Bass, Berry & Sims attorney and pro bono member David Esquivel recently participated on a panel at Vanderbilt Law School speaking to law students about the practice of public interest law. The panel featured four attorneys that either work full time in the public interest sector or incorporate public interest work into a legal practice.
David reassured law students that “if you choose to go to a law firm, and that’s a career that suits you, you don’t have to check your social interest and your desire for change at the door. Two things can happen at the same place.”
To balance pro bono work with the other demands of an associate, David stressed the importance of basic time management skills and finding a firm that encourages their employees to engage in pro bono work. “Most law firms have billable hour credit for pro bono matters… there are structures in place,” he said. David attributes success and balance as a lawyer to answering the following questions: “How do I structure my time? How can I do the things that are urgent, and how do I communicate to partners and senior associates what my capacity is and when I can do things?”
Bass, Berry & Sims has a robust pro bono program that allows attorneys to earn billable credit hours for pro bono work that aligns with the firm’s commitment to social justice. With emphasis on work that impacts systemic issues, the firm undertakes pro bono matters that strengthen families, empower communities, and protect civil rights. To learn more about the firm’s pro bono program, click here.
Vanderbilt Law School provided a recap of the panel discussion in the article, “Practicing Law for the Greater Good: Navigating the World of Public Interest Law,” that was published on September 10 and is available online.