Pro bono Toolkit
(Prepared by the Judicial Council's Task Force on Self-Represented Litigants, in consultation with the State Bar's Commission on Access to Justice ).

This Toolkit, which was prepared by the Judicial Council’s Task Force on Self-Represented Litigants, in consultation with the State Bar’s Commission on Access to Justice, provides resources for judicial officers to assist them in encouraging attorneys to provide pro bono services.

California

Judicial Council Resolution Recognizing Pro Bono Week.
Approved by the Judicial Council of California, Aug. 14, 2009.

Judicial Council Resolution on Pro Bono (Unanimously endorsed by the Judicial Council of California, May 17, 1996).

Remarks by Chief Justice Ronald M. George. Pro Bono Awards, Bench/Bar/Judicial Administration Convention (September 28, 2007).

Pro bono work is lawyer’s duty by Chief Justice Ronald M. George (October 2001).

Remarks by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, Pro Bono Reception Awards, State Bar Convention (September 7, 2001).

Letter from Chief Justice Ronald M. George to Bar Leaders.

National

ABA Recommendation 121C , Adopted by the House of Delegates in August 2006, delineating policy promoting judicial support and promotion of pro bono.

Resolution VII: Encouraging Pro Bono Services in Civil Matters , Conference of Chief Justices (adopted in 1997).

Resolution 23: Leadership to Promote Equal Justice Conference of Chief Justices (adopted 2001).

Upcoming Events

Bay Area Pro Bono Service Providers Summit
By the State Bar of California, on October 26, 2009 in San Francisco, CA.

Santa Clara County Bar Association 1st Annual Pro Bono Recognition Reception
By the Santa Clara County Bar Association, on October 28, 2009 in San Jose, CA.

Public Law Center Volunteer Appreciation Reception
By the Public Law Center, on October 29, 2009 in Tustin, CA.

Pro Bono Reception and Fair
By the State Bar of California, on October 29, 2009, in San Francisco, CA.

Justice for All Symposium
By the Alameda County Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Program on October 30, 2009 at Oakland, CA.

Calendar of other pro bono events nationally in October 2009
Calendar of events throughout the year.

Additional Resources

ABA – Standing committee on Pro bono and Public Service and the Center for Pro bono and the Courts (with links to a clearinghouse, judges’ speeches, information on other states, etc.)

Action Plan for Justice , A Report by the California Commission on Access to Justice (April 2007).

Pro Bono.Net in California . Website dedicated to promoting pro bono legal services in California and providing links to regional pro bono sites.

Articles

"A Rule to Show Cause On the Courts: How the Judiciary Can Help Pro Bono" Part I and Part II , in past issues of Dialogue that describe various activities suitable for the judiciary to help pro bono.

Big State, Big Crisis, Big Leadership With California’s poverty population swelling, Chief Justice George sets bold course (Spring 2003), LSC’s Equal Justice Magazine .

"Expanding Pro Bono: The Judiciary's Power to Open Doors" in Dialogue, Spring 1998, Vol. 2, no. 2, by The Honorable Judith Billings and Jenny M. McMahon.

Volunteers in Self-Help Centers

Volunteer Resources
Volunteer Program Training Materials
Self Help Center Staff Resources

Volunteer Resources

ABA Pro Bono Materials (prepared by the ABA )

Renewing our Commitment to Pro Bono: Tools for Local & Specialty Bar Associations

Directory of Volunteer Centers (Prepared by the Points of Light Foundation )

Your CASA Volunteers (Prepared by CASA)

Virtual Volunteering Resources (Prepared by ServiceLeader.org)

JusticeCorps (Funded through an AmeriCorps grant)

Service Learning Trip : Public Interest Clearinghouse (PIC) Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps attorneys and law students from all over the state working at LAAC member organizations and court-based self-help centers to help litigants represent themselves in court. Courts, especially rural courts, are encouraged to contact PIC if interested in a service learning trip.

Volunteer Program Training Materials

Domestic Violence Calendar Protocol for Volunteers (Prepared by the Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo )

Ventura Self-Help Legal Access Center Volunteer Training Manual (DOC, 405 KB) (Rev. 2/08/2006) (Prepared by the Ventura Courts Self-Help Legal Access Center)

Volunteer Handbook - San Francisco Superior Court Assisting Court Customers with Educational and Self-Help Services (ACCESS) Center (PDF, 51 KB) (prepared by the San Francisco ACCESS Center )

Family Law Facilitator Office Rules (Prepared by the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino )

A Guide for volunteers and interns (prepared by the Legal Aid Foundation of Santa Barbara County ).

Paralegal Manual, San Francisco Probate Court, Self-Represented Guardianship Program (DOC, 7.54 MB) (prepared by the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco )

Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP) Training Manual (DOC, 304 KB) (prepared by the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino )

Advanced Guardianship Training Manual (DOC, 86 KB) (Prepared by the Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino )

San Francisco's Unlawful Detainer Settlement Conference Project

LARC Attorney Memorandum (PDF, 97 KB) - Tiela Chalmers