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See Your Wellness Levels Go through the Roof by Volunteering with the Pro Bono, Access to Justice, and Community Service Committee By Timothy M. Knowles, Esq., Chair, Pro Bono, Access to Justice, and Community Service Committee
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he recent focus on attorney wellness, both within the MBA and throughout the legal profession as a whole, has made the work of the Pro Bono, Access to Justice, and Community Service Committee more important than ever. Because volunteer work has been shown to improve both mental and physical health, the Committee is well placed to help attorneys who seek to improve their wellness while practicing law. When MBA President Feinman challenged each committee to craft a wellness initiative, we decided to organize a variety of volunteer opportunities in the hope that we will have something for everyone in the MBA. As a start, for those who like to use their legal skills when helping others, we sponsored a CLE in March with Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania on how attorneys can volunteer to help victims of natural disasters. The work involved can vary from reviewing applications for disaster benefits to researching and preparing the appeal from a denial of benefits. For attorneys who prefer to use their volunteer time doing non-legal work, we have an event scheduled in the fall at Grace and Cecil Bean’s Soup Kitchen in Norristown. For those who would rather donate items than time, we are in the process of planning a collection drive near the end of the year.
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There’s more in the works, so keep your ears open. If any of the above volunteer activities are appealing to you, reach out to the folks at the Pro Bono, Access to Justice, and Community Service Committee to get involved. It is our hope through involvement with these activities, members of the Bar will experience the increased mental and physical wellbeing that can only come from helping others.
