The Power of Pro Bono

Bridging the Civil Legal Justice Gap

Thanks to our amazing volunteer attorneys, law students, and other legal professionals, VLP helped more than 6,600 Nebraskans in 2020. Victims of human trafficking secured custody of their children from their abusers. Individuals living with disabilities avoided evictions during the pandemic. Daycare providers secured legal guidance in navigating the federal relief packages.
The Legal Services Corporation estimates that 71% of low-income households experience a civil legal problem annually and 86% of low-income individuals seeking civil legal assistance receive inadequate or no legal assistance. Legal nonprofits alone cannot solve this crisis, particularly in Nebraska where the civil legal justice gap is compounded by the rural justice gap. The Volunteer Lawyers Project is committed to connecting legal professionals with meaningful pro bono and reduced fee work through direct case placement, virtual & in-person clinics, ongoing projects, cyber platforms, and courthouse self-help desks. 

Thankful Thursday Volunteer

Kara Brostrom

Kara Brostrom, a partner at Ball, Loudon, Ebert & Brostrom, LLC, has incorporated pro bono work into her career since attending the University of Nebraska College of Law where she received the Theodore C. Sorenson Award for Public Service. Kara recently accepted multiple pro bono cases for individuals living in poverty who needed to execute wills for familial reasons. 
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Please nominate a pro bono volunteer you would like to thank for their efforts in expanding access to justice. With just a few sentences, anyone can nominate any Nebraska legal professional or group of Nebraska legal professionals they believe deserve special recognition for their dedication to pro bono work. 

Volunteer Opportunity Spotlight

Rural Connections Program

Nebraska has more counties without an attorney than any other state in the nation. While there are several laudable efforts seeking to recruit more attorneys to rural Nebraska, in order to address the rural justice gap technology will also need to be utilized. This project allows Nebraska attorneys to connect with low-income people seeking to obtain divorce decrees in uncontested matters remotely. Urban attorneys can volunteer to bridge the gap from the comfort of their own living room or office.