By Jessica Lujan
Many attorneys remember accepting their first pro bono case in an area of law they do not normally practice and feeling a little anxious about whether they were really qualified to help. When I accepted my first pro bono case as a young associate, I remember worrying that because I did not regularly practice in that area, I would somehow let the client down. My best advice for how to beat that anxiety is to jump into pro bono with a case that speaks to you.
Pro bono work serves various underprivileged and underrepresented communities—like the elderly, the disabled, children (through the Children’s Attorney Program, or CAP), veterans, and many others—so there is no shortage of causes to choose from. If you accept a pro bono case for a cause you genuinely care about, the advocacy naturally follows. When you’re invested, you’re willing to spend the extra hour researching an unfamiliar issue, you return the client’s calls promptly, and you’re less intimidated by not knowing every answer because helping the client matters more than your discomfort. Once you have a few pro bono cases under your belt, you gain the confidence of knowing that you have the skills to figure out what your client needs and how to help, and the anxiety softens.
LACSN publishes a list of its available cases on its website, and I urge you to review the list on a regular basis—one might resonate with you in a way you can’t ignore. Pro bono work can be incredibly rewarding, and well worth the sacrifice of the billable hour. In fact, some of the most meaningful work you’ll do in your career may never appear on a client’s invoice.
About the author
Jessica M. Lujan is of counsel at Spencer Fane LLP, practicing commercial litigation and appeals. She previously clerked at the United States District Court, District of Nevada.
About the article
This article was originally published in the Communiqué (Aug 2026), the official publication of the Clark County Bar Association.
The articles and advertisements appearing in Communiqué magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the CCBA, the CCBA Publications Committee, the editorial board, or the other authors. All legal and other issues discussed are not for the purpose of answering specific legal questions. Attorneys and others are strongly advised to independently research all issues.
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