Volunteer attorneys are a critical part of how we deliver access to justice in Wisconsin. There are not enough staff attorneys in our legal aid offices and public defender program to represent or advise everyone who qualifies for their help. So, we actively encourage lawyers to volunteer their time to help fill this gap and find a way to volunteer. Every year, we also publish the list of attorneys who have been certified as having provided at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services to benefit low income clients in the preceding year. We induct these distinguished lawyers into the Wisconsin Pro Bono Honor Society.
This year, the Wisconsin Access to Justice Commission is proud to recognize the 292 Wisconsin lawyers in the 2021 Pro Bono Honor Society. We thank them for answering the call to serve. They’ve represented asylum claimants, crime victims, indigent defendants, unemployed workers, parents, the disabled, and a wide range of other clients. Some of them have gone far beyond the 50 hour standard, donating hundreds of hours of their time to make sure that someone else is able to protect their legal rights. They’ve done this in brief legal advice settings, in the courtroom, before administrative agencies, and in appellate courts. Together, they helped to make Wisconsin a better place in 2021. Thank you!
