“You learn so much when you teach,” says Toby Rothschild. And he should know — Rothschild has served as a volunteer faculty member and program chair for Practising Law Institute (PLI) for over a decade, developing and presenting popular programs on ethics in pro bono and related topics. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions and talent for teaching, PLI recently presented Rothschild with its inaugural Victor J. Rubino Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Training.
Rothschild, who serves as Of Counsel to OneJustice, has dedicated over 50 years to the legal services field, including 13 years as General Counsel of the Legal Aid Foundation and 28 years as Executive Director of the Legal Aid Foundation of Long Beach. A frequent speaker and program chair for PLI, he has developed and presented popular PLI programs including Ethical Issues in Working With Pro Bono Clients and Serving Clients With Diminished Capacity: Ethics Issues in Legal Services and Pro Bono Practice.
Speaking with Alicia Aiken, another PLI faculty member and host of the podcast Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files, Rothschild observed, “Teaching forces you to think about why you do the things you do, the way you do. If I’m going to explain to somebody what I’m doing and why I’m doing it, I need to understand that — and then I can do it better.”
PLI presented Rothschild with its inaugural Victor J. Rubino Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Training at its annual Contributor Appreciation Dinner on March 6. Presenting the award, Janet Siegel, PLI’s Director of Pro Bono Services, commented on his dedication to teaching, observing that “Toby is well-liked and appreciated by our attendees and staff for his expertise, as well as his warmth and wit.”
“Toby is incredibly deserving of this honor,” added Kara O’Brien, Chief Content Officer. “He sets the bar high for future award recipients.”
PLI created the award in memory of Victor J. Rubino, who expanded PLI’s pro bono initiative as the organization’s longest-serving President. Rubino, who died in 2023, led the development of PLI’s Pro Bono Membership, which provides complimentary access to PLI’s training for more than 870 qualified legal services and other nonprofit organizations providing direct pro bono legal services to their community.
The award includes a donation to a legal services organization of the recipient’s choice; Rothschild selected OneJustice, which supports the California legal services community in closing the access to justice gap.
Speaking about the need to encourage other qualified lawyers to take on pro bono work, Rothschild told Aiken that he reminds his peers that as members of the Bar, “they have a role not just representing their individual clients, but a larger role in the community and that they should, as part of that role, make sure that people have access to legal services. So there’s this moral, ethical obligation to do it.”
As for the “why” of pro bono, he added, “The need is just so overwhelming. The studies of the justice gap show that 70, 80% or more of people who need legal services, and who qualify, don’t have access to these services. Some of that is because of lack of knowledge. They don’t recognize that they have a legal problem, or they don’t recognize that there’s a place they can go with it. But even if they do know they can go to legal aid, an awful lot of people get turned away” due to lack of resources.
Like teaching, pro bono service also benefits the person performing the work, Rothschild said. “It makes a difference not only for the clients, but for the lawyer, it gives them something they can feel good about — they can know they’re helping someone who really needs it.”
Finally, Rothschild shared, “The biggest reason I tell lawyers to do pro bono work is that it’ll make your mother proud.”
Begin Your Pro Bono Journey
Want to get started in making pro bono a meaningful part of your legal career? PLI offers a range of programs, from basics like ethics and trauma-informed advocacy, to the latest on complex topics such as helping individuals after natural disasters, advising veterans on accessing benefits, working with immigrant domestic violence survivors, family law, school law, and much more. Individuals and organizations may qualify for scholarships or Pro Bono Memberships — visit PLI’s Pro Bono page to learn more.
You can also find inspiration from stories about successful pro bono projects and partnerships on the Pursuing Justice podcast. In addition to the interview with Rothschild, recent episodes have covered a cyber civil rights program that helps victims of “revenge porn,” an initiative to connect independent journalists with pro bono legal help, and restoring voting rights in Florida.
