October 20-26 is the 2024 National Celebration of Pro Bono. The purpose of this week is to highlight the need for pro bono and the valuable pro bono work that attorneys do. The first National Celebration of Pro Bono took place in 2009, a time of hardship for many Americans. Today, many in our community also face tremendous hardship, making pro bono more important than ever.
What is Pro Bono?
Pro bono means legal services provided without the expectation of compensation. Traditionally these services are provided to indigent individuals or to non-profit organizations that serve low income individuals or work on behalf of those individuals. Learn more about what legal work qualifies as pro bono.
There is a huge need for free legal assistance in California. Studies show that the number of people who need legal assistance but are unable to obtain that assistance is large and growing. California has an estimated 7 million residents who live below 125% of the poverty line. The state has only one legal aid attorney for every 8,000 individuals who qualify for free legal help.[1] Contra Costa County has a growing population of elders. Approximately one in five residents of the county are 60 or older, representing a 30.4% increase from 2010.[2] As this population grows, so will the demand for legal services for older adults.
While attorneys in California are not required to do pro bono work, the State Bar of California urges all attorneys to do at least 50 hours per year of pro bono work in its Pro Bono Resolution. Pro bono work has many benefits for attorneys. Part of the ethos of the legal profession is to help those in need. Doing pro bono allows attorneys to help vulnerable members of their community and make a difference. Attorneys can gain a new perspective on life and feel good about the work they are doing. Pro bono work also allows attorneys to develop new skills and practice an area of law they otherwise wouldn’t get to work in.
Contra Costa Senior Legal Services offers pro bono opportunities for attorneys. We have legal clinics around Contra Costa County that are staffed by volunteer attorneys and we are always looking for new volunteers. Learn more about how to get involved with CCSLS.
[1] https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/accessJustice/Pro%20Bono%20FAQs%20Revised_02%2019%2016.pdf
[2] US Census Bureau, 2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates