6.02. Unmet Legal Needs

In 2006, the Supreme Court of Mississippi established the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission. The Commission’s task was to evaluate the legal needs of Mississippi’s poor and to make recommendations. Mississippi ranks 49^th out of the 50 states in the amount per citizen spent on civil legal services ($11.18).[1] The task force’s report is an interesting read. The Commission’s ultimate recommendations include: (a) an increase of pro bono legal services; (b) heightened public awareness of legal services available; (c) increase in funding; (d) facilitation of pro-se/self-help representation; and (d) expanded access (e.g. traveling clinics in rural areas; bilingual attorneys).

One question you may have as a lawyer facing the moral and ethical obligation to perform pro bono work is:  is there anything in it for me?  This question sounds crass, but it is human nature (especially when pro bono work is going to be competing for time that could be used to do paying work).  Here are some ways that pro bono can help you develop professionally.  First, for those of you who go to larger firms where you exist on the low end of the totem pole, it may seem like the power of the license is just a power to do grunt work.  Pro bono, however, can give you an opportunity to engage first-hand with real-life clients.  Not only can you be the lead attorney on these cases, you also learn skills like communicating with a client, handling client expectations, and following up with clients.  Taking opportunities to hone your legal skills is always a good thing.  Second, while some are hesitant to learn a new area of law, pro bono can provide you an opportunity to form a confidence in a new practice area.  Pro bono clients have recurring types of issues and, if you choose, you can gain an expertise in a particular area.  Finally, pro bono allows you to interact with individuals in the legal community that you may not otherwise meet (think: networking).  These include:  other lawyers that are also participating in pro bono, other lawyers who are opposite you in a pro bono case, judges who are often impressed that a lawyer is willing to donate their time.  You never know when one of these contacts will turn out to benefit you in your legal career. Bar associations and pro bono organizations often recognize lawyers who do a great deal of pro bono, providing a very effective way to get your name out in the legal community in connection with a worth-while cause. 

[1] A copy of the Commission’s Report is at https://courts.ms.gov/reports/NewATJ0Report2.pdf.