Pro Bono (Volunteering)
Pro Bono Information
Being a lawyer in Alaska comes with the profoundly important opportunity encouraged by ARPC 6.1 of performing 50 hours of pro bono service annually, primarily to Alaskans of limited means and the legal services providers who serve them. Whether you’re clerking, starting a new job, looking for a new job, have limited time, live outside Alaska, are retired, or just don’t know where to start, we’ve got something for you!
Cases can be co-counseled to share the load, virtual clinics can be done from anywhere at any time, and monthly hotlines are just a few of the options.
The choices are many; the impact is great. And you don’t have to do it alone. There are mentors available at every step of the way for any of the opportunities. You just have to ask.
Get started today by reviewing current opportunities and connecting with a legal services provider, or join the Alaska Bar Association’s pro bono mailing list by clicking here.
[If you are a community member seeking free legal assistance, please go HERE for information.]
Pro Bono Opportunities
Find a list of current Pro Bono cases and opportunities to help here.
Free Legal Clinics (volunteering)
Each year, the Alaska Bar Association sponsors free legal clinics, where we need attorneys in a variety of practice areas to volunteer for two to four hour shifts. If you would like to be added to a mailing list about these opportunities, click here. Contact the Pro Bono Director at lmckenna@alaskabar.org with any questions or if you are interested in organizing a new clinic. Below are our clinics:
MLK Day: Every year in January on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Alaska Bar Association, Alaska Court System, and Alaska Legal Services Corporation hosts MLK Day free legal help events throughout Alaska. For the latest information, view our MLK Day page.
May 3, 2025 Free Legal Clinic: On May 3, 2025 from 12 PM to 4 PM, a free legal clinic for civil (non-criminal) legal issues will be held at the Fairview Recreation Center, 1121 E. 10th Ave. in Anchorage. Interpreters will be provided and all low-income people are welcome. Attorneys will provide free 30 minute consultations on issues such as immigration, family law, housing, U.S. powers of attorney, name changes, probate, and more. Pre-registration is not required. This clinic is sponsored by the Alaska Bar Association, ACLU of Alaska, and Sol de Medianoche.
Elizabeth Peratrovich Legal Clinic: In October of each year, attorneys provide free legal assistance to attendees of the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. Walk-in consultations are provided on civil (non-criminal) legal issues. The next EPLC clinic will be held on Thursday, October 16, 2025 from 10 AM to 1 PM.
Elder Appreciation and Wills Clinic: An elders resource fair and wills clinic will be held on October 17, 2025 at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention. Estate planning attorneys are needed to draft wills, powers of attorney, and/or advance health care directives. Clients must pre-register and bring a completed questionnaire to the clinic.
Alaska Free Legal Answers: Offered in partnership with the American Bar Association, Alaska Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic in which qualifying users post civil legal questions to be answered by attorneys licensed in Alaska for free. Available 24/7 and 365 days per year, this website allows low-income Alaskans to ask three non-criminal legal questions a year. Register here to volunteer.
Free Legal Answers (FEDERAL): Offered in partnership with the American Bar Association, Federal Free Legal Answers is a virtual legal advice clinic in which qualifying users ask civil legal questions related to basic immigration and veterans questions to be answered for free by licensed attorneys. Register here to volunteer.
Qualified Legal Services Providers
Visit our Qualified Legal Services Providers page to learn about our qualified legal services providers.
Current Pro Bono Award Recipients
The Bryan P. Timbers Pro Bono Award(s) recognize the extraordinary pro bono efforts of small/solo practitioners, law firms, and public sector agencies toward closing the justice gap for Alaskans with civil legal needs.
Visit our Pro Bono Awards page for current and recent award recipients.
Retired, Inactive, and Out-of-State Attorneys
Retired, inactive, and out-of-state attorneys may have their Alaska Bar Association dues fees waived in the year following the year they provide pro bono service to an Alaska qualified legal services provider. Learn more about the Emeritus Attorney Rule 43.2 (for inactive and retired members) here, and the Out-of-State Attorney Bar Rule 43.6 here. You may find the list of qualified legal services providers here, which are non-profit legal services providers who are approved by the Alaska Bar Association Board of Governors.
