Pro Bono in Times of Crisis: Looking Forward by Looking Back

Thousands of lawyers donated their time in response to the crisis of 9/11, but many did not. A remaining challenge is to ensure that the vast majority of the legal profession views public service as an essential professional responsibility. This essay examines previous studies on the pro bono contributions of those in the legal profession and how the findings of those studies show what motivations and sustains lawyers' public service. Specifically, this essay examines pro bono legal assistance in response to the 9/11 crisis.

The author explains that it is essential to give law students a sense of obligation in terms of public service and encourage public service opportunities, both in response to a crisis and in every day life.