“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
— Winston Churchill
Rule 4-6.1 of the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar states that:
“Each member of The Florida Bar in good standing, as part of that member’s professional responsibility, should (1) render pro bono legal services to the poor and (2) participate, to the extent possible, in other pro bono service activities that directly relate to the legal needs of the poor [...] The professional responsibility to provide pro bono legal service to the poor may be discharged by: (1) annually providing at least 20 hours of pro bono legal service to the poor; or (2) making an annual contribution of at least $350 to a legal aid organization.”
Twenty hours of pro bono service can be achieved in a variety of ways, including:
There are several benefits to completing your service with a legal aid organization. First, we screen all clients for eligibility and legal issues. If the client tries to have you do anything beyond the scope of the referral, you can just refer them back to us. Second, we gather documents and information to get you started. We can also assist you through the process. Three Rivers can partner you with a law student who can help with research, drafting documents and conducting client interviews. Third, we provide support by answering questions, reviewing documents, sharing resources and training materials and mentorship by our experienced attorneys. We also provide all volunteers with legal malpractice coverage at no charge to you. Finally, we track your hours, recognize you in publications and can even nominate you for local, state and national pro bono awards. If you would like to participate with us, email [email protected] or 352-415-2315. You also can select an available case and learn more about the Pro Bono Legal Assistance Program at Three Rivers Legal Services attrls.org/volunteer/.