On October 1, 2018, the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia adopted a Plan for Appointment of Counsel for Indigent Parties in Civil Cases.
Pro Bono Panel participation offers a unique opportunity to gain experience in civil litigation in federal court while providing a valuable community service. Depending on the procedural posture of the case, pro bono counsel may appear before a federal district judge or magistrate judge, conduct depositions, attend settlement conferences, oppose or file dispositive motions, or try cases. In fact, because some judges do not grant requests for pro bono counsel until a case has survived a dispositive motion, pro bono cases often provide a rare opportunity for an immediate trial.
Additionally, counsel appointed under this Plan may apply for reimbursement to defray certain litigation expenses in accordance with the Guidelines Governing Reimbursement of Expenses in Pro Bono Cases.
Materials are provided to assist prospective panel members in applying to the Court’s Civil Pro Bono Panel and information to guide current panel members through important issues pertaining to pro bono representations such as appointment procedures, declinations of appointments, and reimbursement of expenses.
Attorneys seeking to join the Court’s Civil Pro Bono Panel should review the Plan for Appointment of Counsel for Indigent Parties in Civil Cases and the Guidelines Governing Reimbursement of Expenses in Pro Bono Cases prior to applying.
Pro Bono Coordinator at probono@vawd.uscourts.gov
Civil Pro Bono FAQ
Civil Pro Bono Forms
Mailing to an Inmate at a VDOC Facility