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Election Official Legal Defense Network

Pro Bono Attorneys Needed to Defend Election Officials

Help election officials facing threats, fines, or suspension for performing their job duties.

Posted December 16, 2021

Background & Context

The Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN) is a newly launched project of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR). EOLDN was created to provide elections officials with pro bono attorneys in response to the increasing wave of harassments, threats, and state laws subjecting them to criminal penalties for performing their jobs.

EOLDN matches election officials in need with licensed attorneys who are willing to provide legal assistance on a pro bono basis. EOLDN services are available to all current and former U.S election officials, election administrators, and poll workers regardless of political affiliation.

EOLDN is not a Legal Referral Service; there is no fee to participate, and representation must be pro bono. Our goal is to match clients with lawyers.

Work & Deliverables

Lawyers signing up to volunteer will be asked to provide pro bono assistance to election official requests for legal assistance in a timely manner.

Basic Requirements for EOLDN Practicing Lawyers:
- Engaged in private practice of law
- Carry professional liability insurance (minimum: $250k per claim/$500k
aggregate)
- Will commit to providing all legal services pro bono for EOLDN-
matched clients
- Will commit to responding to EOLDN and EOLDN-matched clients in a
timely fashion

Project Plan

Preparation Phase

  • Read the email on "Rules and Requirements for Participating Lawyers"
  • Reply to email verifying you meet EOLDN eligibility requirements
  • Wait to be matched with a client

Collaboration Phase

  • Get to know facts of client case
  • Set up initial meeting with client
  • Communicate with EOLDN project coordinator, once the initial client meeting is scheduled
  • Update EOLDN on status of client match (client agreement signed or not moving forward with client)

Wrap Up

  • Email EOLDN project coordinator when client request is completed
  • Complete feedback survey
Cora, Sue, and 88 others support this project.

Additional Information

  • Time Commitment: 6-10 hours
  • Training Provided: Yes
  • Additional Training Details: EOLDN will be expanding to better support Network attorneys by offering more resources, online materials and training/ CLEs. As resources are made available we will update Network attorneys.
  • Site-Preference: Remote
  • Open to Law Students: No
  • Bar License(s) required: Any Bar License
  • Required Languages: None
  • Required Legal Expertise: Civil Rights, Criminal Law, Labor and Employment Law, Litigation, Other, Political Law, Voting Rights
  • Mentoring Provided: No
  • Supervision Provided: No
Election Official Legal Defense Network

Election officials and their families are being harassed and intimidated simply for doing their jobs of running fair elections. They also face an increasing wave of state laws subjecting them to criminal penalties for performing their professional duties. The Election Official Legal Defense Network (EOLDN) matches these election officials with qualified pro bono attorneys who can offer legal guidance and protections. Attorneys can volunteer for projects they see on We the Action or visit eoldn.org to learn more and sign up. EOLDN is a project of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research.

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