Lawyers Should Volunteer “Outside the Law”

My fellow YLD Central executive member Alexander Steele recently wrote about how lawyers can continue to volunteer and do pro bono work in Ontario amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. His article provides a wealth of resources and opportunities for lawyers to volunteer their time and legal expertise remotely. I highly recommend you check out Alex’s article if you haven’t already.

Alex’s article got me thinking about how I can personally volunteer and give back to the community. To be frank, when I think about volunteering, my mind does not automatically jump to providing pro bono summary advice. Nor do I, a junior lawyer, feel qualified to advise or coach other lawyers when I am much more likely to be on the receiving end of those mentorship programs. 

However, young lawyers still have plenty of opportunities to volunteer in non-legal, or what I call “law-adjacent” capacities. In fact, I would suggest volunteering “outside the law” in conjunction with taking on some pro bono work or legal volunteering, or just volunteering in a non-legal capacity. Let me explain why.

Pursue your interests outside the law

You are more than what you do for a living. While being a lawyer is certainly a significant part of my identity, I also have other interests and passions. Volunteering provides a great opportunity for you to explore the interests that you may not get to do in your area of practice, or combine your legal training with your other passions. 

Joining a charitable or non-profit organization’s board of directors and committees is a great way to combine your experience as a young lawyer with your other interests. Organizations often specifically seek volunteers with legal expertise to sit on their board of directors. There are even some organizations looking for young professionals to sit on their young professionals’ committees. If there is a community group or local charity that you already support and want to get more involved in, sitting on the board of directors is a great way to give back as a young lawyer. If you do not have a particular organization or cause in mind, Charity Village has tons of board and committee member postings and volunteer postings that can be sorted by sector/organization focus, location, duration, and career level to help you get started.