E kāko‘o mai

The need for NHLC’s services is as great as ever

NHLC is the only firm dedicated to addressing the legal challenges to Native Hawaiians as individuals and as a community. There are many ways to help NHLC. Financial gifts are greatly appreciated. Every dollar of your donation, big or small, will help NHLC to carry out its mission to preserve that which makes Hawaii special – the spirit and way of life of its indigenous people. Contributions of time and skill from volunteers and lawyers volunteering pro bono. Read more below about all these ways to give.

Volunteer

The Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation needs a variety of skills to fulfill our mission, and we are grateful for volunteers from legal and other professional backgrounds that pitch in to help. If you are interested in volunteering, please email info@nhlchi.org.

Pro Bono

Attorneys can fulfill their pro bono requirements by assisting with NHLC’s cases in any capacity or by contributing financially under rule 6.1 of the Hawai'i Rules of Professional Conduct. NHLC works with firms and attorneys to construct projects that are right sized for the time you have to give, and the type of work our legal volunteers are prepared to do. This can range from long term co-counsel partnerships on complex civil litigation to discrete engagement in clinics, with administrative proceedings and non-litigation advocacy in between. Contact us at info@nhlchi.org to explore options.

Rule 6.1. PRO BONO SERVICE

A lawyer should aspire to provide at least 50 hours of pro bono services per year. In fulfilling this responsibility, the lawyer should:

  1.  provide at least 25 hours of legal services without fee or expectation of fee to:
    1. persons of limited means or
    2. charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters which are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means; and
  2. provide any additional services through:
    1. delivery of legal services at no fee or substantially reduced fee to individuals, groups or organizations seeking to secure or protect civil rights, civil liberties or public rights, or charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental and educational organizations in matters in furtherance of their organizational purposes, where the payment of standard legal fees would significantly deplete the organization's economic resources or would be otherwise inappropriate;
    2. delivery of legal services at a substantially reduced fee to persons of limited means; or
    3. participation in activities for improving the law, the legal system or the legal profession.
  3. In lieu of providing 50 hours of pro bono service, a lawyer may exercise his or her desire to provide
  4. In addition to performing pro bono services or contributing under subsection (c) each year, a lawyer should voluntarily contribute financial support to organizations that provide legal services to persons of limited means.

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