Pro bono lawyers seek justice for all

Legal services are expensive, and some in need of an attorney can't afford one, but there are more than 240 attorneys in Linn County who will provide assistance for free.

Cedar Rapids attorney Caitlin Slessor, a partner with Nazette, Marner, Nathanson and Shea, said nobody can predict what will happen in court without an attorney. She started doing pro bono work because she feels the justice system should be accessible to everybody, not just for those who can afford an attorney.

Attorney Allison Werner Smith of Hayek, Brown, Moreland & Smith in Iowa City, said she volunteers her time because most pro bono cases involve family law and people in those situations don't have the option of a court-appointed attorney, such as those in criminal cases.

The judicial branch recently issued a recommendation that all attorneys should do at least 50 hours of pro bono work a year, but Slessor, Werner Smith and many others are already committed to providing this public service.

There are more than 7,000 attorneys in Iowa who take on pro bono cases, and more than 17,000 hours were donated last year, said Brett Toresdahl, executive director of the Iowa State Bar Association Public Service Project. The value of that time was about $2.3 million.

“It would be tough for a working parent to navigate the court system on their own,” Werner Smith said. “I have had several several family law matters where a parent needed (a lawyer) to get a custody order or child support established.”

Family law cases usually involve divorces, custody cases, adoption issues and domestic abuse situations.

Slessor agreed that a lawyer is necessary in some cases. For example, she handle one involving a mother and her disabled daughter. The mother was afraid her husband would take their daughter away from the area to get back at her over the separation and she was concerned her disabled daughter wouldn't be able to get required medical attention, and a lawyer was needed to help prevent that situation.

Sam Jones, an attorney with Shuttleworth & Ingersoll who handles mostly commercial litigation and construction law work, took on pro bono cases in 2009 involving landlord and housing issues, which resulted from the flood. These cases are difficult to produce results but chances improve with legal assistance, he said.

“I think attorneys should aspire to the 50 hours goal,” Jones said. “It's possible, but I don't mean that's easy. It's a significant committment. For the younger attorneys, it's a great opportunity to have that immediate client contact.”

Jones said he knows it would be tougher for lawyers in a solo practice to volunteer their time, and he feels fortunate his firm encourages it. He and others at the firm doing pro bono are given credit towards their billable hours goal each month.

Jones, Slessor and Werner Smith were all recognized by the Iowa Supreme Court last year for doing 50 or more hours of pro bono work.

Most attorneys find their pro bono clients through the Volunteer Lawyer's Project and other intake projects of Iowa Legal Aid, which screens for income and assets and for any conflicts, Jim Kringlen, managing partner of the Linn County office.

“We only have eight lawyers and handle cases in six counties, so we can only take on the more critical ones but with the volunteer lawyers more clients are getting help,” Kringlen said.

Kringlen said the volunteer lawyers are extremely valuable when a client has a case that requires a lawyer with a specialized skill, which isn't common but there has been a need.