The sharp downturn in the economy has had a profound impact on the justice system and the legal community. The number of unrepresented litigants in court has increased dramatically. At the same time, substantial numbers of attorneys find themselves unexpectedly unemployed.
In response to these concerns, the court system has established the Volunteer Attorney Program, offering attorneys opportunities to volunteer to serve the courts and the public.
Under the Program, attorneys can volunteer to provide advice and assistance to unrepresented litigants (Pro Bono Volunteer Attorney); or, they can serve in a judge’s chambers, performing legal research, writing and related functions (Chambers’ Volunteer Attorney).
Attorneys can volunteer full-time or part-time, on a schedule that is convenient to them. Participating attorneys select the court in which they want to serve and the type of cases they prefer to handle (subject to availability).