Usually, pro bono attorneys do not get paid. But there is the possibility that a pro bono attorney may receive some amount of compensation — or at least not lose money for taking the case. Lawyers who take pro bono cases may also receive waivers of court costs and other filing fees.
To qualify for free legal assistance, a person must comply with a 'means test' (a maximum monthly or no income) and have a legal problem with merit. You will be referred to an attorney by the Legal Practice Council who will assist you free of charge (pro bono).
If you cannot afford a lawyer, legal aid may be able to help you. There are legal aid offices (also called legal services) throughout the United States. Legal aid offices are not-for-profit agencies that provide free legal help to people who cannot afford to hire a lawyer.
Pro bono work is legal advice or representation provided free of charge by legal professionals in the public interest. This can be to individuals, charities or community groups who cannot afford to pay for legal help and cannot get legal aid or any other means of funding.
The client simply would not have been able to afford a lawyer if a fee had been charged. Of course, this is really typical of pro bono work: it often involves helping clients in life changing ways with issues which they otherwise would not be able to seek advice on.
Pro bono provides lawyers with the opportunity to develop their legal skills, sometimes in a new area of law, as well as essential soft skills, such as client interviewing.
Since there are no formal regulations on pro bono practice, there is no minimum hour requirement that an advocate in Georgia has to serve towards pro bono.
No state currently requires pro bono work as a requirement to keep an active law license, but several states do require attorneys to report any pro bono hours they may complete.
The Federal Pro Bono Program is a program in the District of Nevada which allows the court to appoint pro bono (unpaid) counsel for unrepresented, income-eligible litigants in certain civil cases.
The judges look at a variety of factors before selecting the cases to be considered for pro bono counsel, including the pro se (unrepresented) litigant’s ability to obtain counsel, the merits of the case, and the type of complexity of the case.
The federal judges presiding in the District of Nevada recognize that appointing counsel to represent indigent civil litigants in appropriate cases will enhance our legal system by improving access to justice while increasing court efficiency.
Depending on the case, you might have the opportunity to represent your client during a jury trial in federal court. Cases in the past have included issues arising under Section 1983, Title VII, Hague Convention, and the Social Security Act, as well as cases presenting constitutional issues.