BY: VERONICA E. BRINSON
LAW OFFICES OF VERONICA E. BRINSON, LLC.
MACON, GEORGIA
1-866-698-2323
www.attorneybrinson@excite.com

SMALL FIRMS CAN GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY ALSO

Small firms should place as much effort in volunteering and giving to the community as larger firms. Why? It is simply good to put back into the community that you serve.  Additionally, volunteer service allows lawyers to further enhance the image of our profession.  Evenmore, volunteer service can be good for business. The phrase states: “Too whom much is given, much is owed.” However, I believe that “One who gives is duly rewarded in time” when we adopt one great leaders quote: “Ask not what your country [community] can do for you, but what you can do for your county [community].”

Listed below  are five (5) ways to give back to the community from a small firm perspective:

1.                  Sponsor an event once a year if time is an issue. Each year our law firm in Macon, Georgia sponsors an Annual Law Camp for Youth. The event is one day out of the whole year. Thus, if a small firm does not have the time to consistently give to the community the whole year, a firm can plan an event on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly basis.

2.                  Commit to do a limited basis of pro bono cases or reduced-fee cases per year.  Believe it or not, you may get referral from the clients or the client may be your best form of advertisement in the future.

3.                  Speak at schools, churches, or community organizations. Take advantage of an opportunity to explain our legal system to the community. Despite all the social ills in our community, we live in a country where a system is set up for citizens to address those social ills if they so desire through voting, running for public office, or addressing the judicial system.

4.                  Participate in bar organizations with a focus on community service.  If your time is limited, participate in a particular bar function on a yearly basis. For example, in some communities, there is the Great Day of Service in April where a bar organization puts together a community service project.

5.                  Follow your passion. You can give more to the community when you have a serious concern about a certain aspect of the community whether it is mental illness, housing, education, etc.  When you are passionate about an issue it is easier to give of yourself and time.

   Big firms realize the importance of giving back to the community form a professional as well as a business perspective because it promotes goodwill. More importantly, giving back to the community as lawyers helps our profession.