Appellate Pro Bono Program

In 2002, the MSBA Appellate Practice section developed an Appellate Pro Bono Program in cooperation with the Minnesota Court of Appeals to address the increase in pro se litigation and develop a way to address this trend in the appellate courts. Appeals from denials of unemployment compensation was identified as a category of cases involving a significant number of pro se appellants who could benefit from attorney assistance in the appellate process. The program not only assists pro se litigants in need of representation, but also provides an opportunity for attorneys to fulfill their pro bono obligation and further their professional development.

The development and implementation of this important program is detailed in the article by Tom Boyd titled "Minnesota's Pro Bono Appellate Program: A Simple Approach that Achieves Important Objectives" reproduced here with the permission of the William H. Bowen School of Law, University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the author, Tom Boyd. The original article appeared in the Fall 2004 edition of The Journal of Appellate Practice and Process (6 J. App. Prac. and Process 295).

Those who have participated in Appellate Pro Bono Program have found the experience very rewarding, both professionally and personally. Training is provided to interested attorneys; please see the seminar materials titled "Pro Bono Representation in Unemployment Compensation Appeals."