Lawyers and law firms across the country are participating in volunteer events to focus attention on disaster resiliency as part of the National Celebration of Pro Bono, which runs Oct. 21-27.
The National Celebration of Pro Bono began in 2009 to showcase the difference that pro bono lawyers can make to our nation, to our system of justice, to our communities and most of all to the clients they serve. In the 10 years since, more than 7,000 events have taken place in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada.
In the past four years, the national celebration has focused on specific themes, including service to veterans and homeless youth. Because 2017 was a record year for natural disasters across the country, American Bar Association President Bob Carlson has chosen to highlight disaster resiliency as this year’s theme.
Among the disaster-resiliency events taking place are:
- All month, the North Carolina Bar Association is hosting volunteers to staff their disaster legal services hotline in response to Hurricane Florence.
- In St. Louis, Mo., on Oct. 23, the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis will hold a CLE on how legal communities can prepare for and help others recover from natural disasters.
- In Worcester, Mass., on Oct. 24, Community Legal Aid and the Medical Legal Partnership will host a family preparedness workshop for UMass Medical Center patients, where caregivers will meet with volunteer attorneys to draft and execute family planning documents.
- In Houston on Oct. 25, Locke Lord and Lone Star Legal Aid will hold a CLE on federal tax representation for disaster survivors and education on disaster resilience.
- In Denver on Oct 26, the National Consumer Law Center and the National Association of Consumer Advocates will host a seminar on the tools available to attorneys assisting their clients after a natural disaster.