Essay Example Describing Pro Bono Services

A profession refers to a group of individuals who apply ethical standards; these individuals possess specialized skills and knowledge in a widely recognized body of training at a certain level. The term profession outlines that the professionals who possess these skills and expertise are expected to exercise them in the interest of others. Examples of professions include lawyers, physicians, and engineers. As a result of the complexity of these professions, not every individual can afford the services that these professionals offer. This paper delves into whether members of all professions should during certain occasions provide free professional services to the poor or the general welfare.

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The process of issuing free professional services is known as pro bono work. The term however mostly applies to legal services. The arguments that encourage the provision of free professional services to the poor include the following: The high number of individuals who require legal or other types of professional help but cannot access these services due to their lack of adequate funds. Another reason is that pro-bono services primarily in the legal and medical fields enable the young professionals to build their skills. Free professional services allow the professionals to develop their networks (Kutik, 2005). Moreover, pro-bono work results in recognition. Some of the professional associations issue out awards to the professionals in their respective fields who provide free professional services to the less fortunate.

In accordance to arguments against the issuing of free professional services to the less fortunate, the following can be observed: The occurrence of a shift of attentiveness from the main job and into the pro bono services, this shift occurs when the professionals focus more on the pro bono services than on the regular paying clients. Another reason against free professional services is the diminishing of the standards of the profession. Most of the professions have set specific standards. However, an increase in the rate of pro bono services will result in reducing these standards.

Professionals such as lawyers and doctors should commit to the 50 hours per year of free service because the general public relies on these services and at times most of them are not able to afford these services. These free professional services with regards to time contributed should not be substituted with cash donations because the professionals will materialize their obligation to the society. The cash donations will also provide a window for the avoidance of pro bono services.

The aspect of free legal services should not be treated differently from the free services offered in other professions; this is because the elements that make up any profession are similar to every profession. Hence all professions should be treated the same. Other professions such as teaching should be obligated to make similar contributions like the legal and medical professions.

References

Kutik, D. (2005). Pro Bono: Why Bother? Retrieved from American Bar : https://www.americanbar.org/newsletter/publications/gp_solo_magazine_home/gp_solo_magazine_index/2005_oct_nov_probono.html