Annual Pro Bono Volunteer Recognition event held May 14
By Judy Schneider
For The Lawyers Journal
May 14, 2008—The annual Pro Bono Volunteer Recognition event was held May 14, 2008 to recognize and honor those professionals who provide their time and expertise to help the low income community of Allegheny County. Once again, the Public Service Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association sponsored this inspiring event which was held at the Rivers Club. Almost 100 volunteers including attorneys, paralegals, law students, and judges were on hand to celebrate and participate in the occasion.
“Our volunteers take time from their busy schedules to staff legal clinics, accompany clients to court, review documents, and much more. This is our way of giving something back to them,” said Barbara Griffin, Pro Bono Coordinator for the Allegheny County Bar Foundation. ACBA President Ken Gormley agreed. “This is a very special event in our year—a time to recognize those who have gone out of their way to provide representation to people who would otherwise not be able to afford it.” He added that having volunteers committed to the cause is more important than ever now. “This is especially important for the bar association because the need of the average citizen who needs this kind of representation just keeps skyrocketing. With government resources shrinking each year, it is extremely important for individuals in the private sector to help out, which they have. I see more and more lawyers who, recognizing the high level of need, are stepping up to help. This is a very proud moment for me as bar association president,” said Gormley.
According to Griffin, pro bono opportunities continue to grow in Allegheny County. Family law cases continue to be the largest area of need, accounting for almost 70 percent of the Pro Bono Center’s cases. In 2007, Christian Legal Aid of Pittsburgh became a member organization of the Pro Bono Center. This organization provides legal clinics in Oakland and the North Side. Additional programs being developed with Griffin’s help include legal clinics to help veterans and international newcomers to Pittsburgh.
This year, volunteers were treated to breakfast and a free one-hour CLE program on ethical issues relating to pro bono work. According to program presenter, Efrem M. Grail of ReedSmith LLP in Pittsburgh, oftentimes it can be difficult for practitioners to choose the right pro bono client due to conflicts and ethical considerations. “Performing pro bono legal service should be easy and gratifying. It should achieve measurable results for our clients,” said Grail. “But too often, it isn’t easy. Choosing the right case or cause and navigating the legal and ethical minefield of conflicts all too often discourage practitioners from even taking a pro bono case. Our collective goal should be to make it easy to find and take the right pro bono client. If we do, pro bono service can be habit forming.”
Griffin also spoke to the audience about her own experiences as a volunteer. “Taking on pro bono indigent divorce cases allowed me to get out of the library and into the courtroom. It also allowed me to get experience interviewing clients. It was a fantastic learning experience.” She added that she never hesitated to go back to the volunteer coordinator if a case got complicated or she needed help. She urged those in attendance to do the same. “For volunteers who are working outside of their normal practice areas, or who need assistance on a case or have any questions at all, we can match them up with an experienced mentor.”
Other speakers included the Honorable Beth Lazzara of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, who talked about the role and importance of the pro bono lawyer in the court system. Judge Lazzara noted that pro se litigants present a lot of challenges for judges, so it is enormously helpful to have the parties represented by pro bono attorneys.
Also giving thanks to volunteers were speakers David Blaner, Executive Director of the ACBA; Deborah Kutzavitch, Chair of the ACBA Public Service Committee; and Ken Gormley, President of the ACBA. Additionally, Kutzavitch, on behalf of the Public Service Committee, surprised Lorrie Albert, former ACBF Pro Bono Coordinator and current ACBF Director, with a bouquet of flowers and a very special “thank you” as a token of appreciation for her hard work and dedication throughout the past few years. In 2005, Albert became the first Pro Bono Coordinator at the ACBF and was the liaison for the ACBF/ACBA Public Service Committee.
“When Lorrie filled the position as Pro Bono Coordinator, programs sprang up, more lawyers talked about pro bono work, law firms got involved, and good things started to happen. Without her passion and desire, many needs would have gone unmet. Lorrie has a unique ability to bring together the right individuals and to generate the interest to get things done,” said Kutzavitch. “She always gave, and she continues to give everything she has—her full attention, her compassionate heart, and her earnest desire to help those with the greatest need. Fortunately for the ACBF, the community, and specifically the individuals in need, she continues to do that in her role as director of the foundation.”
Volunteers were presented with a Sarris chocolate candy bar and a pen, both carrying the Pro Bono Center logo. Additionally, volunteers received a Pro Bono Center lapel pin and were urged to wear it when appearing in court on behalf of a client.
In addition to Judge Lazzara, other judges in attendance were the Honorable Kathryn Hens-Greco, and the Honorable Alan Hertzberg, both of whom sit in the Family Division of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, as well as retired judge the Honorable Livingstone Johnson.
Attorneys who volunteer through the Pro Bono Center have numerous resources available to them, including access to free online legal research for their pro bono work thanks to a generous grant from LexisNexis, regular training sessions with free CLE credits for those who work on pro bono cases, and malpractice coverage through the ACBA’s malpractice insurance policy for the work they do on pro bono cases.
Anyone interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities through the ACBF’s Pro Bono Center can contact Barbara Griffin at 412-402-6677 or by e-mail at bgriffin@acba.org or by clicking on the Pro Bono Center’s link at www.acbf.org.