FAYETTEVILLE -- Inside the small child's throat were tumors that would kill him if left untreated, a condition called recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. Evie Comfort, his grandmother, wanted to take him to the hospital, but without legal custody, she said she couldn't get Isaiah the treatment he needed.

So she called Legal Services of Arkansas. They found an attorney to represent her for free.

"I was frantic when I got to those people. I had no money, and I was looking at foster care for that baby," Comfort said. "There was not an attorney in Arkansas who would touch me for less than $3,000."

She said Legal Services of Arkansas connected her with attorney Eldon Cripps of Bentonville, who helped her gain custody of Isaiah from his incarcerated mother.

It's just a way to give back to the community," Cripps said about providing free legal services.

Pro bono work is a long-standing tradition in legal circles, and the donation of time and effort by lawyers in Northwest Arkansas provides a valuable resource in helping those in poverty to seek justice, said Susan Purtle, pro bono manager of the Equal Access to Justice Panel. The panel connects willing lawyers in many parts of Arkansas with clients in need of services.

"It's unjust for people not to have access to the courts," lawyer Bruce Schlegel of Fayetteville said. He received an Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award from the Equal Access to Justice Panel earlier this year for contributing 68 free legal hours to clients who could not afford to pay a lawyer in 2006.

"I'm not really good at saying 'no.'"

Purtle also works for Legal Aid of Arkansas in addition to her work for the panel. The nonprofit group represents clients in Northwest Arkansas who earn up to 125 percent of the federal poverty line. For a family of four that means the family makes $25,813 or less in gross earnings.

Attorneys on staff at Legal Aid of Arkansas closed 582 cases and helped 1,580 people in the first six months of 2007. Pro bono volunteers closed 44 cases and helped 104 people in that same time span, according to Purtle.

Arkansas ranks 49th in dollars spent per person on civil legal aid, according to statistics from Legal Aid of Arkansas.

The need for quality legal services for those who cannot pay is great, Purtle said. Pro bono work by volunteer attorneys helps the nonprofit group aid more people because it only has three staff attorneys.

Northwest Arkansas has another resource for helping poor people receive legal services: the University of Arkansas School of Law Legal Clinic. The clinic has been around for about 30 years and provides legal service through student lawyers under the supervision of a licensed attorney.

Students who participate in the clinic provide free legal service to clients who are at 150 percent of the federal poverty line or lower. The clinic is divided by areas of law and provides a wider scope of legal practice, such as certain types of criminal law and organizational law, than Legal Aid of Arkansas.

Legal Aid of Arkansas and the law clinic work closely, said clinic director and professor Michael Mullane. He also serves on the board of directors for Legal Aid of Arkansas.

"Many folks come to us, quite frankly, because we are their last hope," said Mullane about the clinic. "Then they come back because of the level of service they received."

Mullane said it's important to instill in students a sense of duty to the community and introduce them to the concept of pro bono work so when they leave the university they will continue to use their profession for the public good.

Karen Painter of Springdale was represented in her divorce proceedings by a student lawyer named Chris Cordero. A friend of hers told her about the law school's clinic program and after speaking with Mullane she decided to trust Cordero would represent her well.

"Both parties gained so much from the experience, way beyond monetary value," she said.

She was particularly impressed when Cordero discovered a legal theory within 45 minutes that would help her keep her marital home. Another attorney she went to earlier told her that it would difficult for her to keep the house.

"In walking through the case, everything just seemed to fall into place," Painter said.

Cordero begins his last year at law school this fall. He will help coordinate cases for other students this school year.

Cordero said he comes from a poor family and feels the need to give back after he receives his law license. He said he hopes to open a private practice in Little Rock after graduation and help those who find it difficult to afford legal services.

"So many I've worked with have been thankful that this resource exists for them," he said.

LEGAL LINGO

Pro Bono

Pro bono publico: Usually shortened to 'pro bono.' This Latin phrase means "for the public good" and often describes volunteer legal work done by a licensed lawyer. The American Bar Association and the Arkansas Bar Association recommend lawyers donate 50 hours a year to pro bono cases.

Source: Staff Report

Who to Contact

Most free legal services set limits on the income of clients they represent. Three groups in Northwest Arkansas work cases for those unable to afford legal representation. There is often a waiting list for these groups.

* University of Arkansas School of Law Legal Clinic

575-3056, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday.

www.law.uark.edu/legal_clinic

* Legal Aid of Arkansas

1-800-952-9243 is a legal hotline open from 9 to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Extended hours from 5:15 to 7:15 p.m. are available Tuesday. www.arlegalservices.org

* Arkansas Pro Bono Partnership -- Equal Access to Justice Panel

Lawyers who want to volunteer can call 442-0600 ext. 4301 or sign up online at www.arlegalservices.org/Home/PublicWeb/Volunteer