In preparation for this assignment, you are to do at least two hours of service / civic engagement. This need NOT be formal service. For example, you can volunteer one afternoon at a soup kitchen. You could also find someone in your neighborhood or personal or professional life who could use your help with something. What you do does not matter, so long as you are helping someone when you are not otherwise obligated to do so. Write a 7 page paper in which you answer the following:
Research whether your state requires lawyers to perform pro bono activities. Report your findings including any such requirements.
Do you think that pro bono activities should be mandated for legal professionals? Why or why not?
Imagine that you are already working as a legal professional. Research what type of pro bono or community activities exist in the legal fields. Which specific activity / activities do you think you’d get involved with? Why? You may want to research volunteer opportunities through your local or state bar association, or on websites searchable by interest area (like volunteermatch.org).
Describe the civic engagement you performed this term. What was your personal experience? Write a well thought out reflection on the benefits of civic engagement, both on a personal and community level. Include your own thoughts, but also include research to support your position.
Conclude your paper by describing how you see legal ethics and civic engagement overlapping.