Pro Bono Spotlight: Houston Volunteer Lawyers

Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program (HVL) is dedicated to promoting access to justice for individuals in the Houston area who cannot afford legal representation in civil matters. HVL accomplishes this mission by connecting those in need with volunteer attorneys, inspiring and empowering legal professionals to give back through pro bono work, and building community partnerships to provide essential legal education and support. Through these targeted efforts, HVL addresses critical legal needs and creates positive outcomes for individuals and families across the Texas community.

Types of Legal Services Provided

HVL offers free legal assistance to eligible low-income residents of the Greater Houston area. We specialize in family law, housing, wills, veterans’ issues, taxes, and other non-criminal matters.

Leveraging Paladin

HVL leverages Paladin to showcase an overview of all our opportunities, including cases, clinics, and CLE trainings.

Paladin has been instrumental in helping us connect with individual attorneys at law firms that we previously had no direct relationship with. The platform's filtering options, such as time commitment and skill requirements, are particularly useful for volunteers to refine their search.”

This allows us to engage with potential volunteers more effectively by providing additional information and support tailored to their specific interests.

Supporting Volunteers

To ensure pro bono attorneys feel supported and equipped to handle cases outside their usual practice areas, HVL assigns each attorney, whether working on a case or providing legal advice during a clinic, an HVL mentor attorney. This mentor offers relevant CLEs, checklists, sample forms, templates, access to practice manuals, and ongoing guidance. We work closely with pro bono attorneys to align their skills with suitable opportunities, ensuring they feel confident and empowered while volunteering. Additionally, HVL mentors conduct kickoff calls before attorneys begin their cases, providing a solid foundation for success.

Unique Skills or Perspectives Gained Through Pro Bono

Through pro bono work, attorneys gain unique skills and perspectives that extend beyond their typical practice areas. They enhance their client communication skills by working directly with diverse clients, often in challenging situations, which helps them develop empathy and adaptability.

Pro bono work also offers attorneys opportunities to handle different types of legal matters, expanding their substantive legal knowledge and problem-solving abilities.”

From a professional development standpoint, attorneys refine their leadership and project management skills by managing cases independently.

Additionally, pro bono work facilitates increased interactions with partners, stakeholders, and colleagues, both within and outside of their firm. This creates opportunities for collaboration across different practice areas, forging new relationships and strengthening camaraderie within an organization. Pro bono projects can be a catalyst for building stronger bonds with colleagues and for broadening professional networks, fostering a collaborative spirit that extends beyond typical work boundaries.

Advice for Attorneys Hesitant to Take on Pro Bono

My advice to attorneys hesitant to take on pro bono work due to time constraints or lack of experience is simple: Begin where you are.

If you keep putting it off, you may never take the leap. Start small—reach out to a pro bono organization you’re familiar with and share the time you can realistically commit. Get involved gradually, perhaps by starting with a clinic. This allows you to meet potential clients, and if you feel a connection, you can take their case for the long term.

We are here to support you every step of the way. We don’t expect you to be an expert from day one—that’s why we provide trainings, checklists, and resources to help you gain the knowledge and confidence you need. By getting involved, you’ll gradually build pro bono into your practice, developing skills and growing as an attorney.

Just like anything that matters, if you make pro bono a priority, you will find the time. The rewards—both personal and professional—are well worth it.”

Emerging Trends in Pro Bono

The pro bono landscape has evolved, with a growing trend of attorneys seeking shorter-term commitments—cases that can be resolved within 10 hours over a few months. However, many of the cases presented by legal aid organizations require more extended involvement, including training and time commitments that do not fit within these constraints. This creates a challenge in balancing attorneys’ preferences with the actual needs of the community, as the most pressing cases often demand longer-term dedication. At HVL, we are working to adapt to these shifting dynamics, striving to create opportunities that accommodate volunteer availability while ensuring the critical needs of clients are met effectively.

Finish this Sentence, “Without the help of pro bono volunteers…”

Without the help of pro bono volunteers, our clients would be unable to access the legal support they need to protect their rights, ensure their families’ safety, and achieve stability in their lives.