Posted on August 17, 2008 by John Steele
Every once in a while I am in a consultation with a prospective client and after discussing their case, describing how I would handle their issue, explanation how their case was going to proceed, discuss strategy, and so on. Then the prospective client explains that they do not have money to retain an attorney, and asking if I do work Pro Bono. Pro Bono is latin for “I will work for you for free”. Trust me when I tell you that in those rare times that a private attorney is willing to spend his time and resources to represent someone in an area of law in which there will be an unknown time commitment, he or she will definitely let the client know. Generally, it is hard to pay the bills and your employee’s salaries with thank you letters from Pro Bono clients.
Besides, do you want a person representing you who has no incentive to fight on your behalf (other than perhaps a desire to help strangers)? There are agencies that provide free legal services, but those attorneys get paid by an agency so they are least getting paid by someone to help you.
The moral of this story is don’t ask attorneys to provide free legal services, and be very afraid of those attorneys that would actually agree to such a request.
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