In November 2025, I wrote an article about the need for attorneys to step up and do more pro bono work.
At the end of the article, there was a call to action directed to large firms and individual attorneys to reach out and get involved.
While we have had a few cases placed since that time, the number of cases taken remains low.
Don’t get me wrong; I am grateful for the attorneys who continue to show up at outreach events, midday and evening clinics and special events like alternative spring break, but what we are missing are the case placements.
I hear you, you have enough on your plate.
I hear you, your employer will not count your pro bono time toward your billables.
I hear you, that the kinds of cases we need placement for are not your forte. To that, let me tell you we have training, pro bono attorneys available to help you in that area of law and you would be under our liability insurance.
In an era where access to justice is largely determined by financial means, the importance of pro bono legal work has increased and will continue to increase. For many low-income people, navigating the complexities of the legal system is overwhelming, if not impossible.
Pro bono enriches the lives of the attorneys who serve and the firms they represent. Lawyers often report that these cases reinvigorate their sense of purpose and sharpen their skills.
Visit our website at www.jaxlegalaid.org/pro-bono and click through the “JALA non-case related pro bono projects” and maybe take an extra minute to look through the “JALA cases awaiting placement with a pro bono attorney” section. I challenge you to spend five minutes looking through the cases available.
You will find at least five people looking to create or update a deed. At least five people are looking only to create or change their will. Another five are looking to create or revoke a power of attorney. Two of the applicants are between 90-99 years old. Another handful of cases are looking for name changes. These cases can be easily resolved in one or two afternoons.
If you are considering taking a case that may be a new subject for you, contact the pro bono office regarding CLEs or request a pro bono expert to help.
If your firm would like to create a pro bono manual, contact JALA’s pro bono department for assistance.
No matter how you donate your time, through taking a case, volunteering at a clinic or becoming a pro bono expert resource, we will help you track your time so that when pro bono reporting time comes for The Florida Bar, we will have all of that calculated for you.
Contact me for more information at [email protected].