October 7th Pro Bono Fair

A few weeks ago an e-mail arrived asking for a couple of NALS members to volunteer to help out with the October 7^th Pro Bono Fair at the Thomas Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills sponsored by the Michigan State Bar Pro Bono Initiative. What we were asked to do was fairly simple: Greet participants, sign them in, and answer any questions that come up.

The other volunteer turned out to be none other than the current President of NALS of Michigan: Sandy Lavender. We talked a little between greeting guests and students asking questions. She gave me some advice on other job search tactics, the most interesting one was “hang out at the court house.” Also had the opportunity to meet Robert Mathis who is the Pro Bono Service Counsel at The State Bar of Michigan and Julie I. Fershtman, the newly elected President of the State Bar.

The following organizations were represented at the event (from a pamphlet passed out):

Access to Justice Fund: Have “…programs to increase resources for civil legal aid for the poor in Michigan.”

ACLU (Detroit): Cooperating attorneys from large, small, or solo firms taking time to work on ACLU causes and cases.

Christian Legal Aid of Southeast MI: Offers legal advice and spiritual counsel to low income people in a variety of areas.

Common Ground: Provides a variety of programs to assist individuals and families “in crisis,” including two legal clinics per week.

Community Legal Resources: Provides various opportunities to work with / for nonprofits in Michigan who serve low income communities.

Family Law Assistance Project: “…a collaboration of Lakeshore Legal Aid and Thomas M. Cooley School of Law Auburn Hills Campus to provide free legal assistance to very low income people in Oakland County Circuit Court…”

Lakeshore Legal Aid: Providing free legal assistance with family law to very low income people of Macomb county, primarily involving abuse or access.

Legal Aid & Defender Association, Inc.: Michigan’s largest provider of civil and criminal legal services to low income residents, with offices in the tri-county area.

Legal Assistance Program for Seniors: Provides low cost and free services to residents of Macomb County aged 60 years and older on a wide variety of issues from age discrimination to wills.

Thomas M. Cooley Law School Service to Soldiers Program: Provides opportunities for attorneys to represent low income military personnel who are deploying to, have been deployed to, or are returning from combat zones for a range of legal issues.

While the event was specifically geared towards attorneys, it is possible there would be volunteer opportunities for paralegals as well.  For those of us who are “newly minted” an opportunity to volunteer may also provide that all important legal experience as well putting us where we can meet other legal professionals and demonstrate our abilities.