Pro bono writ large: the New York legal community's response to September 11.

• Author: Lardent, Esther F.

I am delighted to have the opportunity to author a response to Public Service in a Time of Crisis, (1) a report and retrospective on the New York legal community's response to the events of September 11, 2001. It is an honor to be asked to comment on something so wonderful that arose in response to the most terrible events in our nation's history, and it is a privilege to reflect on what this extraordinary outpouring of time and compassion by those in the legal profession means in the larger context of pro bono and public interest law.

The thoughtful and comprehensive report prepared by the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Louis Stein Center for Law and Ethics of the Fordham University School of Law, and the NALP Foundation for Lawyer Career Research and Education is a many-faceted treasure. It memorializes the steps taken and lessons learned from September 11, providing a critically important roadmap for those who will seek to fashion effective responses to disasters in the future. In addition, as made apparent by the report's title, the lessons learned from the post-September 11 effort, as well as from the other research conducted by the authors of this study, have much to tell us about how our pro bono obligation can most effectively be implemented. For me, as a life-long pro bono advocate, several of the "lessons learned" described in the report are particularly telling.

1. LEGAL ASSISTANCE MATTERS

   At a time when the poor and disadvantaged throughout the world are suffering so greatly, when disparities of wealth and poverty are so pronounced, and when the struggle for so many is not quality of life but simple survival, it is natural and tempting to view legal assistance as a luxury rather than a necessity. In terms of national priorities, personal choices, and funding decisions, most people view nutrition, public safety, shelter, and education as the essentials of a decent life, with access to legal counsel and advocacy occupying a far lower tier of importance. The events of 9/11, however, incontrovertibly demonstrated how central and essential legal services are to our individual and collective well-being. Access to a knowledgeable and zealous legal advocate was critical for the victims and their families and friends. We live in a highly regulated nation in which virtually every aspect of our lives and deaths has a legal element. Whether we would wish it so or not, legal assistance has become a fundamental need for all people. For lawyers, 9/11 alleviated doubts about the importance, centrality, and validity of our work. What we do as lawyers is important. What we are in our best moments is problem-solvers and peace-makers. That lesson, writ large, is one of the most important...