IN THE TRENCHES

Pro Bono Legal Resources

The Internet offers several ways to look for pro bono legal services in a given state or region. Two good starting places are:

National Center for Nonprofit Organizations. Under the heading "state associations," this Web site provides links and full contact information for umbrella organizations in most of the 50 states. Many of these state and local groups provide callers with referrals to lawyers or offer direct legal advice, though some offer such services to their members only. Some of the state associations' Web sites offer further links to legal-service groups, often under the heading "technical assistance." Go to: http://www.ncna.org

American Bar Association. This site offers a state-by-state directory of pro bono services under the heading "finding a lawyer." This listing includes contact information for a wide range of pro bono services, for both needy individuals and nonprofit groups. Go to: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/probono.html

To contact other legal-referral services mentioned in the Career Network story "Lining Up Free Legal Help for Your Nonprofit Group":

Council of Community Services of New York State: http://www.ccsnys.org, (518) 434-9194

Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits: http://www.mapnp.org, (651) 647-1216

North Carolina Center for Nonprofits: http://www.ncnonprofits.org. One Hour Pro Bono Program: (919) 790-1555

Technical Assistance for Community Services: http://www.tacs.org, (503) 239-4001

-- Compiled by Tom Chalkley