Pro Bono

Pro bono work takes many forms. We are here to help you take your first (or tenth) case representing a victim directly.  However, pro bono opportunities are not limited to direct representation of crime victims in the criminal justice system.  Your help is also needed to serve as local counsel, conduct legal research, and represent crime victims in related civil proceedings.  You don't need experience with victim law to help. NAVRA and NCVLI will train you to represent crime victims.

  • NCVLI legal staff will help you with legal research, writing, and strategy, and with other related matters including drafting limited representation agreements.
  • NAVRA membership provides you with access to a legal brief and memoranda bank with many samples of key victim law motions.
  • NAVRA membership provides you with access to victim law case summaries organized by issue.
  • NCVLI and NAVRA offer practical skills and other trainings relating to victim law.

Please consider providing pro bono help to a crime victim this year.  NAVRA is here to help!

New Pro Bono Attorneys at NCVLI!

NAVRA member Sylvia Golden joined NCVLI / NAVRA in December 2010 as a pro bono attorney.  She was drawn to NCVLI because of the organization’s policy work in the criminal justice and immigration areas.  An immigrant to the United States, she is particularly moved by the plight of powerless immigrant workers and immigrant women and hopes to have an opportunity to contribute to the organization’s efforts to expose instances of immigrant trafficking and alleviate the hardship of its victims.  Working for NCVLI, Ms. Golden already had a chance to research and comment on current constitutional issues that are being weighed by NCVLI's legal team.

Gina Atwood recently joined the team at NCVLI / NAVRA to provide pro bono assistance to victims of sex trafficking who are seeking restitution.  Ms. Atwood grew up in Roseburg, Oregon, but has lived in the South Pacific, the Middle East, Central America, and Asia. While living abroad, Gina learned that in many countries, human rights are often violated through human and sex trafficking.  More recently, Ms. Atwood learned that domestic trafficking issues have increased significantly and that the Pacific NW is a “hub” for trafficking.  Wanting to help, Ms. Atwood contacted NCVLI to see how she could contribute to work designed to aid trafficking victims.  Like many attorneys, Ms. Atwood had no prior experience in victims’ rights law.  We are thrilled to have her and put her legal skills to good use!  No experience necessary!

The Need for Pro Bono Assistance

In 2007, there were 1,408,337 violent crimes reported nationwide. [1] More than 9,000,000 property crimes were reported. [2] The vast majority of these crime victims did not have access to individual legal representation to enforce their rights in the criminal justice system.  You can help by providing pro bono assistance to a crime victim. There are many ways to assist a crime victim, including providing legal assistance:

  • to ensure that a domestic violence victim’s confidential counseling records are not released to the defendant;
  • to ensure that a murder victim’s family can attend the trial of the person accused of the crime;
  • to ensure that a child victim of sexual abuse has a support person with him or her in the courtroom;
  • to ensure that a victim impact statement and sentencing memorandum are prepared and submitted to the court on behalf of the family members of a victim of a drunk driver; and,
  • to ensure that an elderly assault victim will be ordered restitution sufficient to cover medical bills and other expenses resulting from the assault.

 

[1] U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, available online.

[2] Id.