pro bono cases examples

Examples of our past pro bono cases include:

• Filed lawsuit against Norfolk Southern on behalf of a former railroad worker to obtain a declaration that a personal...
• Filed wrongful death lawsuit against parents who abused their young daughter to death.
• Filed lawsuit against GMAC on behalf of a family who was wrongfully evicted from her home in the foreclosure process.

Full Answer

What does pro bono really mean?

Dec 13, 2018 · An example of a pro bono lawyer assisting with an immigration issue occurred in the matter of Fernandez-Vargas v. Gonzales, Attorney General. Here, the Government deported Humberto Fernandez-Vargas, a Mexican citizen, only for him to illegally re-enter the country in 1982. No one knew he was in the U.S. for over 20 years.

How do you find a pro bono attorney?

Our archive of case studies includes examples of how highly specialised expert witnesses provided by ExpertsDirect used their expertise in several complex and significant cases. All Case Studies Pro-Bono

What does pro bono mean in law?

Solicitors regularly do pro bono work for individuals, charities and community groups who cannot afford to pay for legal advice or representation. These case studies show the positive contribution pro bono work makes to the community. If your organisation has examples of pro bono work you'd like to share, email Valerie Robertson.

Who are pro bono lawyers?

Pro bono vs. Pro-bono vs. Probono “Pro bono” should always be split into two words. We write it in this way because it comes from the Latin phrase “pro bono publico,” which means “for the public good.” There is never a reason to place a hyphen between the words as it …

What is an example of a pro bono lawyer?

An example of a pro bono lawyer assisting with an immigration issue occurred in the matter of Fernandez-Vargas v. Gonzales, Attorney General. Here, the Government deported Humberto Fernandez-Vargas, a Mexican citizen, only for him to illegally re-enter the country in 1982. No one knew he was in the U.S. for over 20 years. During that time, he had a son and thereafter married the boy’s mother, an American citizen.

What does it mean to go pro se?

If an individual chooses to go pro se, this means that he chooses to represent himself. In fact, the term pro se is Latin for “in one’s own behalf.” If a person goes pro se, he will certainly save money in legal fees. The downside, though, is that he may not be as well versed in the law, and may not be aware of all the defenses available to him.

What are the legal issues?

Related Legal Terms and Issues 1 Appellate Court – A court having jurisdiction to review decisions of a trial-level or other lower court. 2 Deportation – The eviction of a person or group from a country. 3 Trial – A formal presentation of evidence before a judge and jury for the purpose of determining guilt or innocence in a criminal case, or to issue a decision in a civil matter.

What is legal aid?

Legal aid societies are non-profit organizations that help people who would not be able to afford legal services otherwise. The downside is that, all too often, the individual who applies makes too much money to qualify. This is true even if the individual’s income is low by society’s standards. However, there must be some limitation in order to prevent the organizations from becoming overwhelmed with requests.

Can a disabled veteran get a lawyer?

Veterans who are disabled, either mentally or physically, may qualify for a free lawyer as well. The issues for which a disabled veteran may require a lawyer can refer to anything from child support and custody to issues with rent. Members of the veteran’s family may also qualify if the veteran’s disability has negatively impacted them in any way. To determine whether one is eligible, he must contact his local veterans’ association.

Who is the chair of the Pro Bono Committee?

The firm has a comprehensive Pro Bono Policy that is administered by a multi-office Pro Bono Committee comprised of partners and associates from our offices and Partner Edwin M. Buffmire, serving as the Pro Bono Committee Chair.

What is Jackson Walker's pro bono program?

Jackson Walker’s award-winning pro bono program demonstrates its values and commitment to representing clients of limited economic means who would otherwise be unable to afford legal services. We do this to improve the law and the legal system, and to help ensure equal access to justice by all members of society. Engaging in public interest legal service also provides valuable experience for our attorneys and gets them further engaged with the community. We have found that attorneys who are regularly active in pro bono service tend to develop well-rounded, engaged lives, and often end up being leaders within the firm and the community. We are quite proud of the fact that the Firm spends over 6,000 hours on pro bono causes every year.

Who is Chip Babcock?

Charles L. Babcock. Along with Nancy Hamilton and Audra Welter, Chip Babcock is a recipient of the Texas Civil Rights Project’s Kristi Couvillon Pro Bono Award, which is presented annually to attorneys who handled significant cases for the TCRP. The JW team successfully defended an internet publication sued for libel by a judicial candidate ...

Who is Kurt Nondorf?

Kurt Nondorf provides significant pro bono services to Covenant House Texas (CHT). Since 1983, CHT has been providing abused or abandoned, homeless and runaway youth a safe haven from the dangers of street life and abuse. By giving these youths necessary skills, training, and emotional support, CHT creates positive life alternatives and the opportunity to develop into self-sufficient adults.

How does pro bono work?

Many firms have chosen to focus their pro bono work either thematically or geographically, selecting an issue, client group or a neighborhood of need and dedicating significant efforts to it. This approach offers several advantages for the firm. By involving—or making involvement available to—all firm lawyers on common project, everyone can share in its progress, struggles and accomplishments. Attorneys work together developing strategies for cases and sharing knowledge. Marshaling the firm’s resources in a neighborhood clinic or toward a particular issue also maximizes efficiency, allowing the firm and its attorneys to make a larger impact.

What is the ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono?

ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service Since its creation in 1973, the Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service has led the ABA’s efforts to promote pro bono work within all segments of the legal community. The Pro Bono Committee seeks to encourage, activate, expand and improve pro bono activities and programs through policy, programmatic and support initiatives. The committee works with state and local bar associations, law firms, corporate counsel, the judiciary, law schools, government attorneys, and diversity and specialty bar associations in developing model programs and policies to assist them in the implementation of pro bono initiatives. For pro bono opportunities for lawyers, visit the website at: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono.html.

How many hours of pro bono publico do lawyers need?

According to Model Rule 6.1 of Professional Conduct of the American Bar Association, “a lawyer should aspire to render at least fifty (50) hours of pro bono publico legal services per year.” Rule 6.1 further urges that lawyers provide a substantial majority of those hours without fee or expectation of fee to persons of limited means or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means. Additionally, lawyers are encouraged to contribute financially to organizations that provide legal services to the poor.

How long does an associate work for a non profit?

Rotations typically range from 2 months to a year. During that time, the associate works full-time for the non-profit or legal services agency while remaining an employee of the firm and receiving her full salary, benefits and retaining her office and administrative support. Rotations allow externs to handle several cases at once and develop expertise in a particular field. The benefits for the participating agency include eliminating the need to hire junior staff attorneys and reducing training time.

How long does a summer associate work?

Some firms allow summer associates to work part of their time doing public interest work. The amount of time varies from two to six weeks. Usually, firms pay participants the full summer associate salary while the associate works with the public interest agency. The Philadelphia firm of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius offered a split summer program to all of its 124 summer associates in 2001. Summer associates could spend six of their twelve weeks working with an agency from a long and diverse list of participating agencies. Participating in a split summer program does not negatively affect an associates’ evaluation by the firm.

Is pro bono just for litigators?

As noted above, pro bono is no longer just for litigators. Opportunities to provide pro bono assistance in real estate, tax, mergers and acquisitions and a whole host of transactional matters have increased in recent years. There are much fewer formalized programs, but many are being developed as firms experiment with transactional pro bono models.