通过从事法律援助工作，希望有朝一日能拿到商务律师的高薪，这样的前景无疑是诱人的，特别是对于那些初出茅庐的律师们而言，因为这些秉持惩恶扬善信念进入法学院的年轻人们很快就会面临高额助学贷款的沉重压力。但如今，行业经济状况的变化使得法律援助时间再也不能像前些年那样随便给了。

    去年，免费法律援助时间的比例较2009年显著下降。然而与此同时，经济不景气导致越来越多的人陷入贫困，涉及企业破产、儿童监护权、银行没收房产和家庭暴力等问题的案件数量大增。预算赤字迫使政府缩减了为经济困难人群提供免费或折价法律服务的资金。

    随着免费法律援助时间减少，美国律师协会（American Bar Association）和其他团体正在探所新的方式招募律师志愿者来帮助有需要的人们处理复杂的法律事务。由于美国宪法只确保刑事案被告有律师代表出庭，民事诉讼案的原被告没有权利享受（免费）律师服务。

    对于数量远远超出刑事案件的民事案件，联邦政府会为经济困难人群提供部分法律援助资金，律师行业每年也会为有需要的人免费提供数百万小时的法律服务。美国律师协会估计有6,300万低收入人群（其中2,200万是儿童）符合获得民事法律援助的条件。

    由于法律援助时间和相关资金缩减，在美国的法庭上已经可以感受到这种危机，美国贫困率的上升更是加剧了这一现象。为此，上个月美国律师协会举办了首个全美法律援助峰会（National Pro Bono Summit），探索提高律师参与度的新方式。

    美国总检察长艾瑞克•霍尔德在峰会上发言，敦促法律界人士探索创新方式——包括招募退休律师和法律专业学生等——填补一些人指出的“基础法律服务和利用司法体系”之间存在的鸿沟。

顶级律师事务所法律援助时间缩水

    根据美国律师执业要求，律师通常需要承诺每年贡献20-50个小时的免费服务。律师可以与大量的地方团体或州级团体以及律师协会签约提供服务，但只有七个州会跟踪实际的参与情况，不参与的律师也不会受到惩罚。

    The promise of pro bono work with a corporate law salary is alluring, especially for budding lawyers who head to law school in the hope of righting wrongs but soon confront the reality of massive student loans. But the industry's changing economics are making it tougher to give away lawyers' hours as freely as in previous years.

    Last year, the percentage of free legal hours slid noticeably compared to 2009. The decline comes as the perilous economy pushes a greater number of people into poverty, which drives up bankruptcy, child custody, foreclosure and domestic violence cases, among others. At the same time, budget deficits are leading to cutbacks in government funding of no or low-cost legal services for those with limited means.

    As free legal hours fall, the American Bar Association and other groups are trying to come up with new ways to enlist lawyers to assist in navigating the court system. Those involved in civil cases do not have a right to a lawyer becuase the Constitution guarantees legal representation only to those who are accused criminally.

    In civil cases, which are far more numerous than criminal proceedings, the federal government funds some legal aid for the needy, and lawyers traditionally donate millions of unpaid hours every year to help. The ABA estimates that 63 million low-income people (of which 22 million are children) are qualified for civil representation.

    The increase in the American poverty rate has exacerbated a crisis that's already being felt in the courts due to funding cutbacks and diminishing pro bono legal aid. In response, the ABA held its first National Pro Bono Summit last month to explore new ways to ramp up lawyer participation.

    U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, speaking at the summit, urged those in the legal profession to come up with novel ways -- including enlisting retired lawyers and law students, among others -- to plug what some are calling a chasm in basic legal services and access to the justice system.

Donated legal hours take a hit at Big Law

    Lawyers typically pledge to devote between 20 and 50 hours of free work annually as part of state bar licensing. They can sign up with a number of different local or state groups or bar associations to offer their services, but only seven states track participation, and lawyers who opt out are not penalized.