Setting Up Your Firm for Pro Bono Work
Quick Answer
To set up your firm for pro bono work on Heritage Web, you need: (1) An Organization listing for the firm, (2) Individual Profile listings for each attorney who will handle cases, (3) The Teams feature to connect everyone, and (4) Consider sponsoring at least one listing for unlimited firm-wide pro bono access instead of sharing just 3 monthly cases.
Overview
Setting up a law firm, medical practice, or professional organization for pro bono work requires understanding Heritage Web's structure. Unlike traditional firm-wide accounts, Heritage Web uses a combination of individual professional listings and team collaboration features to manage pro bono opportunities while maintaining individual accountability and bar compliance tracking.
Step-by-Step Firm Setup
Step 1: Create the Firm's Organization Listing
Purpose: Establishes your firm's presence on Heritage Web
Process:
Navigate to Dashboard > Create Organization Listing
Enter firm's legal name (can drop "LLC" or "LLP")
Add firm description and practice areas
Include all office locations
Submit for approval (1-3 business days)
Important: The Organization listing alone won't receive pro bono matches - individual attorneys need Profile listings.
Step 2: Create Individual Profile Listings
Each Attorney Needs Their Own Profile:
Each attorney creates individual Heritage Web account
Each creates one Profile listing (maximum one per account)
Include bar number and jurisdictions
Add specialties and languages
Submit for approval
Why Individual Profiles:
Pro bono tracking by attorney
Bar compliance requirements
Individual reputation building
Accurate case matching
Step 3: Implement the Teams Feature
Connecting Everyone:
Option A: Centralized Management
Managing Partner as account owner
Adds all attorneys as team members
Grants Admin role for case acceptance
Central oversight of all activity
Option B: Distributed Model
Each attorney owns their account
Partners add associates as team members
Flexible management structure
Individual autonomy maintained
Step 4: Configure for Optimal Matching
For Each Attorney's Profile:
List all practice areas (up to 10)
Include languages spoken by attorney AND staff
Set appropriate service radius
Add community affiliations
Complete all optional fields
For the Firm's Organization Listing:
Comprehensive practice area list
All office locations
Firm-wide language capabilities
Insurance accepted (if applicable)
Understanding Pro Bono Access Limits
Free Firm Setup (Not Recommended)
The Challenge:
Each account gets only 3 pro bono accesses/month
Team members share the owner's limit
10-attorney firm = still only 3 cases total
Creates internal competition
Why It Doesn't Work Well:
Attorneys compete for limited slots
Difficult coordination required
Limits community impact
Frustrates eager associates
Sponsored Firm Setup (Recommended)
The Solution:
Sponsor ANY single listing for $25/month
Entire account gets unlimited pro bono
All team members included
No coordination needed
Strategic Options:
Sponsor the Organization listing (firm visibility)
Sponsor Managing Partner's Profile
Sponsor even an Event listing (cheapest option)
Result: Unlimited firm-wide access
Enterprise Solution ($500+/month)
For Large Firms:
Custom pricing based on size
Centralized billing
Compliance reporting support
Dedicated account management
Contact [email protected]
Team Structure Best Practices
Role Assignments
Managing Partner (Account Owner):
Full control over team
Manages billing
Monitors activity
Strategic oversight
Senior Associates (Admin Role):
Can accept pro bono cases
Full case access
Purchase referrals if needed
Manage communications
Junior Associates (Admin or Content Manager):
Admin: Can accept cases
Content Manager: Support role only
Based on firm policy
Growth progression
Support Staff (View-Only):
Paralegals and assistants
Can view opportunities
Research and recommend
Cannot accept cases
Access Management
Adding Team Members:
Navigate to Account Settings > My Team
Send invitation to attorney's email
Select appropriate role
Attorney accepts within 72 hours
Immediate access granted
Team Size Limits:
Free account: 1 team member
Per sponsor listing: 3 team members
Example: 3 sponsor listings = 9 team members
Enterprise: Custom limits
Compliance and Tracking
Current Tracking Capabilities
What's Tracked Now:
Date case accepted
Attorney who accepted
Client information
Case details
Impact metrics
Manual Tracking Required:
Hours spent
Services provided
Case outcomes
Completion status
Coming in 2025
Enhanced Features:
Completion tracking
Automated hours calculation
Bar reporting integration
Success metrics
Firm-wide analytics
Creating Your Tracking System
Until automated features arrive:
Centralized Spreadsheet:
Attorney name
Case accepted date
Client identifier
Hours invested
Current status
Outcome achieved
Regular Reporting:
Monthly case reviews
Quarterly impact reports
Annual bar reporting
Grant applications
Common Firm Configurations
Small Firm (2-10 Attorneys)
Typical Setup:
Organization listing for firm
Individual Profiles for each attorney
One attorney sponsors their Profile
All added as Admin team members
Unlimited pro bono for all
Cost: $25/month total Benefit: Unlimited access for up to 10 attorneys
Mid-Size Firm (11-50 Attorneys)
Recommended Setup:
Organization listing (sponsored)
All attorneys create Profiles
Multiple sponsored listings for team slots
Department-based team structure
Designated pro bono coordinator
Cost: $75-125/month (3-5 sponsors) Benefit: Unlimited access + adequate team slots
Large Firm (50+ Attorneys)
Enterprise Setup:
Custom agreement required
Bulk listing creation service
Centralized management
Compliance reporting
API integration (coming)
Cost: $500+/month custom pricing Benefit: Firm-wide unlimited access with support
Optimizing for Pro Bono Matches
Geographic Strategy
Multi-Office Firms:
Each location gets 75-mile radius
Attorneys can serve from any office
Broader coverage area
More match opportunities
Radius Adjustment:
Email [email protected]
Request specific radius or "No Limit"
Can vary by practice area
Consider virtual capabilities
Language Advantages
Maximize Matches:
Include all attorney languages
Add support staff languages
List interpreter services
Note translation capabilities
Cultural Connections:
Specify community affiliations
Heritage connections
Religious affiliations
Strengthen trust factors
Best Practices for Firms
Launch Strategy
Week 1: Create Organization listing
Week 2: Attorneys create Profiles
Week 3: Implement Teams structure
Week 4: Upgrade to sponsor
Month 2: Begin accepting cases
Communication Protocols
Internal Procedures:
Who can accept cases
Conflict checking process
Workload distribution
Reporting requirements
Client communication standards
Quality Control
Maintain Standards:
Review accepted cases weekly
Monitor attorney capacity
Ensure timely responses
Track completion rates
Gather client feedback
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Don't Make These Mistakes
Only creating Organization listing
Won't receive individual matches
Attorneys need Profile listings
Sharing one Profile among attorneys
Violates terms of service
Prevents accurate tracking
Creates compliance issues
Staying on free plan with multiple attorneys
Only 3 cases/month for entire firm
Creates internal competition
Limits impact significantly
Not using Teams feature
Misses collaboration benefits
No central oversight
Difficult coordination
FAQs
Q: Can we create one Profile listing for all attorneys to share? A: No. Each attorney must have their own Profile listing for accurate matching, tracking, and bar compliance.
Q: How many sponsor listings does our firm need? A: Just ONE sponsor listing provides unlimited pro bono for everyone. Additional sponsors only add team member slots.
Q: Can associates accept cases without partner approval? A: If they have Admin role, yes. You can use Content Manager role if approval is required.
Q: How do we track hours across the firm? A: Currently requires manual tracking. Automated firm-wide tracking is coming in 2025.
Q: What if an attorney leaves the firm? A: Remove them from Teams, and they lose access. Their accepted cases remain in the system for records.
Next Steps
Create your firm's Organization listing
Have each attorney create Profile listing
Implement Teams structure
Sponsor at least one listing
Establish internal protocols
Begin accepting pro bono cases
Track impact for reporting