Best Pro Bono Effort

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Volunteer Lawyers Project
Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc., Milwaukee

For more than 27 years, the Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP) at Legal Action of Wisconsin
Inc. in Milwaukee has paired pro bono attorneys with low-income clients.

The program is a win-win scenario for all involved, says its coordinator, attorney
Patricia Z. Risser.

Poor people gain access to the civil justice system that they would not otherwise have.
Meanwhile, volunteer attorneys gain the satisfaction of using their skills and experience to help people who really need their expertise. They receive excellent training and free CLE.

They’re covered under Legal Action’s malpractice insurance, and are reimbursed for costs.

They may opt to volunteer for a special project, or an extended representation.

Former Marquette Law School Profs. Kathleen H. McManus and Deborah K. Scheid volunteer hundreds of hours annually to refer cases for representation. Risser says, “They’re not all winners, and they’re not all easy. But they all have have merits.”

The program serves people in 39 counties. In 2008, the VLP referred 769 cases to volunteer lawyers, including both limited- and extended-service cases. Volunteer attorneys reported 5,987 hours of legal assistance last year, and their services are valued at more than $1 million, using the hourly rate of $168, which Risser says is the fair market value of donated attorney services.

As impressive as those statistics are, Risser hopes to report even more volunteer attorney activity next year.

“We’re always looking to cultivate new attorney resources. The demand is way up,” she says.

Given the nation’s weak economy, more and more people cannot afford lawyers, in critical areas such as housing, consumer protection, domestic violence and family law.