Welcome!
Welcome to probono.net/dc. This website contains substantive training videos and materials for current pro bono attorneys, as well as listings of trainings and opportunities to volunteer.
Volunteer:
• Click here to see current volunteer opportunities, including those related to COVID-19
• Click here for a directory of District legal service organizations offering pro bono opportunities (for attorneys or organizations interested in reaching out directly)
Find Trainings:
• Click here to see upcoming training opportunities and other events for pro bono attorneys (filterable by issue area and event type)
Volunteer:
• Click here to see current volunteer opportunities, including those related to COVID-19
• Click here for a directory of District legal service organizations offering pro bono opportunities (for attorneys or organizations interested in reaching out directly)
Find Trainings:
• Click here to see upcoming training opportunities and other events for pro bono attorneys (filterable by issue area and event type)
• Click
here for trainings on cultural humility and working remotely with pro bono clients.
• Click
here for a training on probate and the basics of decedents' estates in D.C.
• Click
here for a training on negotiating mediation for pro bono clients
• Click
here for trainings for attorneys assisting non-profits and small businesses.
If you are a pro bono attorney working with a legal services provider, please go to the specified practice area and click the 'Join Us' button. Once your registration is approved, you will gain access to the training videos and materials to support your pro bono work. These materials are located in the specified practice area library under training materials. If you have any questions, please contact Reece Flexner at rflexner@dcbar.org.
Pro Bono in D.C.
Probono.net/DC provides resources for interested attorneys to find opportunities and trainings to help address the District's civil legal needs crisis. Thank you for your interest in providing pro bono services!
• Poverty is a significant concern in D.C. that keeps many residents from accessing civil legal services – pre-pandemic, about 111,000 (1 in 6) D.C. residents lived in poverty, with almost 195,000 living within 200% of the poverty level.
• Poverty in D.C. is not equally distributed – pre-pandemic, Wards 7 and 8 (which are 90+% Black) had the highest pre-pandemic poverty rates (27% and 36%) compared with 17% District-wide.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened economic stress and racial disparities in the District, further limiting access to civil legal services.
• Low-income individuals experience higher rates of civil legal problems but when faced with legal issues threatening their stability, 75% to 97% of D.C. residents appear in Superior Court without a lawyer (depending on case type). To learn more about civil justice in the District, see the D.C. Access to Justice Commission’s Delivering Justice report. Having a lawyer can make a real difference for these individuals and their case outcomes. Access to civil legal services is a critical safety net and a racial justice issue. With the COVID-19 pandemic, access to legal services are even more essential to ensure an equitable recovery.
ProBono.net/DC is a project of the D.C. Consortium of Legal Services Providers. Visit their site to learn more about the Consortium and its member organizations. The Consortium is a coalition of 32 member organizations, all of which provide direct legal services to low-income DC residents. The Consortium's mission is to coordinate the delivery, expand the availability and improve the quality of legal services and advocacy for poor and disadvantaged people and groups of people in the District of Columbia.
D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center
The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center is an independent, nonprofit organization supported entirely by voluntary contributions. The Pro Bono Center recruits, trains, and mobilizes volunteer attorneys to take pro bono cases serving individuals living in poverty who are at risk of losing their homes, their livelihoods, and their families. The center also helps small businesses and community-based nonprofits needing legal help. Last year, the Pro Bono Center touched the lives of almost 20,000 D.C. residents.
