Adventures of an Older New Attorney

North Carolina’s Rules of Professional Conduct encourage attorneys to provide fifty hours of pro bono publico (“for the good of the public”) service per year. Many states have a similar provision, and some require attorneys to report their pro bono service, while they do not mandate that such service be provided. Some law schools also require their students to render pro bono service, and New York requires first-time bar applicants to have performed fifty hours of service before their admission.

One morning at breakfast last month I was discussing my plans with fellow church members, one of whom is a staff attorney with Legal Aid of North Carolina. He described the organization’s pro bono program for volunteer attorneys, and I asked him to pass my name to the program coordinator. This past week the coordinator reached out to me as part of an effort to contact all newly admitted attorneys. After an exchange of email messages and a very informative phone call today, I have volunteered for the “Lawyer on the Line” program, where I’ll be speaking to clients to answer their legal questions and perhaps deliver some additional service.

While I expect my participation to benefit the clients with whom I’ll speak, I too will benefit from providing this service, beyond the good feeling that I expect it to give me. Legal Aid of N.C. provides resources that will help me get up-to-speed on practice issues and will offer me opportunities to speak to other attorneys. I’ll have an attorney-mentor who can give me pointers and take note if I appear to be going in a wrong direction.

To begin with, I have agreed to take two calls per month; once I have more experience under my belt, I may decide to participate in their other service programs. I’m excited to launch this new effort!