Author: dlipscomb

As widespread federal spending cuts known as sequestration continue to impact various government agencies, leading to, among other things, furloughs and closures, we can expect to see particularly dire consequences for our courts and the administration of justice. The PBEye recently reported that our criminal justice system is in jeopardy, and the sharp budget reductions for Federal Defender programs have even further threatened legal services for the poor. For example, sequestration has led to furloughs and layoffs of public defenders across the country, which reduces case loads and causes trial delays, diminishing the overall quality of legal representation. Cases that

We at The PBEye spend a lot of time thinking, talking, and writing about why lawyers, law firms, and legal departments should do pro bono work. As we previously reported, volunteering leads to longer and healthier lives according to a study by the Corporation for National and Community Service. A recent report by UnitedHealth Group** and the Optum Institute provides further evidence that volunteering is linked to better physical, mental, and emotional health, with 76% of people who volunteer saying that it has made them feel healthier. In addition to improving health, the study finds that those who volunteer have

Want to supplement your pro bono summer reading with an inspirational access to justice themed film? Check out the new documentary Gideon’s Army, which has been showing at film festivals across the country and premiered on HBO earlier this month. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court case Gideon v. Wainwright, which ruled that state courts are required to provide counsel to criminal defendants who cannot afford a lawyer (for more reflections on Gideon, browse the Yale Law Journal’s June issue). This inspirational and compelling documentary focuses on public defenders in the Deep South as they

Recently, PBI hosted “Tackling Mega-Challenges: Systemic Pro Bono” in conjunction with our partner West LegalEdcenter. The webinar, which is part of the Best of the 2013 Conference Series, explored ways to “move the needle” on a persistent aspect of poverty or an area of law in which underrepresentation is particularly acute to ensure that pro bono efforts are having the most significant impact possible. The program featured experts Silvia R. Argueta from the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, Kevin J. Curnin from Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP†, and Esther F. Lardent, from the Pro Bono Institute. The lively

Don’t miss out on your chance to enroll or renew as a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project for 2013-2014. Complete and return the Membership invoice today to demonstrate your law firm’s support for access to justice and pro bono service. Submit your form before September 1 to get a 10% discount. Join or renew today to receive these exciting Member benefits: • Access to the Members-only section of the Project’s Resource Clearinghouse, which provides convenient and exclusive access to PBI original publications, attorney interest surveys, law firm annual reports, best practices for program structure, and more. •

At the end of June, the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Windsor, striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), marked a turning point in the nation’s struggle for LGBT equality. One notable feature of this case and others like it is the significant contribution made by pro bono lawyers, both as counsel of record and on behalf of various amici curiae. Despite the recent accomplishments, the struggle for LGBT equality marches on. The PBEye previously highlighted examples of pro bono efforts aimed at reducing bullying in schools. Additional inspiring examples of law firms collaborating with

PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project is currently updating What Counts? A Compilation of Questions and Answers, a guide of frequently asked questions and explanations of “what counts” as pro bono legal services for the purpose of the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®. Since its original publication in 2003 and its revision in 2008, we have continued to receive a steady flow of new inquiries, whose inclusion in the upcoming version of What Counts will help further fine-tune our guidance regarding the definition of pro bono legal services in a principled, clear, and consistent fashion. Among some of the more frequent