The Foundation’s Pro Bono Challenge winner, Rebecca Joseph, had a circuitous path to law school. Always interested in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Joseph worked in corporate DEI for several years before deciding that a career in law was the best way to advocate for social change. After finishing law school at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and starting her new career as an attorney at Bricker Graydon, getting involved in pro bono work was a natural next step.
“I knew that pro bono service was something I wanted to be involved with,” Joseph said. “As attorneys, we all bear the responsibility of using our skills to advance social equity. We hold a certain amount of power by having knowledge of the legal system in the way we do.”
Joseph has volunteered in some capacity for several nonprofits, including the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, Community Refugee and Immigration Services (CRIS), and Catholic Charities. At Catholic Charities, she volunteers for a Foundation-funded program that assists Afghan nationals seeking safety and security in the United States.
“I was assigned a recent immigrant, a person who fled Afghanistan and has come to Ohio as a refugee. He has temporary protected status here and is now seeking asylum,” she said. “We’ve been working together over the last few months to submit his application.”
His story and the plight of all refugees hit close to home for Joseph because many of her immediate family members, including her parents, were forced from their home country of Sri Lanka amidst civil war and political turmoil.
“Because of my family’s many sacrifices, I was shielded from the complications and frustrations of the immigration system,” she said. “This has been a meaningful opportunity to use my law degree to honor their emigration experiences.”
Although Joseph’s practice at Bricker Graydon is in higher education, she has felt prepared to volunteer in areas outside of her legal expertise because she received comprehensive training from the nonprofit staff members in each of her pro bono experiences. Joseph has also found immense value in the opportunity to volunteer alongside more experienced attorneys in the community. One of those volunteers, a former judge volunteering with Joseph at a Legal Aid Society of Columbus housing clinic, proved to her that effective pro bono service is about so much more than just having the necessary skills to solve a legal problem.
“She [the former judge] exuded empathy and compassion and created space for residents to share their experience,” Joseph said. “It taught me how critical it is in our profession to talk to people, to meet them with kindness, and to help them feel heard.”
Visit the Foundation’s Pro Bono Opportunities Guide to learn more about volunteer opportunities near you. To learn more about the pro bono experience for new attorneys, visit New Pro Bono Volunteers.