The Advocate - May 2012 - Idaho State Bar - Idaho.gov

Myth #3: Pro bono services are
needed only in a narrow range
Four out of ten respondents (41.8%)
thought that more pro bono work may be
done if lawyers had a wide range of opportunities
from which to choose. In fact,
a wide range of opportunities is available
― from bankruptcy, to family law,
to immigration, to wills and probate, to
guardianships for seniors, children and
developmentally delayed adults, to advice
and counsel sessions with seniors or
the homeless, to working with emerging
businesses and non-profits, to civil rights
actions in Federal Court, to assisting homeowners
seeking to avoid foreclosure,
to aiding victims of crimes such as sexual
assault and identity theft, to working with
the CASA program, to making presentations
on legal topics to low income people.
You can also serve by being a mentor to a
less experienced attorney or by assisting
in relevant training sessions. The truth is,
so long as you are providing pro bono legal
services to persons of limited means,
or to organizations that address the needs
of persons of limited means, the range of
pro bono projects is limited only by your
willingness to contribute your time. Just
66 The Advocate • May 2012
check out the pro bono pledge form on
the IVLP link from the Idaho State Bar
website at http://www.isb.idaho.gov/pdf/
ivlp/ivlp_pledge.pdf (also available in the
Desk Book). There is something for everyone.
Myth #4: No training, no support
Nearly 49% of the respondents thought
that more pro bono would be done if free
CLE training were available. It is available.
Training is offered through IVLP,
various Bar sections, Idaho Legal Aid,
and other organizations. We need to do a
better job of advertising those free CLE
opportunities on the Bar’s website and we
will do so.
Mentoring is also available through
IVLP, an incentive suggested by 33.8% of
the respondents. If IVLP does not have a
volunteer mentor available in a particular
subject area, many lawyers simply call
a local attorney who handles the type of
case in question. Many lawyers use this
informal procedure to find out what they
need to do on a particular type of case and
very few lawyers will hesitate to provide
the information needed, if no conflict is
involved.
MEDIATION
ARBITRATION
DISCOVERY MASTER
HEARING OFFICER
FACILITATION
EDUCATION SEMINARS
NEUTRAL EVALUATIONS
SMALL LAWSUIT RESOLUTION ACT
The point is that many of the things
lawyers perceived to be roadblocks to the
performance of pro bono service simply
do not exist. There are no further excuses
to hold one back from helping indigent
individuals. Fill out a pro bono pledge
form and send it to IVLP. Urge others to
do likewise. There is a great need for help
and I know we can step up to the task.
About the Author
Justice Jim Jones served as legislative
assistant to former U.S. Senator Len
B. Jordan for three years, commencing
in 1970. He started a law practice in Jerome
in 1973 and maintained it until he
was elected as Idaho Attorney General
in 1982. Justice Jones served two elected
terms as Attorney General. Following the
completion of his second term, he established
a private law practice in Boise,
which he maintained until being elected to
the Idaho Supreme Court in 2004. He was
re-elected in 2010. During his tenure as
Idaho Attorney General, he argued three
cases before the United States Supreme
Court.
Justice Jones is married to Boise author,
Kelly Jones. They have three children,
Kathy, Jon, and Kristi, as well as
seven grandchildren.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
MERLYN W. CLARK
Please visit
www.hawleytroxell.com
for Mr. Clark’s full
curriculum vitae.
P. 208.388.4836
F. 208.954.5210
mclark@hawleytroxell.com