CBA Record September-October 2023

YOUNG LAWYERS SECTION

Get Involved in Your Community, Not Just the Legal Community

By Jake Berger

I llinois lawyers are strongly encouraged to provide pro bono legal services to members of the community who otherwise cannot afford to hire counsel, as reflected in Illinois Supreme Court Rule 756(f) and Northern District of Illinois Local Rule 83.35. And the latter rule goes a step further, providing that if a lawyer is a member of the Trial Bar, they may be called upon to provide mandatory pro bono service. Court rules encourage lawyers to provide pro bono services to those who cannot afford them because our justice system is founded upon the concept of equal access to justice for all regardless of the ability to pay. In other words, lawyers are strongly encouraged to do pro bono work to help people who normally would be denied access to the justice system because of a lack of resources. Our court systems’ emphasis on providing pro bono services to the public fosters a symbiotic relationship among lawyers, court systems, and marginalized populations. Among other services, pro bono work allows underrepresented individuals to obtain wills and estate planning services, allows incarcerated people to redress unlawful conditions in prisons or to obtain desperately needed healthcare services, and allows victims of sexual harass ment or employment discrimination/retaliation to get compen sated for the harm they suffered. How do lawyers benefit from pro bono work? For younger lawyers in particular, pro bono work allows them to gain valuable exposure and experience in new sit uations and practice areas relatively early in their career. Through their pro bono work, young lawyers learn the skills they need to become effective lawyers. At its core, the underlying mission of pro bono work is for lawyers to fulfill their duty of service to the public at large. But while providing pro bono legal services to the public at large is important, it is not the only way lawyers can serve the public. Stated another way, I submit that lawyers can and should also serve their communities in non-legal contexts and capacities. There are many reasons why lawyers should provide service to the public in non-legal capacities, and why they are well-suited to

do so. First, lawyers have the financial and social resources to help members of the public at the lawyers’ time and expense. Law yers have an obligation to be generous with their time and finan cial resources to make their community a better place. Second, by virtue of their legal training, lawyers often have significant knowledge and understanding about how specific aspects of soci ety, such as affordable housing, operate in practice; due to the issues lawyers assist clients with daily, lawyers are uniquely posi tioned to understand and appreciate some of the struggles expe rienced in our communities. Third, because lawyers are typically prominent and well-respected members of the community, they can use their voices and platforms to advocate for members of the public who otherwise cannot do so themselves. Lawyers can elevate the voices of members of society who aren’t being heard. In short, this non-exhaustive list demonstrates how lawyers get things done for people efficiently, and effectively. Here are several ideas for ways lawyers can volunteer in their com munities in meaningful ways beyond doing pro bono legal work: Get involved in your community organization. Getting involved in your community organization or association is a great way to provide a service to the whole community, to meet indi viduals, and to feel more connected to the community. Participat ing in a community organization also allows a lawyer to weigh in, positively impact, and ultimately advocate for various neigh borhood issues, such as zoning, affordable housing, homelessness, poverty, and other issues that need to be addressed to improve quality-of-life for those negatively affected. Volunteer in neighborhood beautification efforts. Volunteer in an existing neighborhood public gardening or trash pickup group. If one doesn’t exist, start your own and encourage others to participate. Improving the cleanliness and beauty of public spaces has an immensely positive impact, including by making the community more welcoming and cohesive through encourag ing people to use, respect, and protect public gathering spaces.

34 September/October 2023