“SERVICE DAY” WORKING GROUP CHARTER

GOAL:

• To encourage greater attorney participation in providing legal services to the poor by sponsoring a statewide “4ALL” Service Day in April 2008. On the Service Day, as many North Carolina lawyers as possible will participate in concrete pro bono activities, and active media coverage of the Service Day will be sought.

BACKGROUND:

At various times over the last several decades, the NCBA Board of Governors has approved resolutions encouraging North Carolina Lawyers to donate free legal services to persons of limited means. In spite of this (and notwithstanding the outstanding level of commitment some lawyers have shown), it appears that most North Carolina lawyers do not perform a meaningful amount of pro bono work for the poor. According to Momentum 2010, the NCBA’s strategic plan, in 2005, only 21% of lawyers licensed in North Carolina (or 29% of NCBA members) were listed on volunteer attorney rolls maintained by Legal Services offices throughout the state.

Momentum 2010 charges the NCBA with “encourag[ing] North Carolina lawyers to making a greater commitment to providing pro bono legal services.” Specifically, it charges the NCBA with “increas[ing] the number of volunteer attorneys on the rolls of North Carolina Legal Services offices by 10% per year in each of the next 5 years.”

As part of the “4ALL” Task Force, the “Service Day” Working Group is being asked to spearhead a “4ALL Service Day” that will be the NCBA’s flagship project in this regard during the 2007-2008 bar year. The Service Day will tap into the resources of the NCBA’s Committees, Sections and Division, as well as those of LANC, law schools and other statewide and local bar organizations. It will create opportunities to serve on that day, and it will prepare lawyers who feel they lack the necessary skills so that they are empowered to do so. It will be one unique day of service – a day when a significant segment of our profession unites in service to others – and it will make possible an easy transition into more such service in the future.

The Service Day will build on the experiences of a number of groups. The NCBA YLD has experience holding a statewide “Ask-a-Lawyer Day”; and Legal Services has experience doing (and the equipment to do) centralized phone intake. Also, MeetingBridge, the NCBA’s phone and web conference provider, has offered to conduct a free NCBA webinar that can be used to train lawyers on or in advance of the Service Day.

NCBA leaders are already in discussions with television networks about covering this important community service day. We intend to show North Carolinians that North Carolina’s lawyers are generous with their time and advice.

Last Update: Tuesday, January 15, 2008