"Pro bono matters can be an invaluable experience for rookie lawyers. Depending on the law firm, many new attorneys might not have the chance to work on substantive tasks related to the regular matters a law firm handles, since partners may not want novice lawyers messing things up for law firm clients."
"Right at the beginning of my career, I worked at a law firm that encouraged pro bono work, and even counted hundreds of hours billed to pro bono matters toward a lawyer's annual billable hour requirement. During my first month on the job, Superstorm Sandy hit our area, which decimated our office and the areas where many of the lawyers at the firm resided."
Pro bono matters provide invaluable experience for rookie lawyers, enabling substantive tasks that many firms reserve from novices. Many law firms limit new attorneys' involvement in regular client matters to avoid errors. Pro bono matters often allow rookie lawyers to handle tasks similar to regular matters and develop legal skills. Legal aid clinics offer critical additional experience and direct client interaction. Early-career experience at a firm that counted pro bono hours toward billable requirements created opportunities after Superstorm Sandy, when legal issues proliferated. Clinic participation provided firsthand, significant client communications that differed from typical firm assignments and enriched practical development.
Read at Above the Law
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