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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

  • Famous v. Jezwinski, 20-cv-510-JPS. The court is looking for a lawyer to assist a prisoner plaintiff in all phases of the litigation. The plaintiff brings two Eighth Amendment claims against various prison healthcare workers. The first claim arises from alleged deliberate indifference to the plaintiff’s threats of self-harm. The second claim arises from allegedly inadequate medical care. Please see the screening order for details.
     
  • 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.
  • Walker v. City of Milwaukee, 20-cv-487-NJ.  The pro se plaintiff filed this lawsuit alleging that several officers with the Milwaukee Police Department shot him while responding to a non-emergency call. Please see Judge Joseph’s screening order. The court is looking for a lawyer to assist the plaintiff with the discovery process, responding to any dispositive motions filed, or at trial.

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. 

  • Gidarisingh v. Sonntag, et al., 21-cv-17-PP. Section 1983 claim, Eighth Amendment. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner who alleges a sergeant and correctional officer denied him medication to treat his Gastric Esophagus Reflux Disease (GERD). The prisoner alleges the defendants refused to check the medication bin or contact the medical unit despite the prisoner's complaints of chest pain. The lawyer would represent the plaintiff in mediation before a magistrate judge. Dates will be set according to the parties' availability; nothing is currently scheduled. The attorney would not be obligated to remain on the case if mediation is unsuccessful but may choose to do so.

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

  • 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.

  • 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 judgment 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 communicate with the plaintiff. Please see the screening order for more information

Trial

  • Lindell v. Pollard, 19-cv-255-LA. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner who alleges that the defendants subjected him to a humiliating strip search in violation of his constitutional rights. The court granted in part and denied in part the defendants’ motion for summary judgment. The lawyer would represent the plaintiff at trial or in possible settlement discussions or mediation. Please see Judge Adelman’s summary judgment decision and order for more information.

  • McDougal v. Montoya, 18-cv-1218-BHL. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner proceeding on a Fourteenth Amendment claim based on allegations that officers at the Milwaukee County Jail unreasonably dismissed his concerns about his food allergy and delayed getting him medical treatment for his allergic reaction, which eventually required that he be hospitalized for two days.  The lawyer would represent the plaintiff at trial or in possible settlement discussions or mediation. Please see Judge Ludwig's summary judgment decision for more information.