Steve Schulman Quoted in National Law Journal on Justice Sotomayor’s Pro Bono Comments

Following remarks by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor regarding her desire to see pro bono service made a requirement for all lawyers, Akin Gump pro bono partner Steven Schulman shared his thoughts on the topic with The National Law Journal for the article “Sotomayor's Embrace of Mandatory Pro Bono Garners Praise and Pushback.” Justice Sotomayor made the comments earlier this week to the American Law Institute.

Schulman said he feels that “any such increase must be paired with robust funding for legal aid attorneys who can screen cases as well as train and mentor volunteers.” He added, “Asking all members of the bar to provide representation on matters of poverty law without the help of a well-funded legal aid system is like asking Habitat for Humanity volunteers to build houses without experienced builders to help and supervise. In both cases, the house will likely fall down regardless of the goodwill of the volunteers.”