Koonce 1

David S. Koonce-Cruz
Jizi
UWRT-1104-015
6 December 2016

A Question of EthicsPreface- This presentation was designed with the intention of being delivered to law
students, novice lawyers, and others who work in the profession of law and have not yet
participated or initiated some form of Pro Bono work. It is meant to inform and persuade them
on the importance of Pro Bono work both in ones career, as well as for the community as a
whole. Ultimately, I intend to provide examples and reasoning for why anyone in or interested in
the legal field would find it absolutely indispensable to engage in Pro Bono work. In order to do
this, I created a simple and logical verbal presentation supported by a visual aid in order to best
transfer this information, as well as create and professional and very much familiar presentation
that anyone with courtroom experience would be able to recognize. There is a level of simple
professionalism that I was hoping to achieve. The reasoning for that goes right back to the
courtroom fancy advertisements, or something of a more lighthearted nature, would not fit
depending on the tone or type of case. Presenting to a courtroom is often a somber affair,
however, it must remain effective and engaging. As such, I have designed my presentation to be
simple, yet as effective as possible. Now, with that, I proceed to my presentation on the
importance of Pro Bono work and the question of what makes up ethical behavior for a lawyer.
Lawyers have gained a horrible reputation among the media, and in popular culture.
Ambulance chasers. Sharks. Pathological liars. Lawyers for a long time have been considered
little more than greedy men and women who seek profit off the misfortune of another, or those

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who defend criminals and other unscrupulous characters. This negative stereotype has only
grown stronger over time, as the legal field has become more and more disconnected from the
people at large. There is a rift between the common man, and the men and women who serve as
attorneys, a rift that has made the swift and effective administration of justice increasingly
difficult. Simply put- lawyers are not trusted nor are they liked, and due to the mishandling and
poor choices of a minority of lawyers, the entire field has been given a bad name. As many of us
are fully aware, to be found guilty in the court of public opinion is one of the most damming and
harmful verdicts of all. Only through a concerted effort, can we, as practitioners of the law, make
a difference. We all have a duty to the community, to serve them and provide justice regardless of
income, race, religion, and gender. This work, Pro Bono, is one of the single most important
things that anyone who calls themselves a lawyer, can engage in. Some of the most influential
legal minds in history have made a name for themselves in Pro Bono work, as we will soon
discover.
There is a serious gap between the rich and poor in this country. As you can read here, a
significant amount of Americans live beneath the poverty line- and with the costs of legal
counsel growing each and every year, it is growing harder and harder for millions of Americans
to get legal representation. Incomes are not rising, and as the costs of living increase, more and
more Americans will fall below this line. Even those above it often find themselves without the
funds needed to be able to afford an attorney for a significant amount of time. Without an
attorney, many Americans cannot experience the full benefit of the law's protection, and are thus
denied justice. This can be felt in many different sectors- from divorce litigation to criminal
proceedings. The poor and impoverished are over represented in our prisons, and more often than
not it are those whom are underprivileged who are most likely to suffer discrimination and unfair

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treatment in the workplace. Without access to legal services, these people will be forgotten and
trodden over, left to suffer without justice due to no fault of their own. Often enough, it is only
through Pro Bono work that these Americans can get receive legal assistance. It is here where we
can make an impact. Through individual actions or working through separate organizations, we
can provide services for a variety of different people, and help to bridge that gap for those who
may not be able to otherwise afford legal assistance. A wonderful example of this exists in the
actions of a current Supreme Court Justice, a woman who has blazed a trail through history in
her own quest to help break down the barriers created by inequality, racism and poverty.
Sonia Sotomayor used her Pro Bono work to not only help those in need, but to advance
her own career. It was as a direct result of her work for the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and
Education Fund. As the name implies, it was an organization that focused on the protection and
education of underprivileged Puerto Rican immigrants in New York. She grew as the child of
poor immigrants, and as such worked to help those who lived in the same situation. Her work
was notable, and it led her to her current position as a judge in the highest court in the land.
Sotomayor herself attributes her success to her Pro Bono work, and has gone down before urging
many states to make Pro Bono a requirement for all those who wish to become attorneys.
Personally, this is something that I feel shouldnt be necessary while I highly support the need
for Pro Bono work, I feel as if forcing it would remove an aspect of charitable nature of such
work. However, if it would help those in need, and go forth to create a better world, I am all for
it. Such requirements could go a long way to healing communities, and ensuring that everyone,
no matter who they are, will be granted equal protection under the law, as well as equal service
by the law.

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Though, before this, we can still go ahead and make a difference. From assisting those
who are impoverished, to providing legal services to battered women, we can all make a
difference, a positive one, in the community and around the country. It is why I stand here before
you, to implore you to take action. Even something as simple as offering a contract reading for
free is a step in the right direction. By pushing forth, and acting out of kindness, and out of a
desire for justice, we can begin to do right the wrongs that some of our predecessors may have
created, as well as hopefully begin to change the image that the public has of lawyers in general.
In order for our legal system to work, there must be trust. And here, today, we can start to build
that trust, once and for all.
Thank you, and have a good evening.

Works Cited

Biography.com Editors. "Sonia Sotomayor Biography." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d.
Web.
19 Oct. 2016.

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"Latin@s At Work (LAW) Project." LatinoJustice:. Latinojustice, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2016.

Mauro, Tony. "Sotomayor Urges Mandatory Pro Bono for All Lawyers." The National Law
Journal. The National Law Journal, 17 May 2016. Web. 9 Nov. 2016.

"Homes and Community Renewal." SONYMA Products for First-Time Homebuyers. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2016.

Designs, AVWeb. "Pro Bono." Pro Bono. The Charlotte School of Law, n.d. Web. 09
Nov. 2016.

Bernadette D. Proctor, Jessica L. Semega, Melissa A. Kollar. "Income and Poverty in the United
States: 2015." US Census Bureau. N.p., 13 Sept. 2016. Web. 07 Dec. 2016.