Pro Bono Work
Criminal Lawyers are frequently asked to perform pro bono work because we encounter the most downtrodden segment of our citizenship. I spent several hours at the DPS Substation the other day, while trying to replace my lost driver's license and ran into an old client. He and I talked a bit about his case and how grateful he was for the way things turned out for him. One of the people sitting near us overheard our conversation and began chatting to me about his legal problem. It seems that he was having trouble getting the prosecutor to believe him after he was accused of lying to the police and filing a false report. My mother would be proud of me for keeping my tongue secured between my teeth and not pointing the obvious irony of his claim. However, he was interesting and amusing and we talked while waiting on my license. I still don't know why he was there.
After almost an hour of listening, he became not so amusing anymore and I had used my allotted number of bathroom trips when my name was called to take my picture for my new driver's license that had been lost. As I got up to leave and thank my neighbor for keeping my time occupied so I didn't have to be annoyed with responding to paying client's emails and phone calls, he asked me if I could represent him. Now I do take a minimum of 2 pro bono cases per year. That means that the clients I agree to represent do not pay anything in legal fees, however they may be forced to cover any expenses as I am not a banker, yet.
I thanked the gentleman for the opportunity but explained to him that my pro bono work was limited to DWI cases and not those where the radio waves are interfering with his communicating with his home planet.
Most lawyers do quite a bit of pro bono work, especially criminal defense lawyers. We take calls in the middle of the night, answer questions at parties and usually help people in traffic court when we are there so they understand the process a little better. Most criminal lawyers have a soft spot for someone in need. But there is also the need to earn a living and while I love to help and contribute in general to the betterment of society, bread costs the same for my family as it does for everyone else.
I politely declined my new friend's invitation to represent him, wished him well and asked him if he had a place to stay or anything to eat? He was grateful but would not accept anything from me and we parted ways.
Hopefully, he will go on to better things and get the help he needs, and I won't ever have to go back to the Department of Public Safety . . . ever!
Finally, just want to send a big mighty fine "THANK YOU" to Jason Smelley at DeMontrond Volkswagon in Houston for losing my license while going to copy it during my car shopping experience. Without you, this blog and the experience behind it would not have been possible.
Keep up the good work.
Have a great weekend everybody!
