BEST PRACTICES IN MARKETING
Pro Bono Consulting for Beginning CLNC®s
by Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD
Pro bono means "done without compensation for the public good" – in other words, providing services free to a worthy cause. Pro bono work in the legal arena means donating your time and your CLNC® services to attorneys who themselves work free on behalf of the poor, the underprivileged or for a special cause. Most pro bono cases are handled through nonprofit organizations.
The concept of giving is not foreign to nurses. It is an intrinsic part of our care-giving nature. Many times in our nursing work we sacrifice personal convenience and go above and beyond for others without thinking of our own personal gain.
Most attorneys view pro bono work as a responsibility for the privilege of practicing law. Each year attorneys throughout the U.S. donate thousands of hours of their time to provide quality legal services to those who otherwise could not afford an attorney.
In true pro bono cases everyone involved gives their services for free. If a CLNC® donates her professional time to an attorney who in turn is paid for those legal services, that is not a pro bono case.
CLNC®s who provide pro bono consultation focus on issues they feel passionate about, such as domestic violence or child abuse. Not only is pro bono consultation a rewarding way to give back to your community, it is also a free marketing strategy for beginning CLNC®s and a great way to gain experience quickly in a nonthreatening environment. For the experienced CLNC® looking to grow her CLNC® practice, pro bono work is an effective way to meet new attorney-prospects.
Take these steps if you're interested in pursuing pro bono work:
Think about the issues that are important to you. Do you have a passion for assisting in child abuse or domestic violence cases? Perhaps you have always wanted to speak out for sexual abuse victims or the elderly.
Determine how many hours you can realistically afford to donate to pro bono work.
Visit one or more of the following top pro bono sites to investigate how you can make a difference while adding a new marketing strategy to your CLNC® practice.
ABA Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono/home.html
The American Bar Association's website includes a state-by-state directory of local pro bono programs, along with links to assist you in volunteering your services to local agencies.
Legal Services Corporation (LSC) www.lsc.gov
This federally funded nonprofit corporation was created to ensure access to justice for those without the necessary means. The website includes a state-by-state listing of LSC programs and you can easily locate the one in your area.
National Legal Aid & Defender Association www.nlada.org
This website provides information and resources for attorneys representing the poor in both civil and criminal matters. Unfortunately, local contacts or programs are not listed.
National Senior Citizens Law Center www.nsclc.org
This nonprofit national advocacy group assists the poor or disabled elderly population. The website provides links to other organizations that you can use to find local contacts.
National Immigration Law Center www.nilc.org
This organization is dedicated to protecting the rights of low income immigrants and their families. The website provides links to other organizations and resources, primarily in California.
Native American Rights Fund www.narf.org
This nonprofit organization offers legal representation to Indian tribes, individuals and related organizations.
Select a nonprofit organization that is involved in your issue. Consider the following options for finding the types of pro bono cases you would like to help with:
Review any of the websites above.
Legal aid office in your community – Research their needs before you offer your CLNC® services.
State or county bar association – Ask if they have a pro bono committee of attorneys who provide free services a couple of hours a month. Contact the committee chair and communicate that you are a Certified Legal Nurse ConsultantCM looking to give back to your community. Be specific about the CLNC® services you can provide and the types of cases on which you wish to work.
District attorney's office – You'll usually find a couple of overworked attorneys assigned to elder abuse or child abuse cases. You could review medical records and assist them with medical-related aspects of their investigation. These attorneys really appreciate the help.
Special cause organizations – Organizations that help the homeless or the underprivileged, or that fight child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence or sexual abuse may have committees that get involved in legal cases on a pro bono basis. Other possibilities include women's shelters, children's services organizations and victims' rights organizations.
Word-of-mouth referrals – Your current contacts in nursing or in the legal field may be able to direct you to organizations that champion issues you feel passionate about or even to specific cases. Be certain such cases are true pro bono opportunities before getting involved.
Contact the organization of your choice to offer your CLNC® services on a pro bono basis. Be specific about what you are committing to do.
By definition, pro bono work won't make you rich. But the satisfaction of helping someone in need, not to mention the experience and contacts you gain in the process, can be priceless. For all these reasons doing occasional pro bono work may become one of your favorite marketing strategies.
Vickie L. Milazzo, RN, MSN, JD is the founder and president of the Vickie Milazzo Institute. She is credited by The New York Times with creating the legal nurse consulting profession in 1982 and is the recipient of the Nursing Excellence Award for Advancing the Profession and the Stevie Award (business's Oscar®) for mentoring. She has revolutionized the careers of thousands of RNs.
