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Pro Bono Opportunities for Attorneys

The Eastern District of Wisconsin has pro bono opportunities, primarily in prisoner civil rights cases. The court recruits attorneys for limited purposes, such as representing a civil pro se litigant in mediation, as well as for full representation. Wisconsin SCR 31.05(7) states that an attorney may claim one CLE credit for every five hours of pro bono work, up to six credits per reporting period. Below are the cases that the court is currently recruiting for. For more information on a case, please contact the court's pro se staff attorneys at ProSeStaffAttorneys@wied.uscourts.gov.

The court is currently looking for pro bono volunteers for the following cases:

Pleading/Early Litigation

  • Love v. Kuber, 20-cv-1000-LA. The court is looking for a lawyer to assist a prisoner plaintiff in drafting an amended complaint and to represent him through all phases of the litigation. The plaintiff has two other cases pending in this court in which he is represented by counsel. Please see Judge Adelman’s screening order. The attorney would likely need to coordinate with the plaintiff's other attorney to avoid duplicating claims in this lawsuit.  

  • Winston vs. Takata Corp. (Japan) 20-cv-596-SCD. The pro se plaintiff alleges that he was in a car accident in which airbags manufactured by the defendant failed to deploy, resulting in his injuries. The court is seeking a limited appointment: the court would like an attorney to help the plaintiff effectuate service of process on the foreign defendant and possibly determine which entity, if any, is the proper party to sue.

Mediation

  • Sheppard v. Britt, 19-cv-1401-NJ.  Section 1983 claim, Eighth Amendment. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner who alleges a nurse was deliberately indifferent to his concussion symptoms when, the day after he returned from the hospital, she refused to let him use a wheelchair to travel to health services to take his medication and instead required that he walk.  The prisoner alleges that he fell and further injured himself.  The lawyer would represent the plaintiff in mediation before Magistrate Judge Aaron Goodstein. Dates will be set according to the parties' availability; nothing is currently scheduled. 

Discovery, Draft/Respond to Dispositive Motions, and Pursue Settlement

  • Benjamin v. Sanchez, 18-cv-570-PP. The pro se plaintiff sues a nurse at the Milwaukee Mental Health Complex who he alleges forcibly medicated him against his will. The court is looking for a lawyer to assist the plaintiff in conducting discovery, drafting and/or responding to a motion for summary judgment, and (if necessary) pursuing settlement or trial. The plaintiff currently is incarcerated at Waupun Correctional Institution. Please see Chief Judge Pepper's screening order for more information. 

  • Guerra v. Brooks, 20-cv-748-PP. The pro se plaintiff filed this lawsuit alleging false arrest and unlawful search in violation of the Fourth Amendment. Officers made the arrest after he refused to stop video recording an active traffic stop. Please see Chief Judge Pepper’s screening order. The court is looking for a lawyer to assist the plaintiff in evaluating his claims and with the discovery process. In addition, the plaintiff may need assistance responding to a summary judgment motion or at trial. While this is not a prisoner/conditions of confinement case, the plaintiff filed this lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. §1983 and is currently incarcerated in the Fond du Lac County Jail.

  • Bahling v. Nelson, 21-cv-304-BHL. The court is recruiting a lawyer to represent a prisoner plaintiff through resolution of this case. Prior to incarceration, plaintiff had a hinge placed in his elbow, which he shattered in a fall. Plaintiff alleges the surgeon recommended the hinge be removed after three months.  After plaintiff was incarcerated, another surgeon allegedly delayed removing the hinge for many months and did not do so until after the hinge wore through plaintiff's skin.  There has been no discovery, and all case deadlines are stayed pending the court's efforts to recruit counsel.  Please see Judge Ludwig's screening order for more information. 

  • Delgadillo-Perez v. Bretzel et al., 20-cv-021-WED. The pro se plaintiff filed this lawsuit alleging that the defendants gave him the wrong medication causing him to fall into a coma-like state for several hours. The defendants have filed a motion for summary judgment. The court is looking for a lawyer to assist the plaintiff in responding to the summary judgmnet motion and potentially continue representation should the case survive summary judgment. The plaintiff has a limited grasp of English, so a lawyer who speaks Spanish is preferred. However, the court can connect a non-Spanish speaking lawyer with resources to help communitcate with the plaintiff. Please see the screening order for more information.