Can’t find work? Try working for free volunteering.
When the economy was better, we had a career alternatives for lawyers series, for those in Biglaw looking to do something new. Given the layoffs and sluggish law firm hiring these days, we’re starting a new series: “Can’t find work?” We’ll offer “options” for those shut out — or forced out — of Biglaw.
On Tuesday, we suggested an “option” for recent law grads unable to find work: start your own firm. Two University of Missouri grads were unable to find work and hung out their own shingle in Kansas City. ATL readers lent their support to the venture by spell-checking the hell out of the Buckley & Hutchings website.
Today, we have a new “option” for those looking for work. Offer up your legal services for free!
CARPLS, a legal aid society based in Illinois, is offering unemployed attorneys true pro bono work. From the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin (subscription):
A local legal aid provider is seeking unemployed lawyers as volunteers to staff its telephone hotline for low-income families in need of legal advice…The volunteers must be licensed Illinois lawyers and are asked to work on the CARPLS hotline for at least four hours each week on a morning or afternoon shift. Schwartz said CARPLS officials hope that between 40 and 50 out-of-work lawyers will volunteer for the new program. The new volunteers will supplement the work of 32 paid staff lawyers, Schwartz said.
CARPLS officials posted a job description for the new program on craigslist and other online sites Thursday afternoon, Schwartz said. By Friday morning, there were about 35 responses, he added. The first response was from a lawyer who was offended because she was being asked to work for free, according to Schwartz. The rest of the responses came from lawyers interested in participating in the program, he added.
You may not get paid in cash, but you will get basic training in family, landlord-tenant and consumer law. Press release from CARPLS, after the jump.
So, if you’re twiddling your thumbs these days, think about calling up your local legal aid office and putting some of their attorneys out of work by volunteering your time.
PRESS RELEASE FROM COORDINATED ADVICE AND REFERRAL PROGRAM FOR LEGAL SERVICES
Contact:
Al Schwartz
312-421-4423
aschwartz@carpls.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALLING ILLINOIS ATTORNEYS LOOKING FOR WORK
CARPLS Legal Aid Wants You
CHICAGO, January 26, 2009 - CARPLS Legal Aid is looking to put unemployed attorneys to work counseling the growing number of low-income families who are urgently in need of help during these difficult economic times. The new project, named CARPLS Works, asks licensed Illinois attorneys to volunteer on the CARPLS hotline for four hours each week on a morning or afternoon shift.
Volunteers will receive training in the limited practice areas of family, consumer debt and landlord-tenant law before taking to the phones. The volunteers will be supported by CARPLS staff and all work performed for CARPLS will be covered by CARPLS malpractice insurance.
The CARPLS Works project gives unemployed attorneys the chance to make productive use of their legal skills while providing an invaluable service to the community. The project also provides out-of-work attorneys the chance to network with their peers and the opportunity to provide their resumes to CARPLS Board of Directors and Associate Board members, many of whom work at Chicago’s top law firms and corporate law departments.
Attorneys interested in CARPLS Works should email their resume to sberube@carpls.org, mail it to CARPLS Works, 17 N. State Street, Suite 1850, Chicago, IL 60602, or call 312-421-4011 by February 13, 2009.
ABOUT CARPLS: CARPLS is an innovative legal aid service that offers an immediate response to the every day legal problems confronting low-income families in Cook County. CARPLS’ legal aid hotline and court-based advice desks give low-income clients direct access to experienced attorneys who are trained to quickly assess and respond to a wide range of civil legal problems. CARPLS attorneys resolve over 85% of all cases in-house by providing information, advice and brief services including the preparation and review of legal documents. Clients with more complex needs are referred by CARPLS to a network of specialized legal and social service providers. CARPLS’ unique “legal triage” system serves as a model for legal aid communities across the country and has increased access to justice by dramatically reducing the cost of providing legal aid services to the poor.
Earlier: Can’t find work? Start your own firm
Out-of-work lawyers sought to perform volunteer services [Chicago Law Bulletin]
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Comments
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Volunteering - only happens if people stop being LAZY. LOL LAZIES!!!!!!!!
I'm offended at lawyers being asked to work for free. Please moderate.
MILBANK ROCKS!!!
I will not get out of bed for less than $10,000!
I sure hope some unemployed types dont start doing securites suits pro bono or contingent - all that litigation would just be bad for american business!
Chicago to $0!!!!!
5 - if you sue someone for securities violations out of apathy, you really need to rethink how you're spending your free time.
i, for one, would never come near a stack of legal docs again if someone weren't writing me a check for it.
In what other craptastic professions do you ever see unemployed members lining up 35 deep to work for free?
7 is a dumbass and yet another reason why layoffs are needed in this profession.
Start volunteering at the homes of hiring partners.
I bet by tomorrow CARPLS will get resumes by the hundreds and will start turning away attorneys. What a great year to graduate from law school!
Yeah, there's that, OR:
McDonald's benefits program is designed to attract, energize, reward and retain talented people who will produce superior business results and enhance our leadership position. We recognize the importance of a strong benefits program. This is reflected in our People Promise, with competitive pay and benefits as one of our five People Principles.
For McDonald's Corporation U.S. employees at corporate, division and region offices, our many benefits are organized into four categories:
Your Health and Protection - our health and insurance benefits
- Medical
- Vision supplement plan
blah blah
Your Pay and Rewards - our compensation, reward and recognition programs
- Base pay
- Incentive pay
Investing in Your Future - our savings, investment and financial management programs
- Profit Sharing and Savings Plan (includes our 401(k) feature)
- MCDirect Shares
- Mc$ave
Helping Balance Your Work and Life - our work/life benefits
- Vacation
- Holidays
- Anniversary Splash
yada yada
McDonald's Corporation employees with a valuable and compelling package. We believe you'll find there's a lot to gain from being part of the McDonald's team
if i was a recent grad with no work experience and no job i'd do it in a heartbeat. it's practice for the sort of advice they might hope to charge people $150 for as a solo.
i've heard that an office in a really bad neighborhood, with reasonable rates i.e. $100 per advice session, can do pretty well just based on volume. for an unemployed Loyola 4L that would be a goldmine!
Dollar menu, here I come...
"I'm lovin' it!"
has anyone started doing personal injury work to make cash?
While I was waiting to get hired after graduation in Boston, I volunteered with both of these organizations. They give you real cases and a mentor to help you along. Looks great on a resume too.
http://www.vlpnet.org
http://www.womensbar.org/WBF/index.aspx
The ship be sinking...
Hey Kash, the two ladies that started their own firm were University of Missouri-Kansas City grads, not University of Missouri. Don't let Elie's sloppiness prevent you from getting your facts straight.
I've been volunteering at Legal Aid since being laid off. Beats the hell out of shaking empty trees all day everyday, and says I've been doing something with my time. Also gives me an office to work out of.
Too low paying, did not read.
puttling?
Can someone with a lot of time on their hands (say, e.g., a blog moderator) figure out just how many laid-off BigLaw associates are out there right now? Of course, by virtue of stealth layoffs there would have to be a range of possibility, but it would be nice to know just how many are pounding the pavement out there.
So let me see if I have this right. CARPLS is asking out of work attorneys to work for free so they can "supplement the work of 32 paid staff lawyers." Maybe if CARPLS gets enough attorneys to work for free they can lay off the paid lawyers they have right now.
See www.volunteerforprobono.org.
Chicago to $0 plus bonus....also of $0!!
Ironic - an organization that professes to help the poor and unemployed is prepared to take advantage of the poor and unemployed.
I am basing this on anecdotal evidence only, but it seems like substantive volunteering looks better on a resume than contract work. I'm not sure why, but my theory is that any job that indicates you just need the money makes you look... poor. Which is unattractive.
Of course, I live in DC, where everyone works for free.
27: Yes, it's an excellent idea to convey to potential employers that you will work for close to nothing.
you can also sleep in doorways for free and eat out of dumpsters for free!!
Life as a lawyer is FREAKING GREAT!
28... Depends on why you are working for nothing/close to nothing. If you are working to help people, that's one thing and it's great. If you're working to build someone else a profit, then your argument holds sway.
How many times can one site mess up the name "University of Missouri-Kansas City"?