The Many Volunteer Opportunities with Metro Volunteer Lawyers 

by John Lee

 At its core, the purpose of the profession of law is to help people.ⁱ Pro bono work through Metro Volunteer Lawyers (MVL) allows us to help the people who need it most. 

MVL is the Denver Bar Association’s flagship program, and it’s mission is “to bridge the gap in access to justice by coordinating the provision of pro bono legal services by volunteer lawyers within the Denver Metro Area to people who could not otherwise afford legal services for their civil legal issues.”ⁱⁱ  MVL seeks to maximize free legal services to those in need living at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines in Adams/Broomfield, Arapahoe, Douglas/Elbert, Denver, and Jefferson/Gilpin Counties.

Last year, 370 legal professionals provided more than 3,150 hours of legal assistance to those who could not otherwise afford it. Yet even that number fails to sufficiently account for the innumerable benefits those legal professionals provided for individuals and families in need.ⁱⁱⁱ Recognizing that we can do more for our communities together, MVL strives to provide volunteer opportunities that fit any schedule.^iv Whether you have a few hours or many more to help individuals or families needing legal assistance, MVL has different programs and training to help you make a difference, including a mentor program that allows mentees to collaborate or shadow mentors on cases. MVL’s opportunities include:

1-3 Hour Opportunities  

Family Law Advice & Guidance (FLAG) | 1-hour commitment (experience preferred)  

Family law practitioners provide a single consultation to pro se parties with pre- or post-decree divorce or parental responsibilities cases by focusing on early resolution and problem-solving. Contact Liz Jones or Joe O’Leary to volunteer.  

Family Law & Court Program (FLCP) | 1-3 hour commitment (no experience necessary)

Assist pro se parties with uncomplicated divorce or parental responsibilities cases. Clinics occur monthly in Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Jefferson, and Douglas counties. There are two stages where you can volunteer: (1) Client Meetings, where legal professionals can assist clients in filling out the documents needed to initiate their cases, and (2) Permanent Order Hearings, where volunteer attorneys meet with clients to prepare the documents needed to submit to the court at the hearing, and then represent the client solely for the duration of the hearing that same day. Contact Patrick Marzolino to volunteer.

Legal Clinic at the Denver Indian Center   | 1-3 hour commitment in the evening (no experience necessary) 

Provide legal resources and information to the local Native American community at MVL’s monthly walk-in clinic at 4407 Morrison Road, Denver, CO 80219. Contact Patrick Marzolino to volunteer.  

Estate Planning Program | 1-3 hour commitment (no experience necessary)^v 

These clinics, held at low-income senior housing facilities and community centers, help low-income seniors complete planning documents such as medical power of attorney, financial power of attorney, living will and declaration of disposition of last remains.

Mediation Program | 2 hours to a full day (mediation training required) 

Provide pro-bono mediation to applicants in one of MVL’s other programs. Contact Ivonne Esparza to volunteer.  

Referral Program | Time commitment depends on the case (experience necessary) 

Provide full pro bono representation for various civil legal matters, including family law, probate, consumer/financial, and public benefits. Contact Ivonne Esparza to volunteer.  

No Time Commitment  

For those short on time and looking to support access to justice, MVL launched its Evergreen Giving Campaign in 2022—a set-it-and-forget-it program that allows supporters to donate any set amount each month to grow support over time. In 2023, nearly $22,000 was donated through this Campaign. In 2024, MVL hopes to expand the impact of this new way to donate to MVL. The donation website is live year-round, and support can be donated through this link.  

In addition to these programs, MVL has a grant-funded Crime Victim Attorney who provides direct services and representation to domestic violence victims. Volunteers can sometimes assist the Crime Victim Attorney, whose services include assisting with the address confidentiality program, providing direct legal advice, and providing full representation.

“Pro Bono” is Latin for the “public good.”^vi  

As Justice Ginsburg once famously explained, the privilege of practicing law carries with it “an obligation to provide legal services to those without the wherewithal to pay, to respond to needs outside themselves, to help repair tears in their communities.” ^vii MVL provides us with excellent opportunities to do just that.  

Endnotes

i Fully consistent with that goal, the stated objects of the Denver Bar Association are: “To promote justice, its administration and its availability to all sectors of society; to support and assist the membership in the delivery of legal services; to uphold the honor and dignity of the bar and foster respect for the legal profession; to encourage a thorough and ongoing legal education; to promote prompt and efficient dispute resolution; to cultivate good relations among all lawyers of Denver; to perpetuate the history and tradition of the profession and to do all things necessary to further these objects and purposes.” DBA Bylaws, Art. 1–1.

ii More information about MVL can be found here: https://www.denbar.org/mvl

iii According to one report, 3 out of 4 low-income households experience 1+ civil legal problems in the past year before the report, and more than half stated that the legal problem substantially impacted their lives by impacting their finances, mental health, physical health and safety, and relationships. https://justicegap.lsc.gov/resource/executive-summary/

iv Malpractice insurance is provided for pro bono legal services conferred through MVL.

v Training on how to use the software for new volunteers will begin 30 minutes before each clinic.

vi https://www.law.georgetown.edu/experiential-learning/pro-bono-communityservice/what-is-pro-bono/

vii U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (March 2014).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

John Lee, Esq., is a First Assistant Attorney General’s Office in the Criminal Appeals Section and is one of the chairs of the office’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Impact Team. Mr. Lee is a past recipient of APABA’s Ralph Carr Award and has been awarded the Colorado Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Performance four times. Mr. Lee has authored over 700 briefs and argued over 140 times before the Colorado Supreme Court and the Colorado Court of Appeals. Mr. Lee also oversees the state’s review of constitutional challenges to criminal statutes and ordinances. He currently serves as president on the CBA-CLE board, the Waterman Fund, and the Pueblo Art’s Center and Children’s Museum.