A Lawyer’s Practical Guide to Taking Pro Bono Work Outside Your Practice Area

# Why this matters now

# A concrete example

# How the team made it work

• Identify complementary partners: The case combined federal-litigation skill with immigration-specific knowledge. Donahoe's experience in employment litigation was not the same as immigration practice, but the team covered the necessary bases.
• Share responsibilities by competence: Each attorney handled tasks aligned with their strengths — procedure and federal pleading on one hand, immigration law and client intake on the other.
• Invest time in targeted research: Donahoe put in extra hours to learn the procedural posture and legal standards for habeas relief rather than trying to master immigration law wholesale.
• Use local and professional resources: Partnering with a firm or attorney already active in immigration matters reduced the learning curve and improved client outcomes.

# Practical steps for taking similar pro bono matters

1. 1Screen commitments before accepting: Confirm who will handle immigration-specific questions, client contacts, and court appearances if those fall outside your expertise.
2. 2Form a team up front: Seek out attorneys with direct experience in the subject matter (immigration, habeas, etc.). Agree on roles and division of labor.
3. 3Plan focused study time: Identify the controlling statutes, recent policy changes, and procedural deadlines you must know to be effective.
4. 4Use mentoring and co-counsel arrangements: Work under or alongside counsel who have relevant standing and courtroom experience.
5. 5Document scope of representation: Clarify with the client and co-counsel what you will and will not handle to avoid gaps.

# What this implies for busy practitioners

SCR 20:6.1 encourages lawyers to aspire to 50 hours of pro bono service annually. Taking a case outside your usual practice area can satisfy that call if you approach it with realistic planning: build a team, limit personal scope to manageable tasks, and rely on colleagues for unfamiliar technical law. This model lets you contribute where the need is greatest — especially during periods of sudden policy change — without taking on unsustainable risk.

# Bottom line

You do not need to be an expert in a field to help clients who lack representation. With the right co-counsel, a limited, well-defined role, and time set aside for targeted research, lawyers can take on pro bono matters outside their daily practice and provide meaningful access to the legal system.