Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands

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In-House Attorney Volunteers

Some of the Legal Aid Society’s offices regularly offer volunteer opportunities to attorneys who offer pro bono service in their offices. These attorneys are sometimes recent law graduates, retired attorneys, persons who have recently moved to the area or who are awaiting bar examination results. Depending on their time, interest and professional expertise, these “in-house pro bono counsel” represent clients, assist staff on pending cases, interview clients or conduct research or investigation.

This arrangement offers attorneys the opportunity to gain experience and exposure before the local courts and bar and allows them a framework to work on behalf of people in the community who need legal aid. The Legal Aid Society’s malpractice insurance covers these and all attorneys who represent pro bono clients. Pro bono counsel can gain CLE credits for pro bono service.

Potential in-house volunteers should be prepared to offer enough time during a week, and an extended enough period of time, to make the experience professionally rewarding to them and valuable to the Legal Aid Society and its clients. The minimum necessary commitment will depend upon the current needs of the office and the expertise of the volunteer attorney. Once an in-house volunteer has gained experience working in an office, we can be flexible about hours accommodate personal needs and schedules.

Attorneys who are interested in working as in-house pro bono counsel should contact the local office in which they are interested in working.

The following offices offer opportunities for in-house pro bono counsel for appropriate volunteer attorneys:
  • Clarksville
  • Columbia
  • Cookeville
  • Gallatin
  • Murfreesboro
  • Nashville
  • Oak Ridge
  • Nashville
  • Tullahoma
[Attorneys who are interested in handling pro bono cases or providing other assistance to the Legal Aid Society but who do not wish to work as an in-house volunteer, should contact their local office for more information about how to receive pro bono referrals and about other pro bono opportunities.]