(FLORIDA) – Many private attorneys are eager to find ways to give back through Pro Bono service. But with busy professional schedules and plenty to get done in their personal lives, attorneys can struggle to independently take on voluntary legal aid work.
Fortunately, attorneys like Krista Mahalak have found a solution: volunteer with legal aid organizations like Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS). FRLS is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide.
Mahalak, an attorney at Peterson & Myers, underscores the advantages of volunteering with FRLS to meet the demands of our state’s low-income individuals and families who need free civil legal assistance. She states,
“There is an endless need for Pro Bono legal services within our community. Providing those services through a legal aid organization is the simplest way to help because the legal aid organization already screens clients to determine need and eligibility.”
Moreover, compared to taking on Pro Bono cases independently, the infrastructure of a legal aid organization affords volunteer attorneys and clients clarity when it comes to the scope and scale of the services being provided, ensuring both parties “are on the same page.” With FRLS facilitating client coordination, Mahalak can focus on the results and impact her work has on the low-income individuals she serves in her spare time outside of work:
“Assisting low-income clients gives me a sense of purpose beyond my day-to-day work.”
Mahalak notes that civil legal challenges are one of many types of hardships faced by low-income communities. Thus, by volunteering her services to address these challenges at no cost to the client, Mahalak hopes to “lighten their load. Whether that’s because the work we provide places them in a better financial position, or because they are better able to face other challenges or hardships in their life without the added stress of navigating the legal system without professional guidance.”
Simplifying Service: Pro Bono at FRLS
Whether you are a current law student, a private attorney, or a retired or inactive legal professional, there are ample volunteer opportunities for you at FRLS. Our Pro Bono Program endeavors to match volunteers with cases that suit one’s burgeoning legal interests or lifelong strong suits. Moreover, Pro Bono work can mean anything from assisting a client with limited advice via phone call to taking on full legal representation, and everything in between.
Ultimately, our mission is clear: to provide high quality civil legal assistance and representation to low-income and vulnerable communities across our state.
Start your Pro Bono journey at FRLS. Call 1-888-582-3410 or sign up for an active case here.
About Florida Rural Legal Services (FRLS):
Florida Rural Legal Services, Inc. (FRLS) is a non-profit law firm that provides free civil legal aid to qualified individuals, families, and vulnerable communities across 13 Florida counties and to farmworkers statewide. Since 1966, FRLS has pursued justice by providing legal services in
housing law, family law, consumer protection, public benefits, elder law, disaster relief, education law, tax advocacy, and more, all at no cost to our clients. FRLS collaborates with community organizations and Pro Bono attorneys to deliver quality advocacy, outreach, and education designed to protect the rights of those in need. For over 50 years, FRLS has been a steadfast advocate for justice. Learn more at www.FRLS.org.