Pro Bono Opportunities

Pro Bono Opportunities

Pro Bono/Volunteer Opportunities

Disability Rights California (DRC) welcomes law firms, attorneys and others who want to provide pro bono or volunteer assistance on disability related civil and service rights matters. Our work would not be possible without the generous contributions of many volunteers and pro bono counsel.

 

Volunteer/ Pro Bono Opportunities Could Include:

  1. Co-counseling on Impact Cases: Co-counseling with our staff on class actions, amicus briefs, appeals or other impact cases. Learn more about our cases.
  2. Projects: Working with our staff on projects ranging from fundraising to self-advocacy resources to public policy work. While most assistance is needed for litigation, opportunities also exist for those interested in other areas.
  3. You tell us! If you have a particular interest or skill (bankruptcy? transactional work? nonprofit expertise? other?), we may be able to match it with a client with a particular need or with a special project.

What are the benefits of working with Disability Rights California on a pro bono or volunteer basis?

You will have the satisfaction of making a big difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities. In addition, you can partner with a leading California disability rights organization and our expert lawyers and advocates on cases ranging from individual justice to groundbreaking disability rights litigation.  For experienced lawyers, you can use your expertise where it makes a real difference -- for less experienced lawyers, get training while making a difference

Will I get any help?

Yes. Our attorneys and advocates can provide training, technical resources, advice and materials such as manuals and sample pleadings. Even if we are not directly co-counseling, we remain available for consultation as needed.

How much expertise do I need?

Some of our cases and projects are suitable for new lawyers or those with less experience, and provide excellent training in handling individual cases or legal research projects. Others are complex, and the opportunities vary from research projects to issues where we utilize the expertise of highly experienced lawyers and experts in their fields.

How much time and resources would it take?

We welcome all volunteers and pro bono assistance. If you have a lot of time (a large firm or retired lawyers for example, or recent graduates looking for experience), we will look for a bigger project. If you just have a limited amount of time, we will try to team you on a case or project that will utilize your time most effectively.

Is there any financial contribution expected or reimbursement available?

Our budget is limited, and comes primarily from federal and state sources, so we generally cannot reimburse costs of volunteers or pro bono attorneys and firms. In some instance, opportunities exist to recover attorneys' fees from the opposing parties if we prevail. We do not charge clients fees as most of them are indigent and does not generally expect them to advance costs.

Do I have to be a lawyer?

Disability Rights California (DRC) welcomes law firms, attorneys, community organizers, administrative professionals, legal secretaries, review translators, and others who want to provide pro bono or volunteer assistance on disability related civil and service rights matters. We also occasionally have projects suitable for undergraduate volunteers.

Our work would not be possible without the generous contributions of many volunteers and pro bono counsel so thank you for your support!

How do I sign up?

Please complete this survey which will be forwarded to our Human Resources Department.  (We will also be asking for references before you work with us).

 

DRC Volunteer/Pro-Bono Opportunities Survey