Are You A Federal Government Attorney Who Wants to Volunteer? This Program Is For You!
Federal government attorneys around the country are helping those in need by handling pro bono cases, drafting wills, providing advice at legal clinics, mentoring students, and more. The Federal Government Pro Bono Program is available to help federal government attorneys find appropriate pro bono opportunities which do not pose conflicts of interest and which offer resources and support to help them have a successful and rewarding experience. This Practice Area contains information about the rules governing federal government attorneys' pro bono activity, resources to help attorneys find opportunities, points of contact for attorneys at their agencies, and links to resources about different areas of law that they can pursue in pro bono work. If you are a federal government attorney and need additional assistance, contact Laura Klein, Chair, Federal Government Pro Bono Program, at Laura.F.Klein@usdoj.gov.
Background
The Federal Government Pro Bono Program does not provide direct assistance to individuals who are seeking pro bono advice. The Program links attorneys with legal services organizations which have appropriate opportunities. If you are a member of the public who is seeking pro bono help, please contact a legal services organization in your area.”
Led by the Department of Justice, approximately 50 federal government agencies currently participate in the Program. This group was developed to assist federal agencies with drafting pro bono policies, to address issues which affect federal government attorneys who want to volunteer, and to expand the program to support federal government attorneys throughout the country. Although the Program has been well established in D.C. for over 20 years, branches of the Program now exist in other cities, such as Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Denver, and Dallas.
One of the unique aspects of the Program has been its ability to thrive despite the unique challenges facing government attorneys who want to do pro bono work. Because government attorneys must provide legal services during their own time, cannot use government resources in providing services, and must be cognizant of job-related conflicts of interest, pro bono work becomes all the more challenging. Yet, despite these obstacles, federal government attorneys have been able to provide pro bono services for many low-income Americans, engaging in tasks such as providing advice and referrals, litigating civil cases, staffing clinics, drafting wills, and conducting mediation.