Re: Bono 600
Hilke Mcnally
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been championed for its potential to enhance pro bono legal services and help close the justice gap. In March, the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) hosted programming on AI + Pro Bono, bringing together pro bono leaders from law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest organizations to explore the use of AI in legal practice and identify opportunities to enhance efficiencies for pro bono and access to justice. Learn more about this initiative and its impact.
PBI is a catalyst, administering projects that support, guide, and inspire legal institutions to enhance access to justice. PBI selects and operates projects that, working in concert, promote synergies and inform and strengthen each other.
The Low Bono Section offers many resources and benefits for members. On this page you will find information about the section, their upcoming events and offerings, as well as information about the section's executive committee.
Because of the extraordinary importance of the content provided, a recording of this CLE is being offered by the Low Bono Section with the permission of Sister Helen Prejean. CLE Credit is not provided for viewing the recording.
Always entertaining, Sister Helen talks about life, death, and her burning passion for justice. Known around the globe for her tireless work against the death penalty, she is the author of several books, a global speaker, and winner of innumerable awards. In this seminar, Sister Helen talks about access to justice and the continued challenges in her work.
In a broad sense, low bono is the principle of increasing access to law-related services for people of moderate means who do not qualify for pro bono assistance, but cannot afford the fees private attorneys typically charge under traditional law firm models. There are opportunities to provide low bono services in the legal profession, and in every other profession that intersects with the delivery of legal services.
Low bono service providers find many creative ways to provide their services, and the list of possibilities continues to grow as practitioners try out new models of service delivery. Some examples of low bono services include:
The greatest benefit of joining the Low Bono Section is the opportunity to build lasting relationships with a community of like-minded professionals. For its members, the Low Bono Section provides a forum and opportunity for education, training, sharing of forms, practice tips, client counseling techniques, and alternative techniques for conflict resolution. The section provides its members with free mentorship opportunities, discounted admission to low-bono-oriented CLEs, networking and referral opportunities with other low bono professionals, leadership development opportunities, and more.
All professionals with an interest in low bono, lawyers and non-lawyers alike are invited to join the low bono community discussions, hosted through Groups.io. Membership in the section is not currently required to join..
Disclaimer: These resources and opportunities are provided solely for the convenience of section members. No endorsement of any resource, mentor and/or mentorship relationship is intended, and no warranty is made as to the accuracy of the information by either the Washington State Bar Association or the Low Bono Section.
Since our founding in 1866, Sidley has cultivated a tradition of, and commitment to, pro bono service. As we have grown, so has the reach of our pro bono efforts. From Alabama to Arizona, Colombia to Madagascar, Sidley lawyers and staff devote more than 150,000 hours annually to serving those most in need. Our pro bono work has influenced the legality of Americans to live freely and proudly; protected the constitutional rights of prisoners, including the rights of inmates on death row; saved the lives of immigrants who fled their home countries seeking religious freedom; and lifted up women trying to make a better life for themselves and their families by starting businesses in developing countries.
Sidley lawyers also work with local nonprofits to directly serve the legal needs of our neighbors who are facing imminent eviction and possible homelessness; were wrongfully denied public benefits, such as food stamps and disability insurance; or have been the victim of domestic violence and need legal protection from their abusers. We work on issues of national importance that bring our lawyers to the U.S. Supreme Court to advocate for human rights. And our international pro bono work is providing critical legal support to developing countries.
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The District of Columbia Courts, with assistance from the D.C. Access to Justice Commission and the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, established the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll as part of the 2011 National Celebration of Pro Bono. Since then, it has continued annually to celebrate the pro bono contributions made by D.C. Bar members and others authorized to practice under D.C. Court of Appeals Rule 49. The Honor Roll recognizes the vital role that private and government lawyers play in providing pro bono services to those who cannot afford counsel, as well as to disadvantaged small businesses and community-based nonprofits.
To register for the Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll, lawyers submit a declaration indicating they provided 50 or more hours of pro bono service in the calendar year. Lawyers who provided 100 or more hours of pro bono service qualify for the High Honor Roll. For 2023, 5,034 attorneys registered for the Honor Roll, with 2,825 providing 100 hours or more of pro bono service, thus qualifying for the High Honor Roll. Registrants are listed on the DC Courts website by name and by law firm/organization.
The Pro Bono Society was formed in September 2011 to recognize the outstanding efforts of law students engaged in pro bono during their tenure at UW Law School. Students will be recognized upon meeting the following benchmarks:
Students are encouraged to request individual advising sessions with the Pro Bono Coordinator, Lindsay Slaker (lsl...@wisc.edu) to identify and apply for projects tailored to their interests and to become eligible for recognition for their service.
The Pro Bono Program has two levels of recognition for the Pro Bono Society: one at 50 hours+ and one at 100 hours+ of pro bono service. The Commencement Program, the Honors and Awards Program, and the Pro Bono Society certificate will denote which level you have attained. Additionally, you will receive one purple honors cord at 50 hours or one purple and gold honors cord at 100 hours.
We have two levels of recognition in order to encourage students to continue submitting their time once they reach 50 hours and to recognize their substantial contributions to pro bono service. If you have any questions please contact the Pro Bono Program Coordinator.
Engaging in pro bono work gives you practical experience and a chance to see how lawyers operate in the real world. Law school courses are often academic and theoretical, whereas pro bono service is hands-on and puts you in touch with individuals and organizations struggling with real-life issues and challenges. It can be both refreshing and inspiring to leave the books behind and spend a few hours doing something for the benefit of others.
While you may have supervisors from previous jobs who will give glowing reviews of your work for them, most legal employers prefer references from fellow attorneys who can comment on your practical lawyering skills. A pro bono experience might even provide you with a suitable writing sample (provided you obtain permission before using it!).
If you are interested in pursuing a public interest career, whether straight out of law school or after working in the private sector for a few years, doing pro bono is invaluable for the networking opportunities it offers. In many cities, the public interest community is a small and dedicated group of individuals who are interconnected in numerous ways. They know how difficult it can be to find work in the public interest field, and are willing to go to bat for those they know and can vouch for. For students interested in making the transition from private sector to public interest at some point, it is essential to do pro bono work while you are at a firm to show that you are committed to public interest work.
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While each regional program in the national network may have distinct admission guidelines, these are the common requirements, generally speaking:
Income - gross household income less than three times the federal poverty level guidelines (though some regional programs may have different criteria)
Knowledge - demonstrated understanding of the patent system either by having a provisional application already on file with the USPTO or having successfully completed the certificate training course (certificado de formacin en espaol)
Invention - ability to describe the particular features of your invention and how it works