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So, I think you know how fortunate you are
as you sit in this regal auditorium today. You have families who love
you and support you. You have an education. And you stand at the
doorstep of a new and exciting career. You didn’t get to this point in
your life by chance. You were given an opportunity, you made the most of
it, and now you stand on the threshold of your career.
With success, however, comes the
responsibility and the obligation to help others less fortunate. Or as
Muhammad Ali once said, “Service to others is the payment you make for
your space here on Earth.”
Put another way: Pro bono service to
people in need is the payment you make for the honor of being an
attorney.
As you know, Connecticut’s own Rules of
Professional Conduct clearly recognize this responsibility. To quote
Rule 6.1:
“A lawyer should render public
interest legal service. A lawyer may discharge this responsibility by
providing professional services at no fee or a reduced fee to persons of
limited means or to public service or charitable groups or
organizations, by service in activities for improving the law, the legal
system or the legal profession and by financial support for
organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.”
As an aside, note the words that are used
in this section. When the rules address the various ways to do pro bono
work, it’s you may do this or you may do that. But when it
comes to the question of whether or not to do it, the word used is
“should.” Make no mistake: the distinction is neither unintentional nor
insignificant.
In fact, pro bono service is so important
that the American Bar Association declared the week of Oct. 25th to the
31st as National Pro Bono Celebration Week.
And we do have a lot to celebrate
regarding pro bono service, which attorneys in Connecticut and
nationwide do every day. In fact, a national study conducted by the ABA
this year showed that nearly three-quarters of attorneys voluntarily
provide free legal services to either an individual in need or a
deserving cause. The study also showed that lawyers devote more hours to
pro bono work than they did previously, and are volunteering their time
at nearly three times the rate that members of the general population
do.
Yet, appropriately, in organizing a
national week of awareness, the ABA also recognized the importance of
efforts at the state and local level. As I mentioned earlier,
Connecticut itself contributes greatly through the pro bono services
offered by thousands of its lawyers. For example, you may or may not be
aware of the Connecticut Pro Bono Network -- a collaboration established
in 1991 between Connecticut’s legal services agencies and the
Connecticut Bar Association. The program seeks to recruit attorneys and
paralegal volunteers to provide legal representation for low-income
clients involved in civil cases. Many different agencies and programs
are involved in the network, including – to name just a few – Statewide
Legal Services, the AIDS Legal Network, Lawyers for Children America,
Connecticut Lawyers’ Legal Aid to the Elderly, the Connecticut Fair
Housing Center, Lawyers Without Borders, the Truancy Intervention
Project and the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center.
With this variety of organizations you
can easily find an organization to fit your interests or a particular
area of practice. And when you do sign up, you’ll join the other 4,374
volunteer attorneys and paralegals in the network. In addition,
approximately 800 non-lawyer volunteers provide assistance to low-income
individuals through the network every year.
Alternatively, you may find your niche
through committees of your local or state bar associations. For example,
the Foreclosure Prevention Subcommittee of the CBA’s Pro Bono Committee
was formed to help deal with Connecticut’s foreclosure crisis. This
Committee is comprised of State Department of Banking staff, staff from
the Attorney General’s office, legal services agency staff and members
of the CBA.
Indeed lawyers' service to those in need
is good news and a superb reflection of the law profession’s commitment
and dedication to the profession. But I have another message for you …
good isn’t good enough.
For every attorney volunteering, many
more people may be losing their homes or their jobs. Veterans may be
unable to get the benefits they deserve. Elderly patients confined to a
nursing home may have problems in probate court or difficulty with their
finances. Parents who have no insurance for their sick child may need
help as collection agencies bear down for payment. In these distressed
times, I think it’s safe to say we need an army to help indigent people
who need legal assistance. And I am here today to call upon you to
enlist.
You, as lawyers, have a social
responsibility to contribute to the community in which you live. Part of
that contribution entails using your gifts and talents to help those in
need. It’s really that simple. You may win awards and commendations and
titles over the years – undeniably, all accomplishments that will
generate pride in your work. But, I would submit to you that making a
difference in a person’s life through pro bono service will be the
greatest reward you receive. Not surprisingly, such service will also
you make a better and more empathetic representative of your clients.
So please do contact your local and state
bar associations to volunteer. Or join the Connecticut Pro Bono Network.
As important, set an example for your colleagues and urge them to go out
today and make a difference.
I will leave you with these words from
Albert Schweitzer: “I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one
thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those
who have sought and found how to serve.”
You need only to seek, for I believe you
already know how. Thank you for this opportunity to address you and
enjoy the rest of this wonderful day. As you embark on this pursuit, I
extend to you, on behalf of the Connecticut Judicial Branch, our best
wishes and sincerest congratulations.
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