are Continuing Legal Education webinars available and you can be paired with a mentor or expert resources.
Attorneys are leaders and problem solvers. We have an obligation to use those skills, not just for those who can pay for our services, but also for the poor, vulnerable and underserved.
It matters to the integrity of the judicial system and also to the people we serve.
The commitment goes beyond who we are as attorneys. It points to the cornerstone of who we are as citizens.
We believe in the Constitution and protect the freedoms we enjoy in our country stated in the Preamble: “We the people of the United States of America, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.”
Americans have stood for justice for more than 240 years. We recognize how important defending justice is when we say “liberty and justice for all” in our pledge to the flag. We don’t say “with liberty and justice for all who can afford it.”
To quote Martin Luther King Jr., “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Attorneys are needed now more than ever and they step forward every day to assist those who cannot pay for representation, but more help is needed.
Dedicated advocacy on both sides of an issue is what keeps the judicial system strong and fair.
It matters to the single mother, to the senior citizen, to the disabled adult, to the veteran, to the child and to the person in need.
For information on pro bono opportunities throughout the 4th Judicial Circuit, contact [email protected].