Blog Action Day 2008: Appellate Pro Bono Programs
Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that encourages bloggers, podcasters, and videocasters around the world to post about the same issue on the same day. Its aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion. This year's theme is poverty.
Over the past year, Texas civil appellate lawyers have confronted poverty through the newly launched Texas Supreme Court and Third Court of Appeals pro bono projects. In these programs, litigants who would otherwise be representing themselves on appeal because they cannot afford to hire counsel have been paired with qualified attorneys to help them navigate the often-complicated appellate process. The program has drawn rave reviews from bar groups, judges, and—most importantly—the clients.
I have had the good fortune of participating in the Texas Supreme Court program and intend to do so again. It's a wonderful way of doing justice and doing good at the same time.
How does a person sign up to receive the help from a lawyer?
Information about eligibility for these programs is available through the page linked in this post. Otherwise, your local bar association or lawyer referral service should be able to point you to some resources.