Volunteer Opportunities:

The BRBA and BRBF offer members numerous opportunities to volunteer within the organization and to help with community outreach in the Baton Rouge area. With its more than 20 committees and eight sections, there is something for everyone.

Any law student who is interested in volunteering in any capacity with the BRBA should call BRBA Executive Director Ann K. Gregorie at 225-214-5563, or see the information below about the Self Help Resource Center or the Pro Bono Project.


One of the many BRBA committees, the Volunteer Committee, offers local lawyers the chance to volunteer with other groups and organizations, such as answering telephones during LPB's periodic telethons, participating in Habitat for Humanity or assisting the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank in sorting and collecting food. The projects vary each year, depending on the committee's leadership and volunteers' availability. One of the most popular projects of the Volunteer Committee is the Easter Eggstravaganza, which involves organizing several Easter egg hunts for local inner-city school children. Contact Carole McGehee at 225-214-5557 or
carole@brba.org for details about the next few volunteer opportunities through this committee.


Thirst for Justice and Ask-A-Lawyer are legal clinics run by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation and partially staffed by volunteer lawyers. Thirst for Justice takes place on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 to 5 p.m. Ask-A-Lawyer workshops take place several times a month, usually on Wednesdays or Saturdays at different community centers or churches in Baton Rouge and the surrounding areas. These two community outreach programs are always in need of volunteers. Call the BRBA to volunteer for these programs: 225-344-4803.


The Self Help Resource Center is a walk-in clinic located in the East Baton Rouge Family Court (300 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, La.) that serves self-represented litigants with Family Court matters. The clinic is open Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. At the Self Help desk, law students assist pro se litigants in document preparation and filing. Volunteer attorneys oversee the document preparation, ensure that students are conducting themselves in an ethical and professional manner, and offer notarization. No legal advice is given at the Self Help Resource Center. The participation of dedicated and capable law students is crucial to the success of the program. At the Pro Se Help Desk, you will work one-on-one with litigants filing in petitions and motions, collaborate and network with experienced attorneys, and log volunteer hours in a well-respected program. Our Self Help Resource Center is open only to students who have attended training. Trainings are scheduled periodically and held on the campuses of the Southern University Law Center and the LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center.


The BRBF Pro Bono Project offers intern opportunities for students in our downtown Baton Rouge office. Interns have the opportunity to assist with client interviews, grant research, case monitoring and data entry for grant reporting, as well as to attend our outreach clinics, committee meetings and networking events. Students interested in applying for an internship can email: emily@brba.org or robin@brba.org .


Teen Court of Greater Baton Rouge, a diversion program supported by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation, often needs teen and adult volunteers. For more information, contact Donna Buuck at 225-214-5556 or donna@brba.org. Adults who wish to volunteer should SELECT THIS LINK to download an application. For a brochure, PLEASE SELECT THIS LINK.


Junior Partners Academy, a community outreach program, allows legal professionals to volunteer to work with students at Dalton Elementary School in Baton Rouge, La. This is another program supported by the Baton Rouge Bar Foundation and organized by Donna Buuck.


Holiday Star Project, an annual collection drive for gifts for children during the holidays, grows each year and involves hundreds of volunteers in various capacities. The project is organized by the Holiday Star Committee and was originated by the Young Lawyers Section. Susan Kelley is the staff liaison of the Holiday Star Committee and can be reached at 225-214-5559 or susan@brba.org. The event takes place from the end of October until the gift distribution day, which is usually the first Friday in December. For Gift Suggestions for the Holiday Star Project, CLICK HERE.