Pro Bono

The Professional Responsibility Code of Conduct for lawyers suggests a total of 50 pro bono hours per year. I can safely say that I've never reached that lofty goal, but I've done at least some pro bono work every year I've been a lawyer. What helps is going to free legal clinics hosted by bar associations, where low-income residents from the community come seeking legal advice.

I've never felt "at the top of my game" when it comes to being a lawyer, always feeling like there's someone who could do a better job, who knows the law better, and there always probably will be someone like that. However, lawyering is not always providing the best representation possible, it's about doing what your client needs to the best of your ability. Many clients don't know the legal process at all and don't even have the means of filing a complaint, or contacting the other side's attorney. They don't know what a deposition is, or what to expect when they are summoned to go to one. Many get the obligatory "You have been sued!" notice in the mail after having been served and panic......"I've been sued! What now?" is a very common reaction. That's when pro bono legal services really does help, to help the everyday person whose personal finances and life in general could be affected by a lawsuit, not the corporate entity who stands to only lose a few zero's off their quarterly bottom line.

Pro bono work reminds me of what most lawyers probably get into the law for, to help people solve their legal issue. Just like it's easy to describe or picture what a doctor does (see the patient, diagnose the disease, prescribe medication, perform surgery if necessary), describing what a lawyer does should be more simple: (see the client, diagnose what kind of legal help the client needs, go to court/provide the legal services). However, once one enters into the big universe that is the legal world things aren't as clear-cut. There's the matter of billing, and what to bill for, what services does the client really need versus what might be more of an inclusive approach, what might benefit the lawyer to drag the case out longer and be able to bill more (that's why lawyers get a bad name), doing fancy-sounding activities like "legal research" and "due diligence" that may or may not actually add value to the legal services being provided. Many large corporations have their own legal department, plus hire outside attorneys in cases of large-scale litigation, so an army of lawyers can descend on a case, causing "doing legal work" to feel like a battle of attrition between armies of attorneys.

The pro bono clinc that I attend once a month or so, however, is much closer to the traditional image of legal work, individual people from the community come in with their own issues, and the volunteer attorneys do their best to answer their questions. It may be as easy as "what's the law? Did I break the contract or not?" or it could be more complex like "I'm involved in class action litigation, what jurisdiction should I bring the lawsuit to?" Whatever the case, though, it makes attorneys like myself feel more empowered, like those years of law school and studying for the bar actually paid off a little, and grants a sense of fulfillment, like I can provide a service of people that they normally wouldn't be able to get (well, until the internet and robots take all of the jobs, including legal work). That's really one of the two big factors anyone looks for in working jobs: 1.) the salary, but also 2.) the fulfillment of knowing one's work is actually meaningful and makes a difference for somebody out there. Sometimes when I work for large firms and large corporations, I start losing that ability, like it's just grinding work through a machine that who knows whether will be useful or not. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that about their jobs, which maybe also part of why the legal profession recommends 50 hours per year of pro bono. Not only does it help the community, but it helps the lawyer get more opportunities to use/show off their skills!

Fantasize on,

Robert Yan