This fall, hundreds of would-be associates who had their law firm start dates deferred will be working as fellows and externs with legal services, public service and government organizations. In order to help these recent law grads and junior law firm associates become a part of the legal services community and to give them a chance to reflect on the experience, Pro Bono Net has launched an online resource, probono.net/fellows.
Developed with support from the New York Community Trust, the site will be an online complement to the city-wide training program administered by the City Bar Justice Center and available to any law firm fellow in the New York City area.
The site includes a range of resources to help ease the transition to legal services, educate fellows on poverty law, create interest around "Civil Gideon" and a civil right to counsel, and to allow fellows to share their experiences and voices with other fellows and with the greater community. Tools featured on probono.net/fellows include a calendar of events and trainings, news, a library of training videos and resources, extensive links to other resources, and a listserv. A blog, updated monthly by fellows sharing their experiences, is in development
Among the resources now available is an on-demand webinar, “Public Interest Perspectives: An Introductory Training for Private Attorneys in Public Interest Placements,” which was conducted by The Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCO) and the Association for Legal Career Professionals (NALP). It provides an overview of the differences in law firm and nonprofit practice settings, insight on working with low-income clients and background on the economic challenges faced by the public interest community.
Although the idea for an online resource began primarily as a resource for New York fellows, the reach and impact of deferrals make this a relevant resource for fellows all over the country. In addition to the City Bar Justice Center, other contributors include the New York Immigration Coalition, The Legal Aid Society, the DC Bar Pro Bono Program, the Public Interest Law Initiative, The Public Interest Clearinghouse and Legal Aid Association of California, the Association of Pro Bono Counsel, NALP, and Equal Justice Works.
All law firm attorneys working at legal services, public service or government organizations for a fellowship, externship, or term of volunteer service can get involved by registering at www.probono.net/fellows.
