Illinois adopts new rule to help deliver legal services after major disaster

The Illinois Supreme Court announced today that it has adopted a new rule to facilitate the delivery of legal services in an emergency resulting from a major disaster.  In the case of an Illinois disaster, new Supreme Court Rule 718 would allow attorneys who are licensed in another state to provide pro bono publico legal services to residents of Illinois. In the event of a disaster in another state, the rule would allow attorneys licensed outside of Illinois to provide pro bono legal services to residents of the stricken state who have been displaced to Illinois because of the disaster.  The rule also would allow attorneys licensed in a stricken state to provide legal services in Illinois as long as those legal services arise out of and are reasonably related to the lawyers’ practice of law where the major disaster occurred.   Illinois Lawyer Now has more information here.

The rule is based on the ABA's "Model Court Rule on the Provision of Legal Services Following a Major Disaster" which has now been adopted in at least 14 states.  (Go here for a chart on which states have adopted the rule.)

Obama proposes budget increase for Legal Services but it is still less than what the agency says it needs

A couple of weeks ago I reported that last November the federal government enacted a bill that slashed federal funding for civil legal assistance to the poor by about 14% — from $404.2 million to $348 million, which is the lowest level since 2007.

Today, the blog of the Legal Times is reporting that President Obama has urged Congress to give the Legal Services Corp. $402 million for fiscal 2013, which is a 15.5% increase from the current $348 million budget.

If approved, that would be the good news.  The bad news is that the new budget would still be $68 million under  the budget proposed by the LSC, the independent agency that provides civil legal aid to the poor.

Five myths about pro bono

Esther F. Lardent, the president and chief executive officer of the Pro Bono Institute in Washington, has published a short article called Five Myths about Pro Bono in which she discusses, well, five myths about pro bono.  It is available here.

Budget cuts and layoffs in legal assistance

Last November the federal government enacted a bill that slashed federal  funding for civil legal assistance to the poor by about 14% — from  $404.2 million to $348 million, which is the lowest level since 2007.  For this reason, civil legal aid groups that receive money from the Legal Services Corp. have estimated that they will cut 163 lawyers and 230 other employees this year.  This is bad news at a time when it is universally agreed that the vast majority of the legal needs of the poor are not met and that most people do not have access to legal representation.  For more on this story go to to the Blog of the Legal Times and the Wall Street Journal law blog.

LSC's funding to be cut, probably by 14%

The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin is reporting that the Legal Services Corp. (LSC), which awards grants to legal aid providers throughout the nation, could see its funding slashed by nearly 14 percent in fiscal year 2012.  There are three legal aid providers in Illinois that rely heavily on federal funding to provide legal assistance to those in need: Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago and Prairie State Legal Services Inc.  The cuts in funding will likely result in cuts in staff and fewer services at a time when there are more poor people and more need for those services.

Please consider giving generously to agencies providing legal aid when choosing charities to contribute to this coming holiday season (or at any other time in the future).

UPDATE:  Public Citizen has more information here, including a link to the 2012 budget deal.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation ends this week with the following questions:

What should the relationship be between professional development and pro bono services?

Go here to join the conversation.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation continues this week with the following questions:

How do we ensure high quality pro bono work?  Could well-trained legal assistants and paralegals assume greater responsibility and provide specific forms of legal relief? What matters would be appropriate to specialized form of representation?

Go here to join the conversation.

Illinois Lawyer Now invites you to celebrate Pro Bono week

Here is a link to a short article on Illinois Lawyer Now inviting you to join the celebration of National Pro Bono Week by Hon. Barbara Crowder.  It starts:  "Do you pro bono? If so, show you are “Pro Bono Proud” during National Pro Bono Week by attending a celebratory event. If not, why not? More opportunities abound to find a pro bono project that meets your time and abilities than ever before. And even more ways to pro bono may be coming to a circuit near you."  Go here to read the full article, and do join the National Pro Bono week activitites.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation continues this week with the following questions:

How can we better use technology? What kinds of information could/should we disseminate, and how?  How do we serve the hard to reach geographical communities?

Go here to join the conversation.

Pro bono opportunities in Chicago

In conjunction with the national pro bono week activities, between Oct. 24 to 28, interested attorneys can attend the Pro Bono and Community Service Fair to learn about pro bono opportunities in Chicago.  There will be free MCLE courses to learn how to do mortgage foreclosure mediation or help those who have been wrongly accused of child abuse or neglect, you can attend the "Breakfast With Judges" to discuss pro bono efforts in our community or participate in a unique workshops titled "Walk a Month in My Shoes: A Poverty Simulation." To get details on dates, times and places, visit the Chicago Bar Association pro bono week website.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation continues this week with the following questions:

What systemic issues do you see in the delivery of legal services and equal access to justice?   How does pro bono fit (or not) into the big picture? The overwhelming majority of low income people appear pro se in court. What should the role of pro bono assistance be for these clients?

Go here to join the conversation.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation continues this week with the following questions:

What is the best way to recruit and utilize corporate in house counsel?  Government attorneys? What is the role of rewards/awards in generating pro bono participation? What evidence do you have of their efficacy?  What are your best practices in inspiring and rewarding pro bono participation?

Go here to join the conversation.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation continues this week with the following questions:

Some lawyers prefer to give money rather than their time and skill, and some legal services/pro bono organizations would also prefer this arrangement. Others favor both a monetary and personal commitment to pro bono work/legal services. How do you see this issue? What suggestions do you have?

Go here to join the conversation.

Pro bono conversation questions of the week

The national pro bono celebration conversation continues this week with the following questions:

What methods have you found most effective in engaging law students in pro bono?  What type of legal work have you found is most appropriate for law students?  What suggestions do you have for law schools that would result in the graduation of students committed to access for all?

Go here to join the conversation.

Pro bono conversation question of the week

Here are this week's national pro bono celebration questions: What are the best ways for the public interest and private bars to work together to provide high quality legal services to poor and marginalized people? How can we increase collaboration between all segments of the legal community?  What innovative, creative models already do or would result in increased legal services for low income individuals and communities?  Are there new ways of thinking about the delivery of legal services that would result in meeting more need?

Go here to join the conversation.

National Pro Bono Celebration

Building on the success of the annual National Pro Bono Celebrations in 2009 and 2010, the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service is sponsoring the Celebration again this year October 23 through 29, 2011.  Go here for more information.

The Celebration is a coordinated national effort to meet the ever-growing needs of this country's most vulnerable citizens by encouraging and supporting local efforts to expand the delivery of pro bono legal services, and by showcasing the great difference that pro bono lawyers make to the nation, its system of justice, its communities and, most of all, to the clients they serve.

As part of the Celebration, the Committee is encouraging a national conversation about pro bono.  How can we frame a new way of thinking about and delivering pro bono legal services?

Please contribute to a stimulating national conversation about the future of pro bono work and the delivery of quality legal services. Help shape this approach by sharing your inspired ideas and comments. What has worked for you? What are your best ideas and experiences? What changes are needed and how might they be accomplished? What are the most effective collaborations and partnerships? How can the private and public interest bars work together most effectively to provide access to justice for all?

Twice weekly, on Mondays and Wednesdays, a new question will be posted for your reflection and comments. Please participate often and invite your colleagues to do the same.  You can see the list of questions here.

A national conversation can seed new initiatives and new approaches throughout the country; please join in this dynamic exchange of insights and ideas. Your voice needs to be heard. Join the discussion now.

Comment on the report on pro bono by large firms

About two weeks ago I posted a link to a report by the American Lawyer magazine that concluded that major firms contributed significantly fewer hours of pro bono service in 2010 than in the previous two years.  See here.

In response to the report and the media commentary that followed, Esther F. Lardent, president and chief executive officer of the Pro Bono Institute, published an op-ed piece in the National Law Journal in which she argues that we should be optimistic that the policy, personnel and attitudinal changes undertaken during the past decade by large firms when it comes to pro bono provide the infrastructure and support that will keep pro bono work strong and vital at these firms.  You can read the full article here.

Big firms make profits, pro bono plunges

The Wall Street Journal law blog is reporting on a study by the American Lawyer magazine in its just-released July pro-bono issue that concludes that many lawyers were too busy representing paying clients to counsel non-paying ones. Go here for the story in the WSJ, go here for the story by American Lawyer magazine.

Pro bono reporting requirement results in more pro bono & donations

Illinois lawyers are not required to provide pro bono services, but if they do provide them, they must report it on their annual registration forms. This reporting requirement was adopted in 2007 and since then Illinois attorneys have logged more than 6.5 million service hours and contributed $47.2 million, according to a recent report by the Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. The report states that the total of pro bono legal service hours provided improved by 2.1% from 2008 to 2009 and the total amount of financial contributions increased by 1% to a total of $14.9 million. The report is available here.

ISBA urges laywers to donate time or money to celebrate National Pro Bono Week

The Illinois State Bar Association is reporting that to celebrate National Pro Bono Celebration Week, which kicks off today, ISBA President Mark Hassakis is encouraging ISBA members to perform some pro bono work or to donate money to entities that provide legal services to those in need. The ISBA Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services has a website where you can learn more.