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Making Your Pro Bono Goals for 2015

probononetwork
Jan 1, 2015
3 min read

Are you resolving to do pro bono this year? Here’s a game plan to set yourself up for success:

1. Self Assess. It's best to ensure that the work fits you. This will ensure more longevity than you reconfiguring your lifestyle for the work. Some beginning questions (don't forget the training obligations when thinking abou this):

-Where: Home? Office? Offsite?

-When: Evenings? Weekends? Traditional work hours?

-Flexibility: Do you want to have flexible hours and a deadline or a scheduled time?

-Time-Frame: Do you want a one-time obligation or are you willing to represent someone over a longer period?

-Interests: Notice I didn't have your interest area first. In our experience, we notice that people most often find their satisfaction in a job well done and that's what works with their lifestyle.

2. Identify sources of volunteer opportunities. Give yourself a deadline, say, today, to find sources of opportunities and then find several opportunities that vary in terms of intensity and time. In Illinois:

-Pro-Bono-Network of course. We have already collected a range of opportunities and list the organizations. Give them a ring or join us. Check it out HERE .

-Illinois Legal Aid Online and the Chicago Bar Association list just about everything. ILAO even has an app for exactly this purpose! Check out ILAO HERE and CBA's page HERE.

3. Rope in a partner. Who do you keep promising to have coffee with? Resolve to do two projects together then schedule them. Believe me, you will look forward to going to the jail to visit that incarcerated mother (3 hours) or helping at the consumer debt collection advice desk (3 hours) as much as you look forward to meeting up for that coffee that you never seem to get to.

4. Make sure some "one and dones" are on your list. With a few of these in your arsenal, you will be sure to meet your goal. Many of these opportunities, such as expungement or DACA fairs involve same day training while others have training online.

5. Volunteer in something completely different than your practice area. It won’t feel like work, it will fire up those neurons and expand your horizons. Most legal aid needs do not involve in-depth knowledge and agencies offer training and supervision. This writer is an antitrust lawyer who now finds energy doing immigration work and representing incarcerated mothers.

6. Play the Field (at first). Not every opportunity will be the perfect match. Know this going in (remember you have a list now). There are lots of reasons things don't work out. It's not you, it's not them, but it's time for you to try another. This is your free time so don't feel bad about it.

7. Find out client outcomes. Some work, especially "one and dones" can make you wonder what good you are doing. Ask the agency. Ask the client. Last week I delivered a U Visa to a client and just asked, "how will this make your life better?"

8. Keep yourself informed about the importance of volunteerism. Reading an article from time to time will keep you motivated to do what you can. Here's one of my favorites from the Chicago Bar: "Legal Aid in Illinois: Selected Social and Economic Benefits."

9. Tell your children, parents, best friend, and landlady about your work. When you overhear them bragging about you, you’ll sign up for more.

10. Decide now to not volunteer too much. You will do a lot more good with some "now and thens" consistently than if you take on too much right away and never volunteer again because you don't have time.