Previously only available in hard copy, the New York Pro Bono Opportunities Guide officially launched its online version in May 2004! In partnership with the New York State Bar Association, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, and Volunteers of Legal Service, Pro Bono Net built this online database version that gives New York state attorneys the ability to locate easily organizations offering pro bono opportunities tailored to their exact interests. Since its launch, the online guide has received over 7,000 page views, and counting! Read more in the official press release below:
BAR ASSOCIATIONS AND LEGAL SERVICES GROUPS MAKE SEARCHABLE GUIDE TO PRO BONO SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET
ALBANY – To encourage lawyer participation in pro bono programs and to provide more information on the wide range of pro bono experiences available throughout New York state, the Statewide Pro Bono Opportunities Guide is now available online.
Whether you are a Trusts & Estates lawyer in Greene County, a law student in Albany looking to help victims of domestic violence, or a litigator in Manhattan looking to help a community organization, this easy-to-use guide will help you find the right opportunity. The guide merges two print publications – Pro Bono Opportunities, A Guide for Lawyers Outside New York City and Pro Bono Opportunities, A Guide for Lawyers in New York City – into a single online version in an easy-to-use format. It is searchable by county, subject area, and population served.
The online guide is a collaborative project of the New York State Bar Association, Pro Bono Net, Volunteers of Legal Service, and the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. It can be found on each of their websites:
About the partner organizations
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York was founded in 1870, and is dedicated to maintaining the high ethical standards of the profession, promoting reform of the law, and providing service to the profession and the public.
The 72,000-member New York State Bar Association is the official statewide organization of lawyers in New York and the largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. The NYSBA has a long tradition of advocating for equal access to justice, including by encouraging attorneys to provide at least 20 hours per year of pro bono service.
Pro Bono Net is a nonprofit organization headquartered in New York City. Its mission is to increase access to justice through innovative uses of technology and increased volunteer participation.
Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) develops pro bono programs to provide free civil legal services to poor people living in New York City, and then recruits volunteer lawyers and law firms to undertake these services.
