Bodman PLC recently welcomed members of the Detroit Legal Alliance (DLA) to the firm’s Detroit office at Ford Field. The DLA is a Georgetown University law student organization that sends student volunteers to Detroit over spring break each year to provide pro bono legal services to underrepresented communities under the supervision of cooperating nonprofit legal organizations. Each student provides 40 hours of pro bono legal services on the trip. In its first year in 2014, the trip consisted of five students and one cooperating organization.
Over the years, the trip grew substantially. This year was the DLA’s 11th trip and there were 16 students and three cooperating organizations: Sugar Law Center, Michigan Community Resources, and State Appellate Defender Office.
The DLA participants were hosted by Bodman member Alan J. Gocha, who is a co-founder and major supporter of the organization. The group took advantage of some photo opportunities within Ford Field followed by a tour of Bodman’s office space.
DLA’s trip benefits Detroit and the legal community in several ways. Assuming a typical market hourly rate, DLA has provided over $1,000,000 in pro bono legal services to Detroit over the years. Also, the trip exposes law students to pro bono early on their careers, which increases the likelihood they are involved in pro bono when they become practicing attorneys. Finally, the trip brings positive attention to Detroit and expands the number of people invested in the city’s success. The trip is a positive experience for the attorneys and staff at the cooperating organizations and provides an opportunity for the organizations to showcase their contributions to the community.
Gocha, who is based in Bodman’s Grand Rapids office, co-founded DLA with a friend while a student at Georgetown Law and he remains active in the group to this day. His main role is to help the students coordinate the trip, address funding challenges, and ensure that trip leaders are lined up for the following year.
Over the years, the trip grew substantially. This year was the DLA’s 11th trip and there were 16 students and three cooperating organizations: Sugar Law Center, Michigan Community Resources, and State Appellate Defender Office.
The DLA participants were hosted by Bodman member Alan J. Gocha, who is a co-founder and major supporter of the organization. The group took advantage of some photo opportunities within Ford Field followed by a tour of Bodman’s office space.
DLA’s trip benefits Detroit and the legal community in several ways. Assuming a typical market hourly rate, DLA has provided over $1,000,000 in pro bono legal services to Detroit over the years. Also, the trip exposes law students to pro bono early on their careers, which increases the likelihood they are involved in pro bono when they become practicing attorneys. Finally, the trip brings positive attention to Detroit and expands the number of people invested in the city’s success. The trip is a positive experience for the attorneys and staff at the cooperating organizations and provides an opportunity for the organizations to showcase their contributions to the community.
Gocha, who is based in Bodman’s Grand Rapids office, co-founded DLA with a friend while a student at Georgetown Law and he remains active in the group to this day. His main role is to help the students coordinate the trip, address funding challenges, and ensure that trip leaders are lined up for the following year.
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