The daily life of many attorneys is really not all that glamorous – we have all worked until the wee hours of the morning and spent our weekends tied to our laptops and blackberries, caught up in our cases and deadlines. Our precious spare time is usually spent socializing, dating, traveling, exercising, or spending time with friends and family. For many, volunteering doesn’t even make it on their list, and while many donate money to certain causes, the last thing they should do is give up more of their time. Right? Wrong.
There is no doubt that volunteering improves our communities, offers much-needed help to those who need it, and is a fulfilling way to spend your time. But volunteering your time to a cause you believe in can also help you become a better attorney. Many attorneys take on pro bono legal work, which can give you experience beyond your years and exposure to areas outside your practice. But stepping outside of the legal world can be equally rewarding and beneficial to your career – all while giving yourself a mental break from the stress that can come from the law and litigation.
There are many ways in which volunteering for non-legal causes can help your legal career: you get to take on different responsibilities, learn new skills, build your resume, become more relatable to clients, expand your social circle, and gain a different perspective on your work, community, and life. And of course, you’ll meet new people along the way who may have important connections to clients or resources whom you might not otherwise have met.
The benefits are pretty evident, but the trick for a busy lawyer is finding a volunteer opportunity that fits your needs. Don’t commit to something you cannot reasonably keep up – you’ll let the organization down and will feel bad about yourself. You can always start of slow and, if you really enjoy the organization and think you have more time to offer it, keep ramping up your involvement. Here are some things to consider:
- Consider Agencies With Established Event Schedules: Many charities and non-profits have a broad base of registered volunteers, and ask them to sign up for specific time slots or projects each week. Think along the lines of soup kitchens, food pantries, tutoring centers, senior homes, and animal rescues. This enables you to volunteer when you’re able to, but not feel bad about missing a week or two when you’re swamped at work.
- Offer Help with Tasks You Can Complete Online or at Home: Many volunteer-run agencies need help with everyday tasks – but don’t necessarily need you to be present to do them. For example, writing weekly newsletters, soliciting donations for fundraising campaigns, planning events, writing thank-you cards to donors, preparing grant applications, managing finances, and maintaining websites or Facebook pages are all things you can do in the evening from your couch, or while eating lunch at your desk.
- Consider Your Hidden Talents: Are you a lawyer who actually knows how to create a website or maintain a blog, take fantastic photographs, bake great cookies, or throw amazing parties? Offering these kinds of talents to organizations can help them fill a specific need while keeping your involvement flexible and on your own terms. Social media has become a vital tool for building each non-profit’s community because they can post about specific needs, upcoming events, and ask their followers for help. Start by researching a few different groups that interest you, pick a few favorites, and start following them on Facebook or Twitter. You’ll start learning more about their work and may be able to help them with a specific request for help.
- If You Have a Family, Consider Volunteering Together: There are several opportunities for couples and families to volunteer together – a great way to spend contributing to your community together. As with other options, there are flexible and family-friendly opportunities out there: sign up at your local food pantry to deliver food to the elderly and home-bound individuals, clean up your local parks, get involved in school fundraisers, host a toy-drive for hospitalized children, become a “wish granter” with Make a Wish Foundation, or sign up for walks and races in summer to raise money for charity.
So the next time you hear about a charity or cause that sounds interesting, don’t automatically assume that you don’t have time or that it will interfere with your career. Give it a whirl – you have an opportunity to help your neighbors and community with the added benefit of becoming a better lawyer.
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