By Missy Davenport • JBA Pro Bono Committee chair
There are many ways to get involved in providing pro bono services in our community, from reaching out directly to a legal services provider, working with a voluntary Bar association and participating in outreach events.
Another way to find the right case or event for you is to check out the Florida Pro Bono Matters website at
floridaprobonomatters.org.
It is an interactive website funded by The Florida Bar Foundation that shows pro bono opportunities throughout the state all in one place.
The website is the first of its kind and is possible because all Florida Bar Foundation grantees use the same case management system, which makes it easy for legal aid organizations to post opportunities to the website.
Jacksonville Area Legal Aid, Three Rivers Legal Services and other legal aid organizations statewide screen applicants and cases for eligibility and post available cases to the website.
The interactive website helps prospective volunteers find opportunities in several ways.
Attorneys also can use keyword searches to find case types and volunteer opportunities in their particular areas of expertise or interest, locate cases in their geographic area and find cases posted by their local legal aid organizations.
Because of COVID-19, many opportunities are available to complete remotely so attorneys are not limited to their specific geographic location.
Additionally, attorneys can use a filter option on the website to see options specifically by opportunity type, such as cases and clinics; legal problem types; and partners such as individual legal aid organizations.
There also is an option to create a notification based on any of the searches or filters. The attorney will then receive an email notification any time a case or event is added to the website that matches that search.
When an attorney has found a case or event that matches their interests, it is easy to get more information.
Each potential case or event has a case card with a map showing the county in which the case is located. The posting organization’s name will appear below the map along with a short summary of the case or event details.
The attorney can then click on the “Interested” button at the bottom of the card, provide contact information and an alert will be sent to the posting organization.
A representative of the organization will then contact the attorney to provide additional information and allow the attorney to decide whether the opportunity is a good fit and move forward.
There also is an option on the case card to easily share a case with another attorney that might be interested in assisting.
If you would like to find your 2022 pro bono case or event, contact Missy Davenport at [email protected] or visit the Florida Pro Bono Matters website at floridaprobonomatters.org.