Abstract:

As a result of the economic crisis, pro bono is an increasingly important mechanism for delivering free legal service to low-income individuals in the United States. This article discusses the current crisis in pro bono legal services, examining the need for expanded pro bono service, the institutionalization of pro bono services, the barriers that prevent lawyers from taking on pro bono matters, and suggestions for ways to engage more lawyers in pro bono service. It suggests as a potential remedy a collaborative model of pro bono services based on the Pro Bono Collaborative ("PBC") developed at Roger Williams University School of Law. Founded in 2006, the PBC facilitates pro bono through a three-way partnership among law firms, law students and faculty, and community-based organizations. The article concludes that despite major challenges inherent in collaboration between groups, in order to expand and improve pro bono legal assistance, collaboration itself must be nurtured.

© 2010, Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. It can be obtained through their print-on-demand site: https://articleworks.cadmus.com/geolaw/zs000210.html