The Legal Aid Society of Columbus

*NOTE: All potential applicants for Legal Aid services must contact Intake to determine eligibility for any Legal Aid sponsored program. Intake can be reached by calling 614-241-2001 between the hours of 9:30am and 3:30pm, Monday through Friday.

Pro Bono Opportunities

Every year in this country, four out of five low income individuals in need of legal assistance are denied services. Many eligible clients do not receive help because of a language barrier, a disability, or a lack of literacy. Many others do not get assistance simply because of the overwhelming caseloads at Legal Aids. In the U.S., there is an average of one legal aid attorney for every 6,861 low income individuals. This is a huge justice gap that desperately needs bridged. Pro bono volunteering is a great way to help your community and help many low income Central Ohioans gain access to justice. It is also a great way to network with other attorneys and learn a new area of law.

The Legal Aid Society of Columbus offers several pro bono opportunities to individuals looking to make a contribution to the community around them. The American Bar Association Model Rule 6.1 states that "a lawyer should aspire to render at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services per year." Also, the Supreme Court of Ohio recently approved the voluntary and anonymous reporting of an attorney's pro bono hours each year, which began in January 2009. For more information on how to record your pro bono service, please go to http://www.olaf.org/probonoresources/justiceinaction.shtml

If you would like more information about pro bono opportunities at the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, please check out our Pro Bono Opportunities Brochure or send inquiries to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Attorney Pro Bono Opportunities

Pro Bono Tenant's Advocacy Project (PBTAP)

• This project involves pro bono attorneys representing clients at an eviction hearing for possession of the premises. Legal Aid provides a limited engagement letter for specific purposes of representation for the first cause of action. PBTAP runs once a week in courtroom 11A of the Franklin County Municipal Court. Legal Aid screens clients to match them with pro bono attorneys who will represent them for the first cause of action at their eviction hearing. A Legal Aid housing law attorney isalways available at PBTAP to answer any questions and give guidance.

Save the Dream

• Save the Dream is Ohio's response to the national foreclosure crisis, and is supported by the Governor's Office, Ohio Department of Development, the Attorney General's Office, the Treasurer's Office, the Supreme Court of Ohio, Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, the Ohio State Bar Association, and various Legal Aid organizations and housing counseling agencies.
• Pro bono attorneys participating in the Save the Dream Project will have many opportunities to provide legal services to homeowners in need. We have cases to refer for both limited representation (negotiation/mediation) and full representation (litigation).

• LITC provides legal advice and representation to low income taxpayers involved in controversies with the IRS. In order to meet the great demand for tax assistance, Legal Aid refers clients to private attorney volunteers to take cases on a pro bono basis. Legal Aid thoroughly screens each client and case before referring it out to the volunteer community. The most typical controversies are filing status, dependency claims and deductions, and forgiven debt income. Typical remedies include offers in compromise and installment agreements. This program is especially well suited for transactional and corporate attorneys who desire to offer pro bono service outside of the courtroom setting. Legal Aid can tailor these referrals based on the preference of volunteers.
• LITC also provides a more limited pro bono opportunity, the Pro Bono Tax Clinic. Pro bono attorney volunteers meet one on one with clients who have been screened and scheduled by Legal Aid staff and who have tax issues that can be resolved by the attorney in a single appointment. The resolutions can involve a call to IRS Automated Collections to stop a levy on wages or a detailed review and explanation of paperwork the client has received from the IRS.

• Pro Bono attorneys volunteering for CYLP represent children in cases involving education, health, foster care, and other issues. In the education context, CYLP primarily represents children in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) process. In the health context, CYLP works with health related providers in the community to obtain necessary services such as Medicaid Early, Periodic, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT), as well as other Medicaid issues. CYLP continues to expand its efforts to protect the rights of children in foster care.

Legal Aid Referral Project (LARP)

• LARP is comprised of a panel of attorneys to take referrals for divorces, bankruptcies and SSI cases. These attorneys can either take these referrals pro bono or at a reduced fee arrangement set by Legal Aid. Each LARP attorney is asked to take a minimum of two cases pro bono per year; the number of reduced fee cases LARP attorneys can accept is not limited. A Legal Aid staff member meets with each perspective client and explains the necessary fees and the referral process. LARP is an excellent way for new attorneys to gain experience and build a client base.

Additional Information

Legal Aid carries malpractice insurance, which provides excess or secondary coverage to a pro bono attorney's own primary coverage when handling pro bono cases. If a pro bono attorney has no malpractice insurance of his/her own, our malpractice insurance provides primary coverage when handling a pro bono case. Legal Aid does not provide malpractice insurance for reduced fee cases.

Legal Aid offers free training to pro bono attorneys; many times these trainings are available for Continuing Legal Education (CLE) credit. Staff attorneys at Legal Aid are also available as mentors and provide general guidance and consultation to pro bono attorneys.

Non-Attorney Pro Bono Opportunities

You do not need a law license to help make a difference in your community. Legal Aid is always in need of dedicated, committed individuals to assist with court filing, special projects, or other clerical matters. Anyone with the time, dedication, and talent to help Legal Aid achieve its mission of improving the lives of and empowering low income Central Ohio residents and senior citizens is encouraged to email us a This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

In addition, if you are a law student and would like more information on how you can get involved in pro bono opportunities, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Volunteering while in law school is an excellent way to learn practical lawyering skills, network with attorneys, and add to your resume.