By Anne King

Many people (and many TV shows) think of lawyers as fiery litigators who perform in courtrooms. Most lawyers know that the profession is more diverse, but when it comes to pro bono cases, all too many lawyers still think of litigation first. But there’s plenty of rewarding pro bono work to be done by non-litigators as well.

Our Summer Forum panel on transactional and non-litigation practice will explore these pro bono opportunities in more depth. Moderated by our board member Susie Hoffman, the Public Service Partner at Crowell & Moring, the panelists will discuss several types of pro bono transactional and non-litigation work.

Are you interested in helping tax-exempt organizations with corporate governance, contracts, taxes, and other legal issues? Jim Joseph, co-chair of the tax practice at Arnold & Porter, does just that. He’ll explain how advising legal nonprofits makes those organizations’ important work possible.

Keen on helping small businesses launch and thrive? Darryl Maxwell (DC Bar Pro Bono Center) manages the Small Business Brief Advice Legal Clinic, at which volunteer lawyers help small-business owners and, in turn, facilitate local economic development. Clinic volunteers offer brief advice and need not commit to ongoing representation.

How about pro bono work on policy or legislative advocacy? Human Rights Watch‘s Nicole Austin-Hillery and DC Appleseed‘s Walter Smith both rely on volunteer lawyers to help with their policy and legislative work, and they’ll explain how pro bono lawyers can help.

Learn more about these opportunities—and how to find others like them—at our 2018 Summer Forum.

Anne King is a member of the Washington Council of Lawyers board of directors.