Helping Your Community- The Power of a Pro Bono Attorney

Did you know that Arkansas has the fewest attorneys per capita in the country, with one attorney for every 406 Arkansas residents? In fact, 1 in 4 Arkansans qualifies for civil legal aid. That’s why the Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS) needs the assistance of volunteer/pro bono attorneys to meet the legal needs of low-income Arkansans.

Our staff will interview all applicants and screen them for income eligibility. A Pro Bono Coordinator will then refer cases and other opportunities to the pro bono attorneys. If attorneys are interested in learning a new case area, one of our staff attorneys will be available to help through the process and to provide templates of standard pleadings.

Additionally, pro bono attorneys are welcome to come and assist our staff at one of our many clinics. This is a smaller time commitment in which attorneys can meet with members of their community to offer free legal advice and/or simple document preparation. The expected commitment of the attorney is small, but the impact pro bono attorneys can have on our clients is tremendous.

The icing on the cake comes in the form of the Arkansas State Supreme Court decision, which now allows Attorneys to claim one hour of credit for every three hours of pro bono work completed, with a maximum of 3 hours of credit per CLE year. Pro bono work must be completed under the supervision of a sponsoring entity, and we at the Center for Arkansas Legal Services are one of those approved sponsoring entities. Additionally, we offer other CLE opportunities throughout the year exclusively for VOCALS attorneys.

If you or your law firm wants to join our volunteer program, email Iván Martínez at probono@arkansaslegalservices.org or visit https://www.arkansaslegal.org/pro_bono_membership_form to fill out the form. We appreciate you and the help you will provide to your community.

AUTHOR: Iván Martínez, PRO BONO COORDINATOR FOR CENTER FOR ARKANSAS LEGAL SERVICES