Common Sense Musings about Justice Prosperity in Rural America

If you have legions of private attorneys, encourage them to provide pro bono services; if you do not have a significant pool of private attorneys, as is the case in most rural areas, do encourage those few attorneys you have to provide pro bono services.

But do not expect pro bono services where private attorneys are not found, and further, do not imagine a handful of volunteer lawyers as a “justice” resource for 3/4 million people.

If you have but two resources to provide justice– legal aid staff funding and pro bono volunteers– use the volunteers in those areas where they exist in significant numbers; deploy the legal aid staff funding to those areas where you have no private bar resources.

To read some interesting lawyer blogs on the issue of pro bono, go here: My Shingle and here: RiskProf .