By Pablo A. Eves

The local bar association can offer a variety of attorney volunteer opportunities to further the law-related education of the public. Such associations usually consist of a number of standing or ad hoc committees in which any local attorney who has paid dues can get involved.

For example, in 2007 the McLean County Bar Association executive board expressed an interest in bringing the People's Law School (PLS) back after an absence of several years.

This program, co-sponsored by the ISBA Committee on Public Relations, is directed at fostering the connection between the bar and the community through a series of presentations on legal topics of interest to the general public.

Seeing an opportunity to participate in achieving those goals, I volunteered and was named co-chair of the PLS committee for 2007. The program we created consisted of a series of six free presentations from July to October 2007 at locations that were open and accessible to the general public.

Contact was made within the bar association with local judges and attorneys who expressed interest in making presentations on topics thought to be of concern to the general public.

This required discussions with fellow local bar members having a wide variety of backgrounds, including the judiciary, civil practitioners and criminal lawyers from both sides of the aisle.

Presentations were given on a variety of topics: Bankruptcy, Civil Justice Overview, Starting a Small Business, DUI/Traffic, Criminal Justice Overview, and Employment Law.

Many members volunteered to speak, including Jonathan A. Backman, Judge Charles G. Reynard, John L. Pratt, Jason A. Cannell, Associate Judge Robert L. Freitag and Richard M. Manzella.

When I originally volunteered to help with PLS, I was expecting to speak on a variety of substantive topics. Instead, I was surprised and impressed by the high level of volunteerism by my friends and colleagues, and I became something more along the lines of an event coordinator.

Organizing a People's Law School is relatively simple. Prior to each session, further contact was made with the speaker relating to laptop/projector requirements and duplication or dissemination of handouts to attendees. Rooms were reserved well in advance with a public library or community college, with arrangements for refreshments.

In the week before a particular presentation, publicity was arranged, including local radio and newspaper announcements as well as posting flyers and e-mails to interested community members and local civic groups.

Before and after each presentation, contact was made with reporters to increase the visibility of the PLS in the public eye. As a result, several stories were run in local papers.

The 2007 PLS was a demonstration of the spirit of service so many attorneys have that they can give to the community. The attendance by the general public, as well as the questions they asked before, during and after the sessions, showed that the community responds when the local bar reaches out.

These types of services give the community a positive experience with the law and provide valuable information to those who have questions on issues we know thoroughly.

Programs like the PLS display the contributions that attorneys can and should make to the communities in which they live to foster a better understanding of both the law and the people who practice it.

Looking ahead to the 2008 PLS, there is a waiting list of attorney volunteers ready to give presentations. Now I just have to figure out how to break it to the attorneys we won't be able to fit in until 2009, or beyond.

The ISBA Committee on Public Relations makes grants of up to $1,500 for local bar associations to present adult law-related education. Call (800) 252-8908 to obtain a grant application.

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Pablo Eves, a member of the ISBA Committee on Law Related Education for the Public, is an assistant McLean County state's attorney.