Held annually by the American Bar Association and the National Legal Aid Defender Association, the Equal Justice Conference gathers pro bono advocates and legal aid service providers to collaborate, learn and share ideas about developing and improving services to low-income people.
This year’s conference was in Detroit and I had the privilege of attending EJC again on behalf of Jacksonville Area Legal Aid.
I attended workshops and presentations on LGBTQ+ legal services, nonlitigation pro bono work for the nonlitigator, bridging the gap with low-bono legal services and expanding immigration pro bono work, to name a few topics.
One of the sessions I attended was titled “Meaningful Pro Bono Work Without Going Anywhere Near a Courtroom.” This workshop focused on corporate and transactional attorneys and their role in pro bono service.
I find that many transactional attorneys do not know where they fit within pro bono. Many assume that pro bono work involves litigation or advising individuals on areas of law that are outside the scope of the attorney’s expertise.
There are many clinics and outreach events, as well as cases awaiting placement at JALA, that do not involve litigation.
Corporate and transactional attorneys can help promote local economic development by helping small business owners. This includes assisting with the documents necessary to incorporate a small business, advising small business owners on best practices and reviewing and creating contracts.
This also includes providing assistance to nonprofits. At JALA, we have several such organizations in need of advice and counsel from pro bono attorneys.
Corporate and transactional attorneys also can serve the public at JALA’s monthly Ask-A-Lawyer outreach events where members of the public receive brief counsel and advice from volunteer attorneys.
Although attorneys are encouraged to accept a case beyond counsel and advice at the clinic, they are not required to do so. Many people at the clinics have nonlitigation legal issues, such as contract claims, real estate questions and financial/debt concerns. There is certainly a place for corporate and transactional attorneys at every Ask-A-Lawyer event.
On the second Friday of every month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., JALA’s Veterans Legal Collaborative takes place at the VA Outpatient Clinic in Downtown Jacksonville.
JALA conducts an Ask-A-Lawyer clinic at the Orange Park Public Library every other month on the second Tuesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. We need your expertise at these outreach events, so please consider joining us.
In addition, we have clients with open cases who need simple wills and advance directives, and we periodically host an “Advance Directives Clinic” at senior centers throughout Jacksonville.
If you do not have experience with this area of law, we provide training materials, templates and even an expert resource. You can assist with these matters 100% remotely as we will even facilitate signing the documents with the client at our office.
For those corporate and transactional attorneys who wish to gain some courtroom experience, there are several nonlitigious/uncontested cases awaiting placement. Most name-change, sealing and expungement and guardian advocacy matters are uncontested.
We will provide you with anything necessary to support you when accepting these matters and regardless of the pro bono services you provide through JALA, you are completely covered under our malpractice policy. This is another added benefit to doing meaningful pro bono work through a legal aid organization.
There are many cases awaiting placement with a pro bono attorney. The cases can be found on JALA’s website at jaxlegalaid.org/pro-bono/ or at probonomatters.com, where you may include “JALA” in your keyword search.
Currently, there are 84 cases in JALA’s Pro Bono Unit that await placement with a pro bono attorney.
For those interested in getting involved with JALA’s Pro Bono Unit, including volunteering at one of JALA’s Ask-A-Lawyer clinics, please visit Jaxlegalaid.org/pro-bono/ or contact [email protected].