Volunteers honored for “Making a Difference”
By Lorrie K. Albert and Lisa M. Wolfe
For The Lawyers Journal
July 6, 2007—The 2007 Pro Bono Volunteer Recognition Event was inspiring for all in attendance. Sponsored by the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Public Service Committee, the recognition event was held on Wednesday, May 23 at the Rivers Club. Attorney, paralegal, and law student volunteers, judges, and members of the Allegheny County Bar Association attended the event. It was a great opportunity to honor those who take the time out of their busy schedules to deliver direct pro bono legal services to the poor. amans Cherin Mellott, was launched in November, but has only recently become fully active.
“Our theme this year, “Making a Difference,” was specifically chosen to emphasize and remind our volunteers that their work truly is making a difference in the lives of the people they help. Their work is not only appreciated by their clients, but also by the Allegheny County Bar Association and the judges," said ACBF Pro Bono Coordinator Lorrie Albert.
Public Service Committee Chair Joe Mack was excited that the Public Service Committee was able to recognize the bar association’s volunteers for the pro bono work they have performed over the past year.
“Those who perform pro bono services seldom do so out of a desire for personal recognition. The Volunteer Recognition Event allowed us to let our volunteers know that their peers appreciate and respect what they are doing,” said Mack. “It also helps us to draw attention to the various opportunities for volunteering.”
Volunteer opportunities to provide direct legal services to the poor have increased this year due to the addition of several new projects through the Pro Bono Center. The Center now has 22 member organizations and projects, five more than last year. The Education Law Center is the newest Pro Bono Center member.
In addition, the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership has added three new signature pro bono projects to its three existing projects. Those projects now include: the McKees Rocks Clinic, staffed by ALCOA, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney and Burns White and Hickton; the Anti-Predatory Lending Clinic, staffed by US Steel and Pietragallo Bosick and Gordon, LLP; the Family Law Custody Conciliation Pro Bono Project, managed by Eckert Seamans, the Academy of Trial Lawyers Student Pro Bono Project; and the Pro Bono Wills Project staffed by Reed Smith and GlaxoSmithKline.
“The number of pro bono volunteers has steadily increased, in direct correlation to the increase in pro bono opportunities. We are about to begin two new projects in the upcoming months and have a number of others on the drawing board.” said Albert.
Volunteer activities in 2006 ranged from representing clients for Neighborhood Legal Services Association’s Protection from Abuse program or staffing one of the many legal clinics, including the Uptown Legal Clinic, North Hills Community Outreach Legal Clinic, and the Pro Bono Partnership’s McKees Rocks and Anti-Predatory Lending Clinics. Over 23 volunteers took on Immigration Asylum cases last year.
Many family law attorneys and law students helped staff the Family Division Pro Se Program or the Custody Conciliation Project. Paralegals offered their volunteer services in many ways, from conducting client intake and scheduling to directly assisting attorneys with their pro bono matters. Two KDKA Military and Veterans Affairs Legal Advice Call-in programs were held last year.
"The momentum for pro bono has increased this year, with many more firms and attorneys asking for assignments than ever before," said Albert.
Judges seated in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Superior Court, Supreme Court, and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania attended the event to demonstrate their appreciation of the pro bono work done by local volunteers.
As part of the recognition event’s program, ACBA President Hon. Kim Berkeley Clark, Mack, ACBA Executive Director David Blaner, and Albert also spent time thanking volunteers for their commitment to pro bono work.
Clark expressed deep appreciation for the time volunteers have committed to pro bono service, not only as the President of the Allegheny County Bar Association, but also in her role as a judge on the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. Clark talked about the new Pro Bono Resolution recently adopted by the ACBA Board of Governors that encourages law firms and legal departments to give credit to their attorneys for pro bono work.
“I am proud of the fact that our bar association is committed to pro bono service,” said Clark. “As a judge in the Family Division, I can honestly say that without lawyers who have made the commitment to give pro bono service to the court and to the community, we would have a far less efficient and fair system of justice. To those lawyers and law firms who have continued to show a commitment to pro bono service, I thank you. The beauty of pro bono service is that as much as the client receives, the lawyer receives so much more.”
Volunteers also heard from Rachel Klink, a paralegal with Eckert Seamans who is coordinating the Custody Conciliation Project, Josh Stein, an Alcoa attorney who volunteers with the McKees Rocks Clinic, and Sister Mary Traupman regarding her experience as a volunteer with Neighborhood Legal Services Association. Their accounts were proof that no matter how simple or difficult a client’s case may be, volunteers are really out there making a difference in the community.
“We service anyone,” she said. “If they are willing to come into a church building, we’ll help them.”
Volunteers who attended the event were given Pro Bono Center volunteer pins. If a volunteer was unable to attend, a pin was sent to them via mail from Judge Clark. Volunteers were encouraged to wear the pins proudly at ABCA events and to court. Wearing the pin will give them an opportunity to discuss their pro bono experience and promote pro bono work.
Albert encouraged the volunteers to spread the word about their pro bono experiences and how good it makes them feel to help the indigent with their legal problems. Regarding wearing the pin, Albert stated, “It can’t hurt to alert the judges and your colleagues that you are representing your client pro bono. In fact, with conciliation project, the family law attorneys have been very appreciative to have a volunteer attorney on the other side. More cases are getting settled at the conciliation stage as a result.”
For more information on volunteer opportunities through the Pro Bono Center, visit www.acbf.org and click on the Pro Bono Center’s link.