Kristin Arthur, a commercial litigation specialist at Denver’s Davis Graham & Stubbs, won recognition as a Denver Bar Association Pro Bono Star this month. Since 2021 she has performed more than 400 hours of pro bono work. Arthur answered questions from Law of the West via email on Oct. 6.
Why do you think it’s important, beyond ethical requirements, for lawyers to do pro bono work?
Because we can. There is a price of admission for good legal counsel, but there is no price of admission for the need for good legal counsel. The legal system has a high bar on entry and only a few have both the skill set and the opportunity to promote equity within that system. Those who are able to promote equity have a responsibility to do it across the board.
What are your favorite types of pro bono cases to handle or pro bono clients with whom to work, generally speaking?
My favorite clients to work with are the ones that I work with from the [Colorado Bar Association’s] Civil Appeals Clinic. The Clinic is on the third Thursday of the month, and it connects attorneys with pro se appellate litigants to provide appellate advice. Following a case through to appeal as a pro se litigant is a herculean task, and every Clinic client I have had has worked incredibly hard to marshal their case up on appeal. Every nugget of advice I can give them, be it framing issues on appeal or explaining a table of authorities, is worth so much more to them than any advice I could provide to a paying client.
What motivates the interest in those general types of pro bono work?
I love appeals and appellate work. Everyone has a right to an appeal, but very few have the resources to bring an appeal or even know that an appeal is an option. One of my goals in my work is to make the appellate process more transparent and accessible.
In what ways does your firm encourage and support you in your pro bono work?
While the attorneys at DGS are always supportive of my pro bono work, what has really made it possible is my access to paralegals, legal assistants, and other litigation support staff on my pro bono cases at the same level as on my other cases. Every pro bono hour that I am able to work is supported by numerous hours of work from our dedicated support staff.
How do you balance your pro bono obligations with your work on behalf of paying clients?
I just treat them like they’re paying clients and build them into my workload. It’s not always easy, but I’m lucky enough to work with other attorneys who take the same approach. I also find that it’s extremely easy to pick up small pro bono opportunities here and there, so even when my workload isn’t able to accommodate a new client or a new case, I can still do something. That’s not to say that I’ve figured out how to balance my workload; as I’m only in my third year of practice, that’s something I’m still working on.
Do you mentor other associates, perhaps those at an earlier stage of their career, as part of your pro bono efforts or by helping them build that part of their practices?
I try to bring in other associates as much as possible. I’ve had multiple summer associates attend clinic sessions with me, which has been a great experience. I’m also very vocal about opportunities, small and large, for associates to jump in and roll up their sleeves. Not only does pro bono work benefit our community, but it’s an excellent way for young associates to get on-their-feet experience they otherwise would have to wait years for.
Susan Minamizono, a volunteer lawyer with Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking; Meredith O’Harris, an associate at Haddon, Morgan and Foreman, P.C.; and Bonnie Saltzman, a solo practitioner based in Denver were also recognized as Denver Bar Association Pro Bono Stars for 2023.
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