In October, the Massachusetts Bar Association is proud to join attorneys around the country in support of Pro Bono Month -- a collective effort to promote volunteerism to meet the legal needs of the most vulnerable people in our society. Pro bono service is an important part of being an attorney in Massachusetts, and we encourage you to volunteer for one of our pro bono initiatives.
In honor of Pro Bono Month, this month in eJournal we will be highlighting several volunteer opportunities available at the MBA. This week, we look at Mass Legal Answers Online, an online legal advice website (www.masslao.org) that is part of the American Bar Association's Free Legal Answers project.
The site allows qualifying users to post civil legal questions to be answered by pro bono attorneys licensed in their state. Question topics include family, divorce, custody, housing, eviction, homelessness, consumer rights, financial, work, employment, unemployment, health and disability, civil rights, income maintenance, juvenile and education law.
Below are some of the benefits of volunteering with Mass Legal Answers Online:
- Choose the questions you want to answer — when, where and how it's most convenient for you.
- No required time commitment, although we encourage you to answer at least one question a month.
- Open to all attorneys in good standing who are licensed to practice law in Massachusetts, or registered for pro bono status with the Board of Bar Overseers.
- Malpractice coverage provided to volunteer attorneys for legal guidance provided through the website.