Explore pro bono and public service opportunities from within and outside the ABA. Some you can do from the comfort of your own home remotely!

ABA Free Legal Answers

ABA Free Legal Answers™ offers a convenient pro bono opportunity that attorneys can fit into their schedule. Attorneys can log in and provide answers 24/7/365 from any location with an internet connection. It is especially convenient for volunteer populations with restricted time in which to provide pro bono, such as law firm, corporate law department and government attorneys, as well as part-time, retired and at-home attorneys.

Observe Immigration Court

The ABA Commission on Immigration invites volunteers to join our Immigration Court Observation & Awareness Project. This initiative offers attorneys, law students, and members of the public a chance to witness firsthand the challenges noncitizens face in court—and to contribute meaningfully through structured, neutral observation.

What: Volunteers observe Master Calendar Hearings and Bond Hearings in immigration court and complete a short form documenting what they see.

Where: Opportunities are available in immigration courts nationwide, with many hearings accessible remotely via Webex. Volunteers can participate based on their own schedules and locations.

Why: Immigration courts are experiencing a number of concerning trends, including:

• The pretermission of asylum applications,
• Noncitizens being pressured into self-deportation, and
• Cases being dismissed, followed by ICE apprehensions immediately outside the courtroom.

Your observations help track patterns and identify trends. The data collected through this project will support broader advocacy efforts to support access to counsel and safeguard due process protections.

Please note: This project is focused on observation only. Volunteers are expected to remain neural and refrain from engaging with anyone in the courtroom. While some proceedings may be difficult to witness, your role is to document respectfully and objectively.

How It Works: Join our self-paced online training course, which includes:

• How to register for the project,
• How to locate dockets and access hearings,
• Protocol for observation,
• What to expect during immigration court proceedings, and
• How to accurately complete and submit your observation forms.

Time Commitment: Approximately 5–7 hours total, including:

• 2 hours of online training,
• 2–3 hours observing court, and
• 1–2 hours submitting your observation forms.

If you have any questions or are an organization that would want to formally partner on this project, please contact us at [email protected].

Walk To End Alzheimer's

Our Senior Lawyers Division is partnering with the Alzheimer's Association and the Walk To End Alzheimer's, which is being held this Fall in communities across America.  In 2024, the SLD had 5 teams nationwide with 11 participants raising a record $12,748. And we'd like to encourage you to join the team!  Please visit our dedicated website.  Once there, click "Start a Team" and put in your zip code to form a local team in your community.  Or, if you prefer to make a donation to help find the cures for this disease, you can support one of our existing teams Learn more here.

Children’s Immigration Law Academy (CILA)

Volunteer opportunities: CILA hosts a platform on our website called Pro Bono Matters for Children Facing Deportation that features pro bono opportunities in children’s and families’ immigration law cases across the nation. We welcome individuals to go to the webpage, take a look at the case cards on the platform, and express interest in a pro bono opportunity if they want to get involved. The posting organization will then reach out to the potential pro bono attorney, provide more case details, and help them get started if it’s a good fit.

Written resources & Newsletter: In addition to hosting free trainings, the CILA team also creates written resources like the CILA Pro Bono Guide: Working with Children and Youth in Immigration Cases to support pro bono attorneys. We share information about CILA’s resources and upcoming trainings with those interested in pro bono through a quarterly newsletter.

ABA Young Lawyers Division Disaster Legal Services

The DLS program is designed to help survivors navigate the aftermath of presidentially-declared disasters. Volunteers are crucial in the days, weeks, and months after major natural disasters. 

State Health Insurance Counseling Program (SHIP)

Volunteer to be a SHIP counselor to help Medicare beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries better understand their Medicare benefits.

• State Health Insurance Counseling Program (SHIP) exists in every US state and territory, using volunteer counselors to empower, educate, and assist Medicare-eligible individuals in accessing the benefits they need.
• Becoming a SHIP volunteer counselor does not require a law degree or health law background, but a lawyer’s skill at deciphering and navigating myriad rules, forms, and bureaucratic procedures makes lawyers well-suited to serve in this role.
• Volunteers are provided ample training on Medicare and recertified annually. The knowledge learned as a volunteer also benefits oneself and possibly other family members directly.
• Read about someone’s personal experience volunteering with SHIP: A Pro Bono Opportunity in Every State You Probably Haven’t Heard About
• To partner with SHIP in your community, visit shiphelp.org or call 877-839-2675.

Scholar Exchanges — National Constitution Center

Program Overview and Logistics: The National Constitution Center hosts a Scholar Exchanges program that gives students the opportunity to discuss constitutional topics with a lawyer, judge, or constitutional scholar and their peers from around the country. In this setting, we hope students gain a deeper constitutional understanding and engage in enhanced civil discourse. We work primarily with High School and Middle School students and all of the Scholar Exchanges are virtual, usually on Zoom, and are scheduled for 45 minutes. The scholar, NCC moderator and class(es) of students will join to discuss a topic related to the Constitution. 

Scholar Participation: When it comes to participation, Scholars are under no obligation to teach a certain number of classes. The NCC keeps a mailing list of participating scholars and scholars can decide whenever there is a class time that works for their schedule. Once a class time has been agreed upon, the NCC will send along the zoom link to join as well as a content script and PowerPoint that is used in each class. The script is paired with the slides of the presentation and provides a framework for the discussion. However, scholars are encouraged to include personal experiences and observations during the class. 

Scholars will be supported in each class by a member of the National Constitution Center's Education Team. The NCC moderator takes care of sharing the PowerPoint and facilitating the conversation, as well as providing any additional assistance scholars may require. 

Shadowing: Scholars are always welcome to observe a class. If there is a class that you would like to observe, please email [email protected]. 

Program Topics: We offer a number of topics that teachers can choose from.The following topics are offered throughout the year:

• Constitutional Conversations
• Federalism and the Separation of Powers
• Bill of Rights
• First Amendment: Speech and Press
• 14th Amendment
• Voting Rights

Go to the National Consitution Center website to schedule a session now! If you have any questions, or would like to review additional program topics, please do not hesitate to email [email protected].

Afghan Legal Professionals Scholarship & Mentoring Pilot Program

Volunteer to Be a Mentor

• Who: Mentors work as a team to engage in peer-to-peer discussions with Mentee Fellows and share their knowledge of the American legal profession to aid Mentee Fellows in reaching their goals.
• How: You’ll receive mentoring resources, guidelines, and trauma-informed mentoring training support.
• Time Commitment: Mentors meet with their assigned Mentee Fellows for at least one hour, once or twice a month (in person or virtually) for 12 months. This requirement is flexible, as Mentors and Mentee Fellows are encouraged to add meetings to this base goal through additional one-on-one meetings, as needed.
• Qualifications: The program currently seeks Mentors in all U.S. states and jurisdictions who are licensed or retired lawyers and judges and who are or are willing to become ABA members.
• How to Get Started: If you are interested in becoming a Mentor or enrolling as a Mentee Fellow, please contact [email protected] with the subject line, “Request for Mentoring Information,” and we will be happy to discuss the Mentoring Program with you.
• More info: Please check out the Pilot Program website.

Give

Please consider making a contribution to the Pilot Program to help fund stipends for more Afghan legal professionals: ambar.org/donateITL.