Today, there are numerous types of lawyers who practice in areas that may be described as public interest law. Many of these attorneys take cases that further a cause or address an issue that impacts a large segment of the population. Some have even made it their practice to focus on this type of work. In our view, all attorneys can and should consider how they can incorporate public interest law into their legal career. It’t not necessary to give up your day job and start working at a non-profit law firm or take a part-time position at one after passing the bar exam. However, we believe that all attorneys will benefit by incorporating some aspect of public interest law into their practices, if possible. Here are six reasons why you should consider doing so:
There is no downside to developing a public interest practice.
There are certainly lawyers who have developed their practices almost exclusively devoted to public interest work, often at the expense of developing a more traditional practice. If you are able to develop a significant practice in public interest law, you’ll be able to have an enormous positive impact on society. But if you are unable to, there is no significant downside. You won’t lose your house or have to abandon your family. You will not be forced to practice in a way that is contrary to your ethical and moral standards. You will not be forced to compromise your integrity or succumb to unethical or immoral requests from others, even if they are paying your bills. Thus, there is no downside to developing a public interest practice, if you are able we encourage all attorneys to consider how they can incorporate this type of work into their legal careers.
Public interest cases develop invaluable lawyering skills.
One might think that the only useful skill in public interest law is developing the ability to knock on strangers’ doors and talk to them about issues that are important to them. But in reality, public interest law provides an excellent platform to develop a wide variety of lawyering skills. From conducting extensive research to developing legal theories to writing briefs and other legal documents, attorneys practicing in public interest law can hone the skills that are essential in every area of the legal profession. Moreover, public interest law provides a wide variety of opportunities to put these skills to use. We’ve been involved in numerous cases where we had to develop creative legal theories to address a client’s legal problem. In many cases, we’ve been able to develop creative solutions that were not possible in more traditional practice areas.
Public interest work provides excellent networking opportunities.
If you are able to develop a significant public interest practice, you will find yourself interacting with people in a variety of different areas of society. This can lead to excellent networking opportunities that are not available to most attorneys. For example, one of us (Mark) has been able to connect with grassroots organizations that are not able to afford legal representation and farmers who are threatened by large corporations. These connections have provided us with access to people who may have otherwise been unable to find legal assistance. This networking has led to excellent referrals to other attorneys who are willing to work in this area. It has also allowed us to work on cases that may not have otherwise been possible. For example, one of us (Mark) has represented migrant farm workers in a variety of different types of cases, including a case challenging the constitutionality of California’s anti-immigration law, SB-54.
Public interest work can provide flexibility in your day to day practice.
There are a variety of ways to incorporate public interest work into your legal career. One way that may be attractive to many attorneys is to take on part-time work at a non-profit law firm that does public interest law. Doing so allows you to build a legal practice that is a mix of both private and public interest work. One of us (Mark) did exactly this. He practiced tax law at a large law firm, but spent one day each week working at a law firm that focused on public interest litigation. This allowed him to pursue the type of work that he was interested in doing while still being able to earn a living. This type of flexibility is one of the major benefits of public interest work. It allows you to pursue causes that you believe in while still being able to provide for yourself and your family.
There is currently a shortage of public interest lawyers and attorneys.
Although there are numerous reasons why people may not want to pursue a career in public interest law, there is one that we have not seen discussed. The lack of law school graduates going into public interest law has created a crisis in the number of lawyers and attorneys who are able to take on public interest cases. As one article in the New York Times puts it, “there are so few public interest jobs available that more than 70 percent of grads have to resort to non-legal work, like waiting tables, to make ends meet.” This shortage has led to significant problems for those who are trying to obtain legal assistance. In many cases, advocacy organizations and legal aid organizations have been forced to turn away clients who need legal help. This shortage is likely to become worse as more and more law schools start to focus on producing lawyers who want to go into Big Law. One way that attorneys can help alleviate this problem is by developing a practice that allows them to take on public interest cases.
By developing a practice in this area, you may discover a passion that you did not know existed before.
One of the most important reasons why attorneys should consider developing a practice in public interest law is that it may lead you to discover a passion that you did not know existed before. We have seen this happen on many occasions. It is not uncommon for attorneys who are able to pursue causes that are important to them to become more energized and excited about their work than they have ever been. This passion often leads them to work harder, be more productive and produce better results than they ever have before. By pursuing causes that are important to you, you may discover a passion that did not exist before. This can be a wonderful gift that you give to yourself and the world.
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