The U.S. District court for the Eastern District of Michigan is recruiting lawyers willing to contribute their time, energy and skills to assist pro se litigants in civil lawsuits that have cleared key legal hurdles.
“For over 30 years, this court has encouraged lawyers to accept pro bono cases to represent people in our community who are unable to afford a lawyer but who appear to have legitimate claims and may not be able to present them in an appropriate manner,” said U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise Page Hood. “Often, these are frustrated litigants who need a helping hand to make their way through the legal process.”
In recent years, the court has amped up its efforts to meet goals outlined in “The Strategic Plan for the Federal Judiciary” to improve access to the courts for pro se litigants. A pro se litigant is someone who wishes to represent themselves in court or who cannot afford to hire a lawyer.
In 2018, the court appointed Julie Owens to become its pro se case administrator to put more emphasis on its pro se programs.
Later that year, the court opened a Pro Se Legal Clinic operated by the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. The clinic is based in the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse in Detroit and staffed by law students who work under the supervision of a law professor. The students conduct legal research, provide advice and draft legal documents in civil lawsuits for pro se clients whose income is less than twice the federal poverty threshold.
The same year, the court created a Pro Se Prisoner Early Mediation Program, which allows prisoners to mediate their lawsuits against the Michigan Department of Corrections and its health care vendor. The program is designed to avert protracted litigation.
The third program is the court’s Pro Bono Attorney Panel. It was created many years ago to create a list of lawyers who could be assigned to represent pro se plaintiffs whose lawsuits have survived dismissal efforts. When a lawyer is needed, a judge alerts Owens, who alerts the entire pro bono lawyer panel to find a volunteer.
Owens said the court has about 55 such lawyers who have agreed to provide free legal representation to pro se litigants.
“We’d like to see double that number of pro bono lawyers,” Owens said.
The court has met with the Federal Bar Association, Eastern District of Michigan Chapter, to recruit more pro bono lawyers and in early October updated its website to allow lawyers to apply online.
Although pro bono lawyers work for free, Owens said they benefit by fulfilling their professional and ethical commitment to provide pro bono services to the most vulnerable citizens – the poor, educationally-challenged and those who have problems articulating their grievances.
Owens said the program also helps lawyers, especially those entering the profession, to develop more patience, improve their listening skills and become more empathetic and compassionate.
“It’s a real opportunity for someone who represents corporate clients to expand their professional breadth and make a real difference in the lives of people who have been wronged,” she said. “It also can lead to corrective action, policy changes, improved training, and fairer hiring practices.”
She said she recently received positive feedback from the pro bono coordinator of a major Detroit area law firm whose lawyers negotiated a $120,000 settlement and a court order requiring state corrections officials provide female Jewish inmates with the same religious rights as male prisoners regarding Passover observances.
“We were incredibly honored to work with [the plaintiff],” the coordinator told Owens in an email this month. “It is our privilege as attorneys to defend the basic religious freedom and civil liberties that we all have a right to enjoy.”
To participate in the Pro Bono Program, contact Owens at probono@mied.uscourts.gov or 313-234-5137. To view and volunteer for pro bono opportunities, click on https://www.mied.uscourts.gov/index.cfm?pageFunction=ProBonoInformation.
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