Happy Holidays from The PBEye! Choosing the perfect gift during the holiday season is always a challenge. Fortunately, we are here to help with a round-up of our favorite pro bono gift ideas.
• A gift that would appeal to pro bono supporters and their children, and to those who are still kids at heart, is Mommy and Daddy Do It Pro Bono. The book aims to inspire the next generation to give back to their communities and explores the importance of social responsibility.
• For a look at pro bono outside the legal profession, check out The Power of Pro Bono. This book features 40 pro bono design projects completed by a variety of architecture and design practices for grassroots community organizations, national and international nonprofits, and other groups that otherwise could not afford the services.
• Bryan Stevenson’s best-selling memoir, and soon to be movie starring Michael B. Jordan, Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption, would make an inspirational gift for the pro bono junkie on your list. Stevenson tells the story of how he became a public interest lawyer, dedicating his career to defending the poor and the wrongly convicted and reforming our nation’s broken justice system.
• Patronize socially conscious small businesses whose work supports a larger purpose (for example, Catlee Chocolates, Dog Tag Bakery, Greyston, Hungry Harvest, and Women’s Bean Project).
In addition to these ideas, we always suggest doing more pro bono work – sometimes the best gift you can give someone is your time! As many of our friends and supporters have stated, doing pro bono is rewarding in many ways, and often allows you to stay connected to what may have inspired you to become a lawyer in the first place.
If you know of any interesting pro bono-related gifts, let us know by leaving a comment below!