The State Bar Association of North Dakota Winter 2014 Gavel Magazine | Page 32

PRO BONO
FEATURE
State lawyers find
pro bono work gratifying

Robert Keogh

Vanessa Berge

Among the programs connecting North
Dakota lawyers with opportunities for pro
bono work is SBAND’s Volunteer Lawyer
Program (VLP).
The VLP allows lawyers to provide pro
bono (or free), as well as reduced fee legal
services, to those who are unable to afford
them.
Two state lawyers who last year had the
most volunteer hours recorded in the VLP
Program say pro bono work is gratifying. At the SBAND Annual Meeting in
June, Vanessa Berge and Robert Keogh
were recognized for reporting 338 and
279 volunteer hours, respectively. In 2012,
their reported volunteer hours were 620
and 280.
Keogh has practiced law in Dickinson
since 1971, mostly as a solo proprietor, and
has been the city judge for 32 years. He describes his practice as covering general law,
although domestic law is a big part of it.
He says he did not make a conscious
decision to take on a significant amount of
pro bono work. “I just started taking cases
from the VLP program when I was asked.”
Most of the work has involved domestic

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cases, he says. “Many of the cases were able
to be resolved in 8 to 10 hours, but others
were more complicated and required more
time.”
With his practice located in rapidlygrowing Dickinson, Keogh says some of
the domestic cases with new residents have
been complicated. “Many of the issues
involve family members in other states.”
He says he didn’t think about it too
hard when asked to take on the cases. “If
I thought I could help, I took it. I wasn’t
worried about recognition or awards, I
believe that we lawyers are blessed to have
the knowledge to help people with legal
issues and we should when we can.”
Keogh says the time he has spent on pro
bono cases has not hurt him financially. “I
continue to be busier and busier, and the
pro bono cases give me a sense of satisfaction that I am helping someone out.”
He says he doesn’t always total
up his volunteer hours throughout the year. “When the VLP
does it at the end of a year, I
sometimes can’t believe it.”
He believes most lawyers are
generous. “They will take on
pro bono or reduced fee cases
when they can. Even though
many of the pro bono cases
in the VLP involve domestic
disputes, lawyers who don’t
practice that type of law can
help out in other ways. There
are many ways to help.”
Like Keogh, Berge is a solo
practitioner in a general practice that handles many domestic
cases. Located in Fargo, she is
relatively new to the profession, having been admitted to
practice law in 2011.
She agreed to participate in
the VLP because of her previous personal experience. “I had
been married before, and as a
single mother and student, I
had a difficult time getting a
divorce. I thought if I could, I

would like to help others have an easier
time than I had.”
Berge says she takes what cases she can
and works with a network of other Fargo
lawyers who also practice domestic law. “I
will call one of them if I can’t take a case,
and they also refer cases to me.”
She admits that it is sometimes difficult
to juggle the pro bono cases with her work
that “pays the rent.” “But, overall, I believe
this has been a benefit. It has brought
many referrals, which have helped grow
my practice.”
Berge hopes that throughout her career
she can continue to take pro bono cases.
“I’ve been blessed in my career and I
would like to pay it forward by doing what
I can helping others. Taking on pro bono
cases has helped me keep a good perspective on my career. I believe how much
money we make in our lives is not as im-

The Gavel Winter 2014