The Crisis in Access to Justice
for Low Income Minnesotans

Question: Why should I perform pro bono services?

Fact: More than 380,000 Minnesotans are at or below the federal poverty level.
Fact: Minnesota Legal Services Coalition Programs are losing more than $4.5 million in funding over the next two years which means over a 30% reduction in legal aid lawyers.Fact:The Volunteer Lawyers Network in Hennepin County, the state's largest pro bono program, has had its budget drop significantly.Fact:These cuts means significantly fewer low income families, over 7,000, will receive the services of a lawyer.Fact:Due to the funding cuts, about 1,800 families and their children will not receive the protection of domestic abuse orders for protection, child custody and family law representation.

Answer: As a Minnesotan, you can't afford not to perform pro bono service.Fact: You can donate your time and service to low income Minnesotans through many worthy agencies around the state.
www.ProJusticeMN.org/civillaw

Minnesota Lawyers: A Call to Honor
Billing time is what you do ~ changing lives is who you are

Goal:
Dramatically increase access to justice of low income Minnesotans by increasing the number of new volunteer lawyers by at least 500 and increase the number of pro bono clients served by at least 1,000 in the next year.

To meet the goal, the partnership between the Judiciary, the Minnesota State Bar Association and attorneys statewide is being renewed.

The Lawyer's Share:

• Determine if you have handled a pro bono matter within the last twelve months (from July 1, 2002).
• If you have not done a pro bono matter in the last year, commit to at least one matter.
• Report to the MSBA the number of additional pro bono matters you are able to open in the coming year.

The Judiciary's Share:

• The Judiciary will appoint one or more judges and the MSBA will appoint one or more bar leaders in each judicial and bar district who will be responsible for achieving the goal in their district.
• The Judiciary will develop appropriate mechanisms to efficiently handle cases where the litigants are represented by pro bono lawyers, such as special pro bono calendars.

The MSBA's Share:

• The MSBA will update the Directory of Pro Bono Opportunities for Attorneys, deliver it to every bar member, and strongly encourage taking pro bono cases.
• The MSBA will implement the recommendation of its Task Force on Business Law Pro Bono to provide additional pro bono opportunities for business lawyers.

CONTACT MSBA:
612.278.6313
800.882.6722
www.ProJusticeMN.org/civillaw