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Where lawyers stand up for urgent causes and against injustice.

We The Action connects volunteer lawyers with nonprofit organizations. Together, they advocate for a more equitable, inclusive, and just society.

HOW IT WORKS

Lawyers

Nonprofits

Join the Community

Lawyers who want to make a difference sign up.

Nonprofits with critical needs post projects.

Make a Connection

Lawyers search nonprofit projects. Nonprofits search volunteer lawyers. They connect through our site.

Good Things Happen

Volunteer lawyers and
nonprofits work together.

I'M A LAWYER

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I'M A Nonprofit

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New Projects

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NYC Says Enough

Help Student Gun Reform Activists Achieve 501 Status

Students from New York City High Schools are founding an organization, NYC Says Enough, to stand up to our policymakers and demand gun reform for the safety of all citizens. We are currently planning our walkout and rally on April 20th, in honor of the 19th anniversary of the Columbine Massacre, expecting over 5,000 students from over 20 high schools. However, our work doesn't end after our rally. We want to become a legal organization and contribute the most we can from our NYC base to become the generation to end gun violence.

Volunteer

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National Student Legal Defense Network (NSLDN)

Litigation Against Secretary DeVos Over Student Debt Rollbacks

Regulatory Challenges: NSLDN will design, coordinate, and/or support strategic legal action designed to advance students’ rights by challenging efforts to delay enforcement, repeal, or revise student protections through rulemaking, guidance, or other agency action. These cases are likely to involve challenges to federal agencies under the Administrative Procedure Act. NSLDN is currently working on multiple regulatory challenges and is hoping to form partnerships as soon as possible.

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Indivisible Project

Help Lead a Webinar on NC Election Law for Local Indivisibles

Indivisible groups across North Carolina are getting prepped for the blue wave. We are looking for a lawyer to help lead a webinar on state and federal election law for our local NC groups. The volunteer will work with Indivisible's legal fellow to select a time and primary topics to cover. Our webinars typically last an hour, including time for questions.

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Partners for Justice

A Manual To Fight For The Most Vulnerable: Housing in California

Partners for Justice is a groundbreaking new organization that places recent college grads into Public Defender offices, where they handle administrative hearings, navigate government systems, help clients prepare to put their best foot forward in court, and provide wraparound, holistic services to address vital issues for low-income communities. Getting clients access to food stamps and health care, fighting against school suspension, seeking employment licenses and stable housing, preparing immigrant clients to fight for legal status and parents to fight to keep their kids out of foster care—these are just a few of the incredible challenges that PFJ Advocates will tackle as we pilot our program on both coasts. In order to support Advocates and create an impact in our host communities, we need to create an Advocate practice manual—a handbook that will guide them through the processes and structures that govern each area in which they work. We are seeking attorneys to help create this manual by contributing to specific chapters. This is the posting for our CALIFORNIA HOUSING chapter. We are asking for a volunteer to research the law governing eviction and tenants’ rights in California, and put together an overview of applicable statutes, rights, and rules, guidance as to which courts and government agencies are relevant to these issues in Alameda County, California, and an overview of any existing organizations or pro se resources which provide counsel to those in need of housing assistance. The manual should be geared toward an audience of recent college graduates trying to help a client keep his or her home. We are available to provide you with guidance and feedback as you work through the project. We are also open to your ideas about material to include. We anticipate the research and assembly of the chapter should take 4 to 6 hours.

Volunteer

The American Immigration Lawyers Association

Shadow an Experienced Immigration Attorney

Are you interested in taking on a pro bono immigration matter, but want some extra assistance before you even begin? The AILA Pro Bono Committee is excited to offer a unique mentoring opportunity to help brand new volunteer attorneys learn more about what immigration court and legal service provision really look like, in preparation for doing pro bono casework through the Immigration Justice Campaign -- a joint initiative between AILA and the American Immigration Council that fights for due process and justice for detained noncitizens. *Limited opportunity. Currently available only in Ohio, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee. *No experience necessary. *Lawyers barred in any state can participate. *Training and mentorship will be provided. *Proficiency in Spanish or another foreign language is helpful but not necessary, as we have volunteer interpreters to help. STEP 1: Sign up for the Attorney Shadowing Program by applying for this We the Action project, below. STEP 2: Our staff will connect you with the local organizer in charge of the shadowing program in your area and can answer any questions you may have. The local organizer will match you with an experienced attorney in your area. Together, you and the experienced attorney will determine a schedule for up to three observation sessions (1-2 hours each) together. Depending on the shadowed attorney’s case load, these observation sessions might include: • Interviewing detained or non-detained clients • Preparing clients for court hearings • Attending immigration court hearings (including bond hearings) • Gathering evidence • Meeting with clients after an immigration judge renders a decision, to explain next steps and potential appeals STEP 3: You must commit to representing at least one detained client through the Campaign in the next year. The Campaign offers many different types of pro bono work, both in-person and remote, on behalf of detained immigrants, through our partnerships with local legal service providers around the country. Some opportunities require travel and others do not. These opportunities include: bond hearings, asylum cases, appeals, and motions to reopen deportation orders that violated due process, as well as helping a local pro bono project at a detention center for a week. You can volunteer to serve immigrants detained at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center (Ohio), the LaSalle Correctional Center (Louisiana) (and other detention centers throughout the southeast), and many other locations.

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Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New York- Immigrant & Refugee Services Division

Learn to Represent Vulnerable Immigrants in NYS

We are seeking attorney or law student volunteers interested in providing pro bono representation for immigrant clients throughout NYS, especially outside of NYC. Fluency in Spanish or other second language preferred, but not required. The CCCS Pro Bono Project is designed to give you the tools that you need to competently and effectively assist the most vulnerable immigrants. If you choose to accept one of our pro bono matters, you can expect your representation to be supported by expert legal training and in-depth mentorship. We place the following types of immigration matters: - Affirmative/defensive asylum (Help immigrants who are afraid to return to their home country.) - Affirmative/defensive special immigrant juvenile status (Help immigrant youth who have been abused, abandoned or neglected.) - Other types of removal defense (Help immigrants fighting for their right to remain in the United States.) - Relief for victims of violence (Help women & children who have been crime victims gain stability and safety.) - Other affirmative applications (Help families to reunite and stay together.)

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American Constitution Society

Progressive Judicial Opinion Project

ACS is creating a repository of notable, recent, progressive judicial opinions. Volunteers will “adopt” a subject area that may be their specialty and search for progressive opinions from federal courts. Volunteers will look for recently issued decisions and send them on a regular basis. The research will focus on decisions covering a variety of legal issues, including employment law, criminal justice, immigration, voting rights, and more. This is a long term project.

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Helps Education Fund

Seeking Attorney for License Agreement

Our nonprofit, the Helps Education Fund (HEF), is seeking an attorney who can review a License Agreement that we have developed. To see if it is legally sound, is internally consistent, and if it sets us up for any liabilities we are not clear on. The license agreement is between HEF and our founder (who is also the developer and owner of the HELPS curriculum we use). He is licensing the curriculum for us to use as programming. We are a new nonprofit and this is the first license agreement for us. Our goal is to be able to use this type of agreement with other program developers/researchers who seek to partner with us for dissemination. Here is an overview of our organization: Helps Education Fund was founded in 2011 to offer the Helping Early Literacy with Practices (HELPS) program based on the work of Dr. John Begeny, a professor at NCSU. HELPS was designed to assist educators with improving students’ reading fluency, and bridge the gap between research and the schools. In 2014, MOVES was created to increase a school’s capacity to deliver research-based interventions. Through the MOVES program, HEF places highly trained volunteers in Raleigh schools to provide HELPS to elementary students struggling with reading. Over the past two years, 80% of students who worked with a MOVES volunteer met or exceeded growth in reading.

Volunteer

NY Service and Justice Collaborative

Applying for Incorporation Nonprofit 501c3 status

NY Service and Justice Collaborative has been operating a program for several years, and most recently acquired with a fiscal sponsor. We are now seeking to become an independent organization with our own 501c3 status. We currently have a Board of Directors with 8 members who meet monthly. We also need help in developing Bylaws and understanding risks that might be involved with this type of organization.

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NYC Says Enough

Help Student Gun Reform Activists Achieve 501 ...

Volunteer

new

National Student Legal Defense Network (NSLDN)

Litigation Against Secretary DeVos Over Stude ...

Volunteer

new

Indivisible Project

Help Lead a Webinar on NC Election Law for Lo ...

Volunteer

Partners for Justice

A Manual To Fight For The Most Vulnerable: Ho ...

Volunteer

The American Immigration Lawyers Association

Shadow an Experienced Immigration Attorney

Volunteer

Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese of New York- Immigrant & Refugee Services Division

Learn to Represent Vulnerable Immigrants in N ...

Volunteer

American Constitution Society

Progressive Judicial Opinion Project

Volunteer

Helps Education Fund

Seeking Attorney for License Agreement

Volunteer

NY Service and Justice Collaborative

Applying for Incorporation Nonprofit 501c3 st ...

Volunteer

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WHY VOLUNTEER

Because it will make you feel better than sitting on your couch getting angry at Twitter.

Because the causes you believe in need your help.

Because your law degree is a superpower and you can use it to fight injustice.

Because Yoda taught you to use the force for good.

Because your 22-year old self dreamed of doing more than document review.

Because in the time it takes to watch a movie, you could help advance progressive causes.

Because thoughts and prayers are not enough.

Because you'll get experience you won't get otherwise.

Because it's good for your resume—and your conscience.

Because when you see something terrible on the news, you have the power to make things better.

Because threats to our democratic ideals are increasing, and you can help.

"We The Action is a fantastic resource for expanding the reach of our volunteer projects. I was impressed with how easy it was to register as an organization and post projects on WTA's website. Through WTA's promotion, we've already received multiple volunteers who are enthusiastic about our work and a valuable addition to our team."

— Ashley Erickson, American Constitution Society Associate Director of Network Advancement

"We the Action has helped me reconnect with my passion for fighting to protect consumers from those who would take advantage of them."

— Yevgeny Shrago, Attorney, Atlanta

"As we fight for thousands of veterans who have been victims of consumer fraud by for-profit colleges, the volunteers we've connected with through We the Action have proven invaluable. Through their work analyzing trends and patterns, we've been able to build the strongest case possible against these institutions that have engaged in deceptive practices."

— Carrie Wofford, President of Veterans Education Success

"I was a part of the Obama and Clinton Victory Counsel programs in previous cycles and wanted to continue to make a real impact after 2016. We the Action was a simple but immediate way I could jump in and help on a project based on my time and interest level. I was quickly matched with a group in my home state that was doing important work that made a difference on state races I cared about."

— Lindsay Lawrence Videnieks, Washington, DC

"As a startup, we have a million and one things on our to-do list, and we don't always have the resources to get them all done. When I found We The Action, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. We were connected with smart, experienced, engaged lawyers to help us work through our specific legal issues. Genius!"

— Rita Bosworth, Executive Director, The Sister District Project

“We The Action recently connected our organization to an attorney with experience working on voting rights in the state where we needed support – it was the perfect match to get the job done."

— Hannah Fried, Co-Founder, Access Democracy

"We The Action is a great way to dive into brief research projects and pro bono work on interesting issues from all across the country. I was thrilled to find Access Democracy's call for an attorney to take on a voting rights project in a state I had election experience in. Even though I am a practicing immigration attorney, through We The Action I can continue to assist organizations with important national voting rights work from my hometown and gain more experience in an area of law I am interested in learning more about."

— Lauren, Attorney, Buffalo, NY

"Three WTA lawyers volunteered for our project. Their experience, interests, and personalities were a great fit with our organization. We've enjoyed working with them and have been impressed by their dedication. With their support we are now pursuing a vital project to increase policy support for transgender New Yorkers, one of the most vulnerable communities in our state."

— Brian Esser, Equality New York Board Member

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