Volunteer Opportunities
The Colorado Bar Association encourages members to engage in volunteer opportunities that positively affect metro-Denver communities and the Association itself. These Bar programs are designed to provide public legal education and legal services to the public, and professional development and networking opportunities to its members.
Volunteering with any one of these programs combines an attorney’s creativity and expertise to make a difference within the community. With many options available to the busy attorney, the Bar works to fit members into the right volunteer opportunity.
Anyone from the community can benefit from one or more of these programs. For more information about these law-related educational or legal services programs, please contact our Public Legal Education Department at ple@cobar.org or 303.860.1115.
Community Based Projects:
Law line 9
Staff a Law line 9 Call-in program. Answer general legal questions and provide legal information and referrals to other community legal resources. Weekly Topics vary and legal resource information provided.
Time Commitment: 1.5 hours
Timing: Year-round every Wednesday. (4:00 PM-5:15PM and/or 5:15PM-6:30PM)
The People’s Fair
Staff the DBA booth to answer legal questions and offer legal information and referrals to other community legal resources to Fair Attendees. Legal resource information provided.
Time Commitment: 2 hour shifts
Timing: 1st Saturday and Sunday in June
Veterans’ Stand Down
Assist homeless vets by answering legal questions and offering legal information and referrals to other community legal resources. Legal resource information provided.
Time Commitment: 2 hour shifts
Timing: November
Pro Se Clinics
Conduct a pro se legal clinic for the community.
Time Commitment: 2 hours + prep time
Timing: Ongoing during the year; once a month
School Based Projects:
Speakers
Speak to a class on any one of a variety of topics.
Time Commitment: 1-3 hours
Timing: Ongoing during school year, depending on school requests
Constitution Day
Speak to a class about the constitution.
Time Commitment: 1-3 hours
Timing: On September 17th or week of.
Court Tours
Take classes on tour of the local City/County Courthouse; training/orientation provided. Non-litigators welcomed.
Time Commitment: 2-3 hours
Timing: Ongoing during school year, depending upon school requests
Career Days
Speak about the legal professions to a classroom; or at a CBA/DBA sponsored booth.
Time Commitment: 3 hours
Timing: Ongoing during the school year, depending upon school requests
In Class Law Mock Trials
Visit a classroom to help implement and explain what a mock trial is and how it works. Teachers work with students in advance. Mock Trial Scripts are available for elementary, middle, and high school classes.
Time Commitment: 1-3 hours
Timing: Ongoing during the school year, depending upon school requests
Colorado Mock Trial Program:
Attorney Coaches: Partner with teachers to coach students about mock trial elements and prepare a case problem for regional/state mock trial competition.
Time Commitment: Varies
Assistant Attorney Coaches: Assist primary attorney coaches with preparation of mock trial teams.
Time Commitment: Varies
Scoring Panelists: Adjudicate mock trial rounds at the regional/state tournament. An orientation and Bench Brief provided in advance.
Time Commitment: 3-4 hours
Courtroom Monitors: Monitor courtroom(s) and rounds during Mock Trial Tournament. An orientation and checklist provided.
Other Volunteer Opportunities:
Access to Justice: Pro Bono Opportunities: To help support the Colorado Supreme Court’s new Law Firm Pro Bono Initiative (as described in the revised comment to CRCP Rule 6.1), and the pro bono efforts of all attorneys, the Access to Justice Commission has compiled a compendium of pro bono opportunities. This listing describes the opportunities available in a number of organizations throughout Colorado. The compendium includes opportunities for transactional lawyers as well as litigators.
