County filing fees offer many programs an additional source of revenue. Recently, special event fundraisers and direct solicitation have become popular. As an example of the diversity of pro bono programs in the state, compare Pinellas County's Community Law Program and Palm Beach County's Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, both of which are non-LSC funded organizations. Volunteer attorneys were able to provide 2,247 hours of service and closed 1,346 cases, which included advice clinics and full representation. Additionally, Community Law Program staff members do not provide direct service to clients.
C ompare that activity with Palm Beach County's program.
The majority of the staff is dedicated to providing direct service to clients through in-house programs, and two people are dedicated to the pro bono department. The Palm Beach private bar provided 12,058 hours of service and closed 756 cases that involved direct representation of clients. As varied as these programs seem, both groups reported that about 50 percent of their closed cases were family law related. The location of the program and the population of the community are determining factors in how the program operates. The Put Something Back program is a joint project of the 11th Judicial Circuit and the Dade County Bar Association.