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My name is Eva Madison, and I'm an attorney here in Fayetteville. I'm a graduate of this law school in 1998,
and I donate
my time to Legal Aid of Arkansas because i think really that it
is part of our a professional duties as attorney to donate our time back to those
who
need it the most. And for me personally, I think that the pro bono
experience is a way to sort of get out of your element, get out of the ordinary,
and to be reminded really of why it is we went to law school in the first place.
I handled a case over the past couple of years that involved a considerable
investment in time, but it was a case that was very unusual, and
it took me out of the ordinary, out of what I normally do.
I think when you get into that different mindset you're reminded of
why it is that we do the things we do.
In that particular case, I was helping a mother
fight for custody of her child, and that's not work that I ordinarily do in my
practice.
During the course of that case I became a mother myself,
and so realizing the emotional bond that you have with your child and helping this person
that needed legal services fight for her child.
It was a very inspiring experience because I couldn't
imagine what it would be like
to be fighting for my child and need legal services and not be able to afford
them.
So, I paused to think that pro bono work reminds us all of really
what's important.
Because if we all think of something that's very near and dear to us in our lives,
and then imagine
what it would be like to be without that something,
and need legal services, and not be able to afford them.
That's really what pro bono work is all about. And so, in that case, this was a
reality check for me and a reminder of, I think, why I went to law school, why I
became a lawyer.
And what those ethical duties really mean is that
we need to give back to those that are less fortunate and need our help.
So, not only to I do pro bono
work out of a desire to help others,
I have a deep sense of commitment to my community and so it comes from
the desire to give back as much as I possibly can.
As lawyers we have unique skills.
We have time and talent.
That's what we do for a living is offer time and talent to others.
But, when it comes to those who can't afford it and need it the most,
it's our duty, I think, to step up and offer those services.