ThePro Bono Oregon Listserv is a statewide email listserv that connects legal service agencies needing pro bono assistance with attorneys throughout the state seeking to provide pro bono services to the low income community. Pro Bono Oregon is designed to expand direct placement of pro bono cases, facilitate co-counseling arrangements and to serve as a convenient forum for announcements of interest to the pro bono community in Oregon. This listserv was created with funding from the American Bar Association and was designed in collaboration with Oregon pro bono attorney groups and pro bono placement managers; it is administered by the Oregon Law Center.

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HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS
• Legal service offices or certified pro bono provider offices around the state will post cases needing assistance to the listserv once a week, on Thursdays. Each office will post all of their opportunities on one announcement to reduce the amount of email traffic to recipients.

• Postings will be distributed via the listserv to individual attorneys and to pro bono coordinators in firms for internal distribution to their attorneys. All listings will be available to listserv members so they will be able to consider multiple opportunities from different agencies.

• When an attorney is interested in accepting a pro bono opportunity, the attorney will contact the listing office for full case information. If the attorney accepts the case, the office handles the placement as they do other pro bono matters, using their own administrative systems.

• Offices may repeat listings each Thursday if they have not been placed in the previous week. Pro Bono Oregon also will have an archive function so that attorneys may review the site for cases as needed.

• To avoid conflicts, the listings will include the type of case and a brief description that does not include highly identifying facts or parties. Offices will discuss conflicts with attorneys only after their office is contacted.

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BENEFITS
• The listserv offers a cost-free, easy to administer method of accessing a large number of pre-screened pro bono opportunities from around the state of Oregon.

• Attorneys may tailor pro bono their pro bono service by selecting from a variety of case types with a variety of legal needs.

• Pro bono volunteer opportunities and training opportunities from around the state will be available in one easy to use location.

• Individual attorneys or law firm pro bono coordinators will be able to use the system with equal ease and with equal access to opportunities.

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EXPECTATIONS
• All confidential client information must be protected and cases must be screened for conflicts prior to acceptance from the office.

• The listing office should be promptly contacted when you decide to accept a case so that they do not "hold" a case for you for any extended period of time. Once accepted, you will give the listing agency any information needed to track the listserv performance.

• The listserv moderator may occasionally contact you to help us identify problems and evaluate the performance of the listserv.

• The listserv is not a "chat" email. Users should never respond to any posting via email to the listserv. Users should contact each other directly using their own email or telephone numbers.

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HOW TO START RECEIVING MESSAGES
• Join Oregon Advocates.org
The listserv is hosted on Oregon Advocates.org, a statewide website for legal services and pro bono attorneys in Oregon. You must join the website to access the listserv. To join the website:
1. Go to www.oregonadvocates.org
2. Click on Join this Area (left-hand menu, middle of the screen)
3. Follow the directions and provide the requested information
4. You will receive an email confirming your membership

• Subscribe to the ProBonoOregon Listserv
After you have joined the website and received the confirming email:
1. Go to www.oregonadvocates.org
2. Click on Log In
3. Click on Listservs (top menu, 4th choice to the right of home)
4. Click on Pro Bono Oregon Listserv and Subscribe
5. Follow the directions and provide the requested information
6. You will receive an email confirming your membership in the listserv
ProBonoOregon is a moderator-controlled listserv; approval is required to post and receive cases.

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FEEDBACK
The listserv content was designed in consultation with pro bono attorneys and pro bono case managers to provide attorneys with sufficient information to select cases while avoiding the inclusion of confidential client information. It was also designed to require minimal oversight or administration. We encourage feedback to so we can continue to improve the system. Feel free to contact the moderator via email at sbrown@oregonlawcenter.org.

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OREGON LAW CENTER is responsible for the listserv. As moderator, OREGON LAW CENTER reserves the right to terminate membership if a member's conduct is adversely affecting the functions of the listserv.