Driving Change: The Chief Legal Officer’s Perspective on Innovation and Pro Bono

At the 2024 Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Annual Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee, this week, Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO), PBI’s global project committed to enhancing in-house pro bono, hosted an engaging session on Driving Change: The Chief Legal Officer’s View on Innovation and Pro Bono. Moderated by Alyssa Saunders, Director, CPBO, the session featured insights from two prominent in-house pro bono leaders: Gayle E. Littleton, Chief Legal Officer of Exelon Corporation,** and Bimal Patel, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of PayPal.

The panel attracted a diverse audience from legal departments of various sizes, with many senior leaders present, including other GCs and CLOs. About half of the attendees reported having a pro bono program, while the other half did not.

The Impact of Pro Bono Commitment

Both panelists reflected on their personal commitments to pro bono work, emphasizing its importance as a professional obligation. Littleton discussed the value of “giving back to the communities we live in,” while Patel highlighted the profound impact that just a few hours of legal assistance can have on individuals in need.

The discussion underscored the importance of executive support and employee engagement in sustaining pro bono efforts. Patel emphasized that leadership expectations drive participation, noting that PayPal aims for a 100% involvement rate, and usually reaches a notable 70-80% involvement rate, with leaders actively participating in pro bono activities themselves. Littleton pointed out that community service is a core value at Exelon, integrated into the company culture, which boosts morale and drives employee engagement. Fostering a culture of service not only promotes collaboration but also enhances retention within legal departments.

The panelists’ message was clear: when leaders champion pro bono initiatives, they signal to employees that they value and encourage these efforts.

Strategies for Employee Engagement

A key theme of the session was the importance of employee engagement in sustaining pro bono initiatives. Both panelists emphasized that intentional strategies drive participation and foster a culture of service.

Littleton highlighted Exelon’s proactive approach, which includes a survey[1] to gauge employee interest in pro bono work. This feedback shapes the types of initiatives offered—whether virtual or in-person—and aligns projects with employee preferences, including a variety of projects including immigration and asylum work, voting rights advocacy, and expungement clinics. Programs like Exelon’s “Dollars for Doers,” which convert volunteer hours into financial support for nonprofits, incentivize participation. Additionally, leadership participation at events serves to inspire employees to engage.

Both panelists underscored the importance of involving a diverse range of participants, from legal professionals to claims departments, and gathering ongoing feedback. This comprehensive approach ensures that pro bono efforts resonate with employees’ values and interests.

Patel pointed out that PayPal’s pro bono efforts align with its corporate mission, which significantly boosts employee engagement. He noted, “Fostering cohesion and building community within the organization” is a key goal, and pro bono initiatives serve this purpose by creating shared experiences among employees. By aligning pro bono work with their corporate missions, both Exelon and PayPal create a compelling sense of purpose that enhances overall employee engagement and commitment to service.

Leveraging Technology and Innovation for Greater Impact

Another focus of the discussion was how technology and innovative practices enhance pro bono efforts. Littleton emphasized that leaning into remote opportunities has enabled collaboration across multiple offices, facilitating initiatives like voting rights efforts and immigration clinics. By moving away from traditional paper forms, particularly in programs like expungement clinics and Wills for Heroes, it is possible to not only improve efficiency but also to make legal services more accessible.

Both panelists underscored the value of partnerships with nonprofits and law firms to enhance pro bono efforts. Collaborations are vital for scaling initiatives and overcoming hesitations based on perceived skills gaps. PayPal’s global pro bono days—where the entire organization participates in pro bono efforts—provide a well-structured and resourced opportunity for employees to engage that is strengthened by collaboration across offices.

And Exelon’s expungement clinics in Maryland, which successfully combine pro bono legal work with low-income assistance programs and workforce development services, has attracted media attention and engaged local political leaders, highlighting the potential for pro bono projects to make a significant community impact. The key to scalability, Littleton noted, is leveraging external partnerships and creatively thinking about how to best serve clients in need.

Overall, the integration of technology and strategic partnerships not only enhances the efficiency of legal service delivery but also amplifies the impact of pro bono initiatives, ensuring they are well-equipped to meet community needs and respond effectively to emerging legal challenges.

Navigating Challenges in In-House Pro Bono Participation

Littleton and Patel tackled common barriers to in-house pro bono participation, notably concerns about time constraints. Their employees often participate in “bite-size” projects that require limited commitments, allowing busy legal professionals to contribute meaningfully without feeling overwhelmed. Addressing the skills mismatch that some professionals fear, they encouraged partnerships with legal services organizations for necessary training. Littleton also emphasized the importance of communicating pro bono commitments to client businesses, helping them set realistic expectations about employee availability.

In response to an audience question about how to address potentially divisive issues within pro bono work, Patel emphasized the importance of selecting pro bono projects that align social impact and company mission. This alignment with the company’s vision is crucial, as people are more likely to engage in pro bono initiatives when they feel their contributions resonate with their values, even on complex issues. Littleton shared Exelon’s “Diversity Dialogues,” where participants discuss difficult topics without judgment, often resulting in actionable outcomes, and noted their intention to connect these dialogues with pro bono initiatives.

Drawing from their insights, effective pro bono initiatives rely on strategic planning and strong leadership. Both panelists highlighted key practices such as setting clear goals, timely event planning, and recognizing opportunities that resonate with colleagues. Conducting surveys can uncover specific interests, while collaborations with outside counsel can unveil new avenues for engagement. Publicly acknowledging participants after events not only shows appreciation but also encourages ongoing involvement.

Call to Action

PBI extends its gratitude to Gayle Littleton and Bimal Patel for their leadership and insights into advocating for pro bono work within corporate legal departments. Legal departments interested in enhancing their pro bono efforts or starting new initiatives are encouraged to contact CPBO at cpbo@probonoinst.org for valuable resources and support.

** denotes a Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® signatory

Pro Bono Initiatives at Exelon and PayPal

  • Exelon Corporation:
    • Expungement Clinics: Award-winning initiative in Maryland.
    • Estate Planning: Providing estate planning services for first responders.
    • EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day: An industry-wide pro bono day for electric and gas companies organized by CPBO in partnership with Entergy Corporation and Edison Electric Institute.
  • PayPal:
    • Global Pro Bono Days: Engaging employees across all offices in organized activities like child exploitation law research.
    • 12 Hours of Pro Bono: Encouraging all employees to contribute.
    • Veterans’ Appeals: Assisting veterans with dishonorable discharge cases.

[1] CPBO offers a sample Interest Survey, available upon request.

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