Lawyers have ramped up efforts to provide pro bono public legal services in recent years, dedicating time at no cost to individual clients or to charitable, governmental and other organizations in matters designed primarily to address the needs of people with limited financial resources.
For the new attorney, pro bono work is sometimes extolled as an easy way to get courtroom experience fast. That may or may not be the case, since pro bono work must meet the same standards as work done for any other client. A business or personal injury litigation lawyer taking on an immigration case, for example, will have a lot to do to get up to speed, including studying the law and consulting with more experienced lawyers as necessary.
