The California Bar Association recognizes that there is a dire need for pro bono legal services for the needy and disadvantaged. To that end, the bar association urges all California attorneys to do at least 50 hours pro bono service annually. This service will not necessarily meet everyone's needs. However, it is a step in the right direction.
Southwestern Law School encourages students to participate in pro bono work with the goal of both enhancing the educational experience as well as assisting people in need. As a member of the Public Service Program at Southwestern, I had the opportunity to volunteer at Sojourn Legal Clinic over the past six months.
Sojourn is a multifaceted program that provides legal and social services for battered women and their children. The legal clinic provides basic advice and serves as a portal to various resources for women in need of legal services. It helps assist women in a variety of legal issues including divorce, custody, and restraining orders, among others.
Volunteering at Sojourn is both a challenging and rewarding experience. Women from all different facets of life, with all different sorts of legal problems come in looking for direction, assistance, and emotional support. Volunteering can be challenging because sometimes the issues are very complex and the volunteers only have limited time for each client. It can also be difficult because of the conflict between the urge to help and the client's ability or readiness to help herself.
Often times, the volunteers are able to point clients in the proper direction in accomplishing their legal goals. However, during several of my volunteer sessions, it was clear that many clients needed additional assistance. One woman seeking assistance had a special needs child and was trying to get increased custody and support of her son. However, the woman alleged that her sons father filed an unfounded restraining order against her, and she did not have the legal resources at the time to fight it. Another woman who never legally separated from her husband was trying to ensure her interest in her family residence since her husband was involved in a new relationship and told her she had no claim to their house. However, for every difficult story, there is also a rewarding story. The volunteers at Sojourn have assisted countless women in obtaining divorces and restraining orders.
In addition to benefiting from this experience in terms of helping the client, volunteering was a great experience because it gave me a chance to see how other attorneys incorporate pro bono work into their lives. I am thankful that the California Bar and Southwestern are dedicated to offering services to the disadvantaged. Their encouragement has ensured that I will continue to volunteer at Sojourn as well as other non-profits throughout my legal career.
Sojourn keeps its address confidential for the protection of its clients. If you are interested in volunteering, you can find Sojourn's information through the Women Lawyer's Association of Los Angeles (WLALA.org). If you are in need of assistance, you can call the 24-Hour Hotline at (310) 264-6644.
