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“The world is a stage,” and everyone has a role to play in pro bono service. In this three-part series, we will cover programs where seasoned attorneys with subject-matter expertise, newly minted attorneys, and professional staff work together to serve clients in a sum greater than their parts.
Candice Holcomb, a paralegal in Faegre Drinker’s corporate practice, embodies the principle of creating opportunities upward. In Candice’s billable practice she papers matters through the lifecycle of corporate transactions and organizations.
She does none of that in her role as the primary paralegal for the firm’s guardianship work in affiliation with the Eskenazi Health Medical-Legal Partnership, for which she received a firm 2023 Pro Bono Award. Candice notes that rather than specific skills or experience, the only requirement for volunteers is to “come with passion but leave judgment at the door.”
Candice’s love of the law began on the near west side of Indianapolis where she would watch “Perry Mason” with her pastor father, who taught her to look out for those who were not blessed with the same opportunities she was. Being able to serve her community alongside similarly passionate colleagues at work is one reason she loves her job.
Her advice to firm leadership? “Don’t stifle.”
Where the prospect of managing a matter alone might be too great a commitment, working on small teams with diverse members can allow everyone to fully commit without being spread too thin. When firms encourage and enable everyone to serve their communities in right-sized bites, pro bono participation can go from being an unfulfilled need or overbearing burden to an impactful collaboration that benefits clients, the community, and employees alike.
Serving as a pro bono guardian ad litem. or GAL, is a perfect example of pro bono work that has a little (or a lot) for everyone. Kids’ Voice of Indiana is a local nonprofit organization that offers volunteer programs for attorneys and non-lawyers, one of which is to serve as GALs in Marion County. Kids’ Voice provided over 40 children in family law cases with GALs in 2022 alone.
Volunteer GALs at Kids’ Voice amplify the voices of children involved in custody cases in Marion County. As a volunteer GAL, you will get to know the child, advocate for their needs, and present your opinion of what is in the child’s best interests to the judge. The GAL is the only player in a custody dispute whose sole role is to protect the best interests of the child.
As a practical matter, GALs attend a one-day training (CLE and ethics credit available), investigate the situation over a series of conversations and home visits, write a report containing their opinion and recommendation about the child’s best interest, and if necessary, testify in court. All volunteers are supervised by a Kids’ Voice attorney mentor who can help navigate the investigation, offer feedback on the written report, and provide tips on how to prepare to give testimony.
Kathleen Meek is one such attorney mentor. Meek is a supervising attorney for the GAL program at Kids’ Voice, and she recommends that paraprofessionals, young lawyers, and senior lawyers alike are well suited to volunteer as GALs.
It takes “creativity,” “an open mind,” and “dedication” to serve as a GAL. Meek also stressed the importance of having “a diverse pool of volunteers that reflects the communities we serve.”
Considering that the legal field has only gotten more diverse over time, diversity of experience and identity is something that the younger generation of lawyers may be uniquely situated to offer.
“Some of our best volunteers are attorneys with no family law experience.” Meek notices that young lawyers and non-family law attorneys often bring “fresh eyes” and a “fresh perspective” to cases that strengthen their ability to represent and protect the best interests of the child.
Junior attorneys may find that serving as a GAL fosters their leadership and case management skills in a way that is not usually accessible to junior attorneys.
Konstantina Noel, a second-year associate in the Products Liability group at Faegre Drinker, found that working with Kids’ Voice as a GAL allowed her “to take ownership over a smaller scale matter, learn about an unfamiliar area of law, and give back to my community.”
She reflected that “for junior associates, volunteering with Kids’ Voice presents a great opportunity to work closely with the courts and lead in ways that are generally rare at a large law firm.”
Guardianship work and guardianship ad litem practice, whether through Kids’ Voice or elsewhere, relies on teamwork among legal professionals of all experience levels and job titles.
Because being compassionate and open-minded are the two central skills to serve in the role well, many legal professionals are positioned for success so long as they can make and hold firm commitments. Do not let the fear of inexperience keep you from doing something good for those who need it most.•
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Molly Madden and Cassidy Segura Clouse are associates in Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath’s Indianapolis office. Opinions expressed are those of the authors.
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