Opening Doors
The heart and soul of The Pro Bono Project is the collaborative effort between the Project's staff and hundreds of volunteers who give their time and expertise pro bono—at no charge—every year to open the doors to the civil legal system for metro area residents in need
The Project relies on all kinds of volunteers to get the job done for its clients: lawyers, paralegals, law students, lay professionals, etc.
With limited full and part-time staff, The Pro Bono Project always needs help handling cases for clients as well as in our office. The Project also has many committees that need volunteers from all walks of life. If you have expertise in areas such as fundraising, event planning, or administrative support, The Project welcomes your contribution of time and talent.
Opening doors to access the civil legal system to those in need takes an army of volunteers. The Pro Bono Project volunteers are passionate about this community and determined to provide access to justice for those in need.
Volunteer Opportunities
In-Person Volunteer Opportunities
Pro Bono Legal Matter
Volunteers can find a full listing of cases awaiting placement here. We have cases spanning the breadth of civil legal issues, including domestic, consumer, wills and estates, child welfare, and immigration matters.
Download a list of our volunteer opportunities or call our office at 504.581-4043 x 211 to discuss an assignment perfect for your schedule. Email us today!
Self Help Resource Centers | Two locations to volunteer
Attorneys and non-attorneys are welcome
24th Judicial District Court & Orleans Civil District Court - Domestic Self Help Resource Centers
The Pro Bono Project has taken the lead in managing and recruiting volunteers for Self Help Resource Centers (SHRC) at 24th Judicial District Court in Jefferson Parish and Orleans Civil District Court.
Volunteers provide legal information, not legal advice. Hours are 9 am to noon every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Orleans CDC (at the corner of Poydras and Loyola on first floor). In-person operation of the Self-Help Resource Center at the 24th JDC is suspended, but volunteers currently can answer questions from 9 am - 12 noon, Monday through Friday, at 504-881-1171.
Elderly Legal Advice Clinics
A legal clinic is where volunteers provide free information or advice to visitors at the Council on Aging in Jefferson and St. Bernard Parishes. Several clinics are located throughout the area. Click here for a complete list.
Successions & Estate Planning
Many of our clients need assistance with preparing a will to a power of attorney. Additionally, try your hand at a small succession. Small succession affidavits are easy to prepare, and provide a great deal of satisfaction and stability to our clients.
Divorce Workshop and Provisional Custody By Mandate (PCBM)
Our experienced staff coordinates a number of clients to visit our location on Gravier Street to meet with a volunteer attorney who will review and sign divorce pleadings. We also schedule individuals for PCBM notarization. Volunteers will help answer client questions about the legal process and receive support from our staff paralegal.
Bankruptcy Clinic
A legal clinic is where volunteers provide information or advice to attendees for free (or pro bono). We have several clinic opportunities for volunteers and the public. Several clinics are located throughout the area. Volunteer attorneys, call our offices to schedule.
Children’s Law
The Pro Bono Project provides representation to minor children in Jefferson and St. Bernard Parish in Child in Need of Care proceedings. Hearings are held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and volunteers must become certified through a six-hour CLE training. Our Special Immigrant Juvenile Status program provides representation to immigrant children in the state juvenile system who cannot reunify with their parents due to abuse, abandonment or neglect, and who meet certain other criteria, to obtain lawful permanent immigration status.
Immigration
The Pro Bono Project has a formal referral process with Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans (CCANO) as well Southern Poverty Law Center’s Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SPLC - SIFI) to address two specific immigration matters.
Partnering with CCANO, The Pro Bono Project accepts Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases that we place with volunteer attorneys. Volunteer attorneys will be trained to handle a multi step legal process to advocate for immigrant children who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents. The scope of representation will include an action in a Louisiana juvenile court, a form based application to USCIS, and potentially representation at status hearings at the New Orleans Immigration Court.
The collaboration between SPLC - SIFI and PBP will focus on advancing racial justice by advocating for the release of migrants from ICE detention—specifically by filing parole requests and other similar requests for release.
Volunteers in both programs receive training and mentorship.
Event Planning Intern
An Event Planning Intern is needed during the summer months in preparation for our largest fundraiser, the Justice For All Ball. Click here for the internship duties. For additional information, email Erica Williams.
Virtual Opportunities
Our mission to provide civil legal aid to the six parishes we service includes case placement and legal clinics. Please click on the presentation below to view virtual volunteer opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic which include:
Browse our Virtual Volunteer Opportunities here.
Sign up for our Evictions Relief Program. The COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous for renters. With federal protections expiring at the end of the year, tenants face housing instability, even while the virus is resurgent. Volunteers for this effort sign up for a week of duty during which a small number of evictions clients will be referred to the volunteer. Volunteers meet with clients virtually or telephonically in order to provide brief counsel and advice, then document any advice given in a letter to the client. It’s that simple, and helps to address an urgent and growing legal need in our community. Register here.
Staff our Self-Help Resource Center Hotline. The Pro Bono Project operates a self-help hotline for pro se domestic litigants daily, 9 am - 12 noon. Information on forms, resources, and the process of representing oneself are provided to callers. A hotline for pro se bankruptcy filers at the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana operates on the first Friday of each month from 9 AM until noon. Volunteers can take calls remotely from the comfort of their home or office.
Other opportunities to volunteer include mentoring other volunteer attorneys, providing a CLE training or client-oriented informational video on a topic of your expertise, and staffing our community-based legal clinics.
To find more information about volunteering or to register as a volunteer by contacting Director of Legal Services Kathryn Lafrentz at 504-581-4043 x 211.
Download the latest PDF of Volunteer Opportunities showing the type of activities.
Committees
Interested in getting to know more about The Pro Bono Project and its mission, or want another way to use your skills and talents? A committee may be the perfect place for you.
For more information on committees, please email Executive Director C.C. Kahr or contact her at 504.581.4043 Ext. 202.
Volunteer Outreach and Recruitment Committee
This committee will be responsible for developing and implementing programs to engage and expand our base of volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and students.
Volunteer Appreciation Committee
This Committee will be responsible for organizing the annual Volunteer Recognition Event and CLE Program, which is traditionally held in December of each year.
Strategic Planning and Board Engagement Committee
This committee will be responsible for implementing long—and short—range goals and strategies with an emphasis on increasing and maintaining board engagement. This committee is also charged with the planning of an annual board retreat.
Resource Development, Marketing and
Communications Committee
This committee will be responsible for developing and implementing programs to increase annual revenues generated by The Project through charitable giving, grants, service contracts, and strategic partnerships. Additionally, this committee will be responsible for creating the strategic direction of The Project’s marketing and communications efforts. Further, it will be responsible for creating the programs and materials to support The Project, its staff, the Board and its committees in their efforts to build/maintain awareness and visibility to ensure that the organization and its various representatives are well positioned to help increase annual revenues generated by/for The Project through charitable giving, grants, service contracts and strategic partnerships.
Justice For All Ball Committee
This Committee will be responsible for organizing the annual fundraising event, the Justice For All Ball.
Nominating Committee
This Committee will meet to identify new members for the Board of Directors and the committees and to prepare a slate of recommendations for approval by they Board of Directors.
Executive Committee
This Committee will serve as the intermediate decision-making and leadership forum for the officers and directors of The Project and will meet each month to accomplish necessary business.
Program Committee
This committee will work to effectively coordinate and expand the legal resources available to support our resulting caseloads in the various program areas: Successions, Consumer, Homeless, Family, CINC, Employment.
Pro Bono Leadership
Award Committee
This Committee identifies the candidate to receive the PBP Leadership award distributed during the annual Volunteer Appreciation Event.