The Tennessee Bar Association is joining with legal organizations across the state for Celebrate Pro Bono Month during October 2009.
A full slate of activties are taking part across Tennessee to bring attention to pro bono efforts of Tennessee lawyers, to help Tennessee citizens in need of legal assistance, and to provide training for Tennessee attorneys who take part in pro bono work.
“Despite welcome indications of improvements in the economy,” TBA President Gail Vaughn Ashworth said, “the reality for many in our state is that they cannot afford basic legal services. The TBA is committed to providing all lawyers opportunities to provide free legal assistance to these needy Tennesseans."
Celebrate Pro Bono activities will continue the campaign launched by the TBA last year to tackle the growing need for access to our system of justice by those in need. The TBA's 4ALL campaign took on the problem on four fronts, with initiatives to educate, collaborate, legislate and participate.
On April 4, more than 1,300 Tennesseans received free legal advice on issues ranging from foreclosure and unemployment to custody and child support as part of ćPro Bono Public Service Day,ä a statewide campaign that featured more than 47 projects and involved close to 600 lawyers, who in one day provided nearly $600,000 worth of free legal service.
Highlights of the day included:
š More than 140 clients served at clinics in Memphis ö the largest client turnout in the state;
š 100 percent participation from the members of the state Supreme Court, who turned out to thank volunteers in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville;
š More than 100 firefighters, police and emergency personnel provided with free wills and other end-of-life legal documents through the ćWills for Heroesä program in Nashville;
š Commitments from several locations to hold additional pro bono clinics in the future; and
š A successful ćMeet the Needä challenge in Knoxville where almost 50 lawyers stepped forward to claim 55 outstanding cases from the local legal aid agency, Legal Aid of East Tennessee.
•More than 40 Tennessee law firms have also adopted formal pro bono policies and Tennessee Supreme Court Chief Justice Janice Holder has been a leader in encouraging other firms to adopt policies. The TBA has
model law firm pro bono policies available to assist your firm.
