As lawyers seek out CLE opportunities that help to upgrade knowledge, specialize skills or lead to new types of cases and clients, they should consider the unique learning experiences afforded through the provision of pro bono work. Over the past few years, pro bono in Ontario has expanded from the traditional litigation-only type support to include a variety of business law areas. Rewarding opportunities exist for lawyers to delve into new practice areas, to write self-help materials or give legal education presentations, or even for young lawyers to enter the courtroom. These experiences also provide networking opportunities with different client bases, corporate members of community agency boards or senior legal mentors.

At a recent free CLE event put on by Pro Bono Law Ontario's Volunteer Lawyers Service (VLS), lawyers from a variety of backgrounds arrived at the one-day session to pick up new skills on charitable and non-profit law. Presenters Jim Parks of Cassels Brock and Blackwell LLP and Bill Pashby of Borden Ladner Gervais LLP said they were offering "a smattering of things you need to know on a high level. We hope to give you the tools to be a volunteer and not get so far over your head that you're intimidated taking on a case." The goal of these mentors was to give a practical perspective on this area of the law - to point out what works and what doesn't work.

VLS is a pro bono service program that matches lawyers to small non-profits and charities that can't afford legal help. Lawyers attending the session left with the caveat that they take on at least one case in the next 12 months as a volunteer. Parks and Pashby offered tips on where to go to pick up new information on this unique area of the law. Providing pro bono through VLS can expose a lawyer to a number of areas such as incorporation, charitable registration, board governance, contracts, and trade-mark registrations. Many of these non-profit groups serve the local community, providing important services such as low-income housing initiatives, job and economic growth initiatives, support for elderly or youth, and environmental or urban renewal projects.

The good thing about volunteering to provide pro bono legal help in an area that may be new for a lawyer is that you don't need to claim to be a specialist. In the case of VLS, the clients are small to mid-size organizations who are grateful for the support and wisdom of a lawyer. If you do feel over your head on any matter, VLS can set you up with mentoring from a more seasoned lawyer. It's a win-win situation where these community groups get the help they need and individual lawyers get to expand their skill base into new territory.

Education law is another rewarding pro bono area where lawyers can use their negotiation and mediation skills to assist families in dealing with local school boards. There are many families across Ontario who need help in getting representation for their children and youth in a number of education related matters, ranging from individual advocacy in special education or discipline, to human rights matters. Support may take the form of summary advice or direct representation at school board hearings. Mediation and dispute resolution skills can be honed through facilitating communications between families and school boards. Again, if this is an unfamiliar area, free training and other supports are offered through Pro Bono Law Ontario's Child Advocacy Project.

Many of Toronto and Ottawa's larger law firms have adopted pro bono policies and are working with Pro Bono Law Ontario to develop tailored projects for their staff lawyers. These pro bono projects provide opportunities for law firm staff lawyers at any level to gain valuable professional development experiences that are likely quite different from their day-to-day corporate law or litigation practice - the clients may be artisans, environmentalists or low income individuals. Needs exist in a wide variety of matters.

A new law firm project was recently launched to provide pro bono duty counsel support for unrepresented litigants at one of the small claims courts in Toronto's north end. One day a week, a pro bono duty counsel clinic is open on the main floor. Volunteers will spend the entire day offering advice, providing duty counsel services, and entering the courtroom. This is a great opportunity for young lawyers to appear on their feet before a judge and begin to hone their litigation skills.

At PBLO, we get approached from many different community groups looking for legal help for their low income client base. Recently, we had a request from the Ontario Association of the Deaf to help their members with a variety of matters not eligible for Legal Aid. We have artists, Aboriginal citizens, the elderly, visible minorities - so many different types of client groups trying to access legal services in whatever way they can.

We strive to meet that need through the ever-increasing pool of Ontario's lawyers who generously donate their time, but there is always so much more we could do. PBLO's next phase is to look at developing self-help materials, and to offer more community legal education events through live sessions or webcasting. Again, these will be beneficial opportunities for lawyers to test their communication skills through publishing opportunities and public speaking events.

Pro bono services offer a huge benefit for both the community and lawyers. Lawyers gain tremendous practical knowledge and experience by seeking out these volunteer opportunities, sitting on the board of a local charitable organization, or helping to educate the segment of the population that struggles to access fee-for-service legal help. The community naturally benefits when the legal profession takes an active interest in what's happening at the grassroots level and in areas of society that can benefit from their knowledge and wisdom.

Lynn Burns is the executive director of Pro Bono Law Ontario, an organization established in 2002 to promote access to justice in Ontario by creating and promoting opportunities for lawyers to provide pro bono legal services to persons of limited means.