Information from the pro bono reporting initiative is used to identify gaps in the delivery of legal services in order to strengthen the network of legal services available to Ohioans in need.

Information from the pro bono reporting initiative is used to identify gaps in the delivery of legal services in order to strengthen the network of legal services available to Ohioans in need.

Attorneys performed more than100,000 hours of volunteer legal services to Ohioans in need in 2012, according to information from attorneys taking part in voluntary pro bono reporting.

The Ohio Supreme Court asked attorneys to report their pro bono activities to gather useful information about the extent and nature of pro bono work in Ohio and to encourage pro bono activity to aid those who cannot afford an attorney. The information is used to identify gaps in the delivery of legal services in order to strengthen the network of legal services available to Ohioans in need. The Supreme Court offers voluntary pro bono reporting in conjunction with the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation.

Jane Taylor, foundation director for Pro Bono and Communications, said this is the fifth year of the pro bono reporting iniative.

Using a modest hourly rate of $135, the dollar value of pro bono legal services contributed by attorneys who chose to report their pro bono activities was $13.5 million. Ohio lawyers supplemented their delivery of legal services by making financial contributions of nearly $146,000 to organizations that provide legal services to low-income Ohioans.

“It is truly gratifying to see the numbers of attorneys reporting that they provided pro bono legal services to needy individuals and organizations in 2012,” said Angela Lloyd, foundation executive director. “Despite a harsh economic climate, these attorneys kept in mind the important responsibility attorneys have to ensure access to justice for all.”

In early 2012, the Supreme Court sent an email to all Ohio attorneys registered as “active” with email addresses on file with the Office of Attorney Services. Attorneys were asked to report their pro bono activity during the preceding calendar year by visiting a reporting website to answer nine questions.

All information voluntarily submitted was collected without identifiers, keeping the results anonymous.

On an annual basis, the foundation compiles and reports the information collected to the Supreme Court, bar associations, and legal services organizations throughout Ohio.