Making Justice a Reality in Our Communities: Minnesota Celebrates Pro Bono Week — October 20-26, 2024

Each October Minnesota celebrates its pro bono commitment in tandem with the American Bar Association’s national Pro Bono Week Celebration. Pro bono work is a professional responsibility and an individual ethical commitment of each lawyer. Since 2009, legal organizations across America participate in the ABA’s national celebration because of the increasing need for pro bono services during harsh economic times and the unprecedented response of attorneys to meet this demand.

This year, the Minnesota State Bar Association (MSBA), Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM), Justice North, and the University of MN Law School invite you to participate in a week-long series of CLEs and social events for pro bono lawyers and advocates. Here’s a round-up of the weeks’ events:

Monday, October 21

• Pro Bono Week Kick-Off Event: Pro Bono Builds Bridges to Communities!
  Join the Minnesota State Bar Association’s Pro Bono Council for a kickoff with opening remarks from Chief Justice Natalie Hudson and the State of the State of Civil Legal Aid featuring volunteer attorneys from greater Minnesota discussing their volunteer work and how it builds bridges to their communities. More info and free registration here.

Tuesday, October 22

• LGBTQAI+ Family Law Webinar
  Join Justice North as attorneys share info about legal topics affecting LGBTQ+ parents and kids. Topics will include rights for non-bio parents, custody, adoption, parentage, and how being married/unmarried affects your rights. More info and registration here.

• Your Reasons to be Apprehensive About Pro Bono Are Wrong - Debunking Pro Bono Myths (In-person only | Social following 1-hour presentation - MSBA)
  Many lawyers genuinely want to do pro bono work but avoid it because of various misunderstandings and assumptions about how it actually works. One of the biggest myths is about malpractice coverage. The reality is that virtually every provider carries insurance for volunteers. There are other myths, too. Learn what they are and why they are erroneous from a panel of pro bono service provider leaders. More info and free registration here.

• Justice for All: Minnesota's Civil Legal Aid and Pro Bono Landscape
  Join the University of Minnesota School of Law for a presentation on civil legal aid and pro bono in Minnesota. This program will educate attorneys and law students about how the civil justice system functions in Minnesota, how it seeks to provide access to justice, who it serves and how the system helps our neighbors most vulnerable to injustice, who is left out, and how soon-to-be lawyers and practicing attorneys (no matter their practice area) can contribute. More information and registration here.

Wednesday, October 23 

• Pro Bono Summit and Volunteer Training - MSBA
  Get CLE credits and learn how to get involved with Pro Bono! Receive an overview on three areas of law that will prepare you to help individuals with common legal issues in the areas of immigration, consumer debt, and criminal expungement. More information and registration here.

Thursday, October 24

• Leveraging ChatGPT in the Access to Justice Crisis
  Justice North hosts State Support’s J. Singleton in an exploration of the potential of generative AI in advancing access to justice. It provides an introduction to generative AI, followed by specific applications within the legal field. The presentation also discusses critical ethical considerations, such as the need for human review, confidentiality safeguards, and awareness of biases in AI outputs. More info and registration here.

• Drag Bingo benefiting Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN)
  Join the MSBA for drinks, laughs, chowing down, and, of course, bingo, all while raising money towards access to justice in Minnesota. This bingo is hosted by Minneapolis drag queens Nina DiAngelo and Monica West at Roxy’s Cabaret. More info.

Friday, October 25

• National Pro Bono Week CLE 
  Join Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota (LSNM) for a day of insightful discussions and legal education. This seminar will feature a variety of presentations by esteemed legal professionals, including judges and attorneys, that provide practical tools to enhance legal practice, foster inclusion, and promote mental health. Earn up to five CLE credits, including two elimination of bias and one mental health credit. Get more information about trainers and topics and register here.