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Become a Volunteer

The Pro Bono Center can help you find a volunteer opportunity that matches your interests. And we provide resources to help you along the way. Among the benefits of volunteering through the Pro Bono Center are:

  • Malpractice insurance coverage provided by bar foundation for referred cases
  • Free CLE and training programs
  • CLE credit for volunteer hours
  • Free online research from LexisNexis
  • Opportunities to gain experience in different areas of the law
  • Mentoring and supporting materials

Interested in volunteering? Click here to complete a volunteer inquiry form and one of our staff members will contact you to get started.

Volunteer resources

CLEs and other training programs

Attending a continuing legal education program or other training session is a great way to get started on a pro bono project. Free trainings are regularly offered by the Pro Bono Center and its partner organizations. Click here to view upcoming programs.

CLE credit for pro bono

Attorneys can earn one CLE credit for every 5 hours spent working on a pro bono case, up to 3 credits per reporting period. Your case must have been referred to you by the Pro Bono Center or one of its member projects or organizations. To report your hours, complete this CLE Credit Request Form and send it to Barbara Griffin at [email protected].

Emeritus Status

Pennsylvania attorneys can be licensed to practice law solely for the purposes of providing free legal services through eligible legal aid programs. Contact the PA Disciplinary Board for more information about the process for applying for emeritus status. Once you are approved, if you plan to volunteer the Pro Bono Center or one of its member projects or organizations, submit your Eligible Legal Aid Organization Form to Barbara Griffin at [email protected].

Free online research

Thanks to a generous grant from LexisNexis, Pro Bono Center volunteers working on pro bono cases have access to free online legal research. To gain access to LexisNexis online research services, e-mail your full name and PA attorney ID# to Olivia Hilborn at [email protected].