City Bar Justice Center’s Public Service Network Places 1,000th Volunteer
The Public Service Network, a City Bar Justice Center initiative, is celebrating the placement of its 1,000th volunteer this week. Formed in 1997, the Public Service Network encourages lawyers to engage in public service by matching attorneys with legal and non-legal volunteer opportunities in the nonprofit sector. To date, the Network’s volunteers have contributed over 150,000 hours of service, valued at over $20.5 million. The Public Service Network has partnered with over 300 nonprofit organizations that work in areas such as human rights, education, social services, the environment, labor rights and racial justice. Attorneys have been matched with nonprofits, including Advocates for Children, the New York Women’s Foundation, El Museo del Barrio, inMotion, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and the Jazz Foundation of America, where they work on projects that range from direct client representation to board membership, policy research and mentoring youth. While the Network originally focused on seeking opportunities for attorneys who were preparing for retirement and wanted to use their skills in service of the community, the Network now serves attorneys in all stages of their careers. In 2010, 59% of the Network’s new volunteers are junior level attorneys and 29% are recent graduates, many of whom are in job transition. For more information about the Public Service Network, click here.
