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Program Staff Profile: Arlene Bonner, Pro Bono Coordinator, South Jersey Legal Services
In October 1987, Arlene Bonner was an out-of-work, single mother of four, seeking legal assistance with an unemployment case. She walked into South Jersey Legal Services as a client and walked out with a job. Coincidentally, a position had just opened up in the Private Attorney Involvement (PAI) Program. It must have been fate that a few months earlier the unemployment office had sent Arlene to secretarial school to learn office skills. With her abilities, maturity, and gracious personality, it was apparent she had a lot to offer to the program. So she was offered the job as secretary for PAI.
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Nearly 20 years later, Arlene has established herself as the foundation of the PAI Program. A paralegal now, she coordinates pro bono cases over a five-county region. Affectionately known as “Ms. B” to her colleagues, her experience as a former client gives her a unique perspective and compassionate approach to case placement. She gets great satisfaction from her work with PAI because she knows first-hand how it feels to find help through a Legal Services program.
Arlene has cultivated a robust pro bono panel, which now includes nearly 300 attorneys. She takes care to consider personality and geography when matching clients with attorneys, and she has a special talent for placing complicated cases. As one lawyer put it, “her kind and gentle nature makes it impossible to say no.” Arlene has had the second highest number of cases placed of any pro bono program in the state of New Jersey. During her career, literally thousands of clients have received help because of her efforts.
Over the past two decades, Arlene has remained a reassuring constant in a fast-paced Legal Services environment. She is well-known and respected: her colleagues at SJLS, the clients and especially the pro bono attorneys all love her. Although she could have retired a few years ago, Arlene says she “can't imagine ever leaving” her job. “I would miss the excitement,” she says, “and the good feeling I get when I place a case with a pro bono attorney.”
Arlene often can be heard professing her profound gratitude for the attorneys who have accepted PAI cases over the years. “Their generosity makes my job easy and helps clients who otherwise could not be served.”
Arlene resides in Camden County with her great-granddaughter, Anize, who is four years old. She enjoys cooking for her eight grandchildren, singing in the choir at church, and bowling.
Kate Myers — Director of Pro Bono Services
South Jersey Legal Services
This article appeared in the Spring 2007 edition of For the Public Good.
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