Spotlight on Pro Bono: Any Attorney Can Make a Large Impact With “Limited” Services
By Andrew Sharp, Esq.
"You've always had the power, my dear. You've had it all along" - Glinda, the Good Witch (Wizard of Oz)
"The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know." - Albert Einstein
“Yeah, Al, but you know more than me!” - Apocryphal
Many attorneys shy away from pro bono work, not because they lack interest, but because they feel they don't have enough expertise (or time to gain the requisite knowledge) to truly make a difference.
This hesitation often stems from a belief that, unless you can offer a comprehensive solution, it's better not to get involved at all. But this perception overlooks the transformative power of limited scope legal assistance. Even a small contribution—advice on a specific issue, reviewing a contract, or helping someone navigate the legal process—can make a world of difference to someone in need.
At Administer Justice, we run over 100 brief advice and referral clinics out of churches across the country. All of these are volunteer run. We don’t screen clients for issue type – we will see anyone no matter their issue.
People often ask how it is possible that we use volunteer attorneys to provide legal advice in so many different areas of the law. The answer: By focusing on limited scope, we leverage the expertise attorneys already have.
Appreciating your own knowledge
Have you heard of the Dunning-Kruger effect? It is a phenomenon where people who are less skilled at a task tend to over-estimate their abilities at that task. This is popularly used as a way to look down on people who are seen as insufficiently humble about their abilities. But the flipside of the phenomenon is also important: that people who are very skilled tend to underestimate those skills.
As an attorney, you are extremely skilled at analyzing legal terms and situations. You understand the justice system far better than the average person. And because of that, you probably have a very acute sense of all of the vast complexities of areas of the law you are not expert in. The fallacy comes when you believe that you need that mastery in order to be able to help someone else.
By leaning into your existing legal training and knowledge, you will be amazed at how helpful you can be to someone who is struggling. What might seem like a minor task to you—explaining the difference between a motion and a petition, or clarifying the meaning of legal jargon—can feel like receiving a lifeline to someone who is lost in a sea of confusion and fear. For many low-income individuals, that limited advice could be the difference between winning and losing their case or protecting themselves from exploitation.
The Ripple Effect
It is also important to remember the ways that legal assistance can have ripple effects throughout someone’s life. Offering a few hours of your time doesn’t just help the immediate client. It can stabilize an entire family, strengthen a community, and contribute to a more equitable legal system.
Consider, for example, a single mother facing eviction. Providing her with guidance on how to respond to the summons and present some defenses could help her keep her family housed. That stability has long-lasting effects on her children’s education, her own employment prospects, and her family’s overall well-being. All of this stems from a single, focused intervention by an attorney who may have committed only a few hours of their time.
The impact of limited scope pro bono can also extend beyond the individual to reshape the public's perception of the legal profession. Many people facing legal challenges view attorneys as inaccessible or unaffordable. When lawyers step up—even for brief engagements—it helps rebuild trust in the justice system and demonstrates that legal help can be within reach, regardless of one's income.
You’re not alone
Finally I want to highlight that, no matter what pro bono opportunity you choose, you will always have support. First, we have an amazing resource in Illinois Legal Aid Online (full disclosure, I used to work there) which has plain language resources in basically every area of the law that affects people in poverty. They also have attorney-specific resources that go deeper into the law.
Beyond that, you will have the legal aid agency you are partnering with who are very interested in you receiving the assistance you need to be successful. Even if you’re not partnering with an agency, you can reach out to those who practice in that area via ISBA discussion groups or simply sending an email or LinkedIn message. Attorneys can be competitive, but when it comes to helping those in need, you will be amazed at how quick to help and support each other we can be.
And while it is still very new and needs to be used with caution, Artificial Intelligence is an amazing technology for helping quickly get the basics of an area that you are not familiar with. Increasingly, tools like ChatGPT and Gemini will cite their sources so you can more easily do the necessary work of double-checking the information it gives you.
Conclusion
As attorneys, we often focus on the complexities of the law and what we don’t know. But when it comes to providing pro bono services, it’s important to recognize just how much we do know, and how even a little legal help can make a big impact. By offering limited scope assistance, you have the opportunity to transform lives, strengthen communities, and promote access to justice—all while working within your own time constraints and areas of comfort.
So, the next time you find yourself considering whether you can fit pro bono into your schedule, remember that every bit helps. Even a small commitment can have a far-reaching impact on someone in need.
The truth is, simply by virtue of being an attorney, you already have the necessary training and skill to help someone in need.
You’ve had it all along!