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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:

Urgent Request

  • Trudeaux v. Paper Transport Inc., 20-cv-169-WED-AEG. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a former commercial truck driver proceeding with a Title VII claim that his employer failed to accommodate his practice of observing the Sabbath in assigning his driving and delivery schedules. The case has been referred to Magistrate Judge Aaron Goodstein for mediation. The lawyer would represent the plaintiff for the limited purpose of asisting him with the mediation. 

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

  • Barrett v. Armor Correctional Health Services Inc., et al., 20-cv-1128-WCG. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner proceeding on a Fourteenth Amendment claim based on allegations that the medical care he received as a pretrial detainee at the Milwaukee County Jail was objectively unreasonable. Shortly before being housed at the jail, plaintiff had been shot multiple times. Plaintiff alleges that, per policy, Defendants refused to give him pain medication stronger than Tylenol. He also alleges that an infection in his finger went untreated, ultimately resulting in the finger being amputated.  Defendants have moved for summary judgment.  All deadlines are stayed pending the recruitment of a lawyer who would respond to the summary judgment motion and perhaps assist Plaintiff with settlement discussions. Please see Judge Griesbach's screening order for more information.  

Trial

  • 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. 

  • Jones v. Van Lanen, 18-cv-1866-WCG. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner proceeding with a First Amendment claim that a correctional officer at the Green Bay Correctional Institution destroyed his legal documents in retaliation for a lawsuit the prisoner planned to file against that correctional officer.  The lawyer would represent the plaintiff at trial or in possible settlement discussions or mediation.  Please see the Seventh Circuit's order.

  • Fillyaw v. Steelow, et al., 20-cv-861-NJ. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner proceeding on a Fourth Amendment excessive force claim against two Milwaukee Police Officers who allegedly restrained the plaintiff with excessive force while the plaintiff was being examined at a local hospital. The lawyer would represent the plaintiff at trial or in possible settlment discussions or mediation. Please see Judge Joseph's summary judgment decision for more information.

  • Leiser v. Labby, 20-cv-123-BHL. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner proceeding on Eighth Amendment claims based on allegations that defendants were deliberately indifferent to his severe back and hip pain, including delaying a referral to a specialist who ultimately strongly recommended total hip replacement surgery.  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.

  • Fitzpatrick v. Weycker, et al., 21-cv-1131-LA. The court is looking for a lawyer to represent a prisoner proceeding on an Eighth Amendment claim based on allegations that the defendants were deliberately indifferent to his risk of self-harming with a rubber pencil while on observation status. Initial attempts to settle the matter were unsuccessful. The lawyer would represent the plaintiff at trial, currently scheduled for December 1, 2022. The court may be flexible on trial dates if necessary. Please see Judge Adelman's summary judgment decision for more information.