ABA Free Legal Answers Summer Associate Challenge

How It Started

In response to the increasing need for pro bono legal services and the desire to instill a commitment to pro bono early on in an individual’s legal career, in 2021, ABA President Patricia Lee Refo called upon law firms to involve their summer associates in answering civil legal questions from income-eligible individuals in their state through ABA Free Legal Answers (ABA FLA).

After personal experience in an ABA FLA virtual clinic as a volunteer attorney last spring, President Refo seized upon an opportunity to urge firms to pair summer associates with existing volunteer attorneys to answer as many questions as possible.

“ABA Free Legal Answers provides associates with a taste of pro bono service that will endure throughout their career. In turn, the law firm attorneys who collaborate with these young lawyers will likewise find the process rewarding,” said President Refo.

How To Get Involved

By August 15^th, please report the following to Tali Albukerk, National Administrator of ABA Free Legal Answers:

• Name of law firm/corporate law department
• Number of questions taken with assistance of summer associates/interns
• State site(s) on which the questions were answered
• Number of attorneys and associates/interns who participated
• Number of pro bono hours performed (if available)
• Photos or testimonials from the experience (if available)

The firms/corporate law departments that answer the most questions with the help of summer associates will be recognized by the ABA. All will be publicly acknowledged. Please share this Summer Associate Challenge flyer with your networks.

Tips on how to volunteer on ABA Free Legal Answers

2024 Summer Associate Challenge Winner:
Bowles Rice LLP

During the 2024 ABA Free Legal Answers Summer Associate Challenge, over 180 civil legal questions posted by income-eligible individuals were answered by nearly 50 summer associates and over 60 volunteer attorneys from seven states. Approximately 250 hours were donated to ABA Free Legal Answers clients by summer associates and attorney volunteers while at their respective firms. 

Of the firms participating in the Challenge, Bowles Rice LLP answered the most questions (71) with the assistance of seven summer associates and eight attorneys and performing 37.5 pro bono hours. Legal issues addressed on the West Virginia Free Legal Answers site included housing rights, employment law, personal injury, family law matters, consumer rights, wills/estates, tax law matters, healthcare and bankruptcy.

Mississippi Free Legal Answers held its own State Summer Associate Challenge in which 48 questions were answered by 11 summer associate and 17 attorneys. Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP has won the state challenge for answering the most questions submitted (26) by income-eligible Mississippi residents.

The following additional firms participated:

Adams and Reese LLP
Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC
Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Butler Snow LLP
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Koley Jessen P.C.

In their own words:

“One of the highlights of my summer was aiding attorneys in answering questions for Free Legal Answers. It was so rewarding to make a difference in a short period of time and directly helping those in my community. I am excited to continue doing Pro Bono work for Free Legal Answers when I start my career!”

-----2024 Summer Associate, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

2023 Summer Associate Challenge Winner:
Husch Blackwell, LLP

During the 2023 ABA FLA Summer Associate Challenge, more than 124 summer associates and 120 volunteer attorneys from 16 states answered over 447 civil legal questions posted by income-eligible individuals. Legal issues included family law, consumer rights, landlord tenant matters and contracts.

Of the firms participating in the Challenge, Husch Blackwell LLP answered the most questions (146) with the assistance of 17 summer associates and 30 attorneys. A total of 224.60 hours were donated to ABA Free Legal Answers over the ten weeks that Husch Blackwell’s summer associates were at the firm.

The following additional firms were the most active:
Alston & Bird LLP
Bowles Rice LLP
Butler Snow LLP
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP
Forman Watkins & Krutz LLP
Hunton Andrews Kurth
Koley Jessen
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

2022 Summer Associate Challenge Winner:
Koley Jessen

During the 2022 ABA FLA Summer Associate Challenge, at least 43 summer associates and 26 volunteer attorneys from nine states answered over 150 civil legal questions posted by income-eligible individuals. Of the firms participating in the Challenge, Koley Jessen answered the most questions (31) with the assistance of summer associates and the following firms were the most active:

Alston & Bird
Baker & Hostetler LLP
Faegre Drinker
Husch Blackwell
Jackson Lewis P.C.
Johnson Flodman Guenzel & Widger
Koley Jessen
Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP

In their own words:

“This project is really great.  It gets everyone out of their comfort zone and allows associates to explore and research various areas of law.  They have to ask lots of questions to every attorney in the office!  It also requires that I do a little research to verify the accuracy of the answers! Thank you for offering this community service.  People really do appreciate the guidance.”----Abbie J. Widger, partner, Johnson Flodman Guenzel & Widger

“The summer associates all did great jobs at tackling the legal research and developing practical solutions to some of the problems the virtual clients were faced with… Collaborating to provide free legal answers for pro bono clients was an awesome time to do good work for Georgians. I am looking forward to answering more answers though the ABA's platform and will pull in colleagues as well.” --- Jarvarus Gresham, associate, Baker & Hostetler LLP

2021 Summer Associate Challenge Winner:
Koley Jessen

Of the firms participating in the ABA FLA Summer Associate Challenge, Koley Jessen answered the most questions with the assistance of summer associates and the following firms were the most active:

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Husch Blackwell LLPJohnson Flodman Guenzel & Widger
Koley Jessen
Rembolt Ludtke LLPSimon, Peragine, Smith, & Redfearn LLP

In their own words:

“Being able to participate in providing legal answers to so many members of our community was the icing on the cake to my summer clerkship experience. It was eye-opening to see the various legal issues arising in the community and the absolute necessity for charitable lawyers. I was humbled by the collaborative spirit the attorneys in our litigation department showed in preparing these answers and I hope to continue to prioritize using my legal education to support these efforts throughout my career!”----Addison Schneider, summer associate, Koley Jessen and 2L, University of Nebraska College of Law

“I had a fantastic experience answering questions for Free Legal Answers. It was incredibly rewarding to spend time finding solutions and, under the supervision of licensed attorneys, providing free legal services directly to members of the Nebraska community. In addition, the collaborative nature involved in responding to FLA questions is unique from other pro bono opportunities. I can only hope our responses gave helpful advice for individuals seeking answers to their legal questions. My experience working with FLA further reinforced why I chose to enter the legal profession in the first place: to serve the interests of others.”----John P. Barrett, summer associate, Koley Jessen and 3L, University of Wisconsin Law School

“Participating in a FLA session as a summer associate showed me the dedication to service the firm has incorporated into its culture. Under the guidance of an attorney, answering questions from FLA gave me the opportunity to practice my legal skills and participate in the firm’s commitment to giving back and providing access to the judicial system for each individual.”----Brett E. Bunnell-Battani, summer associate, Koley Jessen and 3L, Drake University Law School

“Simon, Peragine, Smith, & Redfearn, L.L.P. was proud to host the first ABA Free Legal Answers Summer Associate Challenge in Louisiana because we strongly believe in the value of pro bono and giving back to those in need across the state. Having the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues and our summer associates in a meaningful way through this platform was terrific.”---- Casie Z. Davidson, partner, Simon, Peragine, Smith, & Redfearn, L.L.P.