Partnerships formed between public interest groups and law firms can be very beneficial to pro bono clients. This week we hear from Margaret Middleton, executive director of the Connecticut Veterans Legal Center as she explains the importance of the legal community taking on pro bono projects together. YouTube Link
The National Law Journal has released its annual “Appellate Hot List,” recognizing elite law firms involved in the most significant appeals of the year with stellar records of appellate advocacy before “the Supreme Court, federal circuit courts of appeal, and state courts of last resort.” What struck us most about the Appellate and Supreme Court Practices doing “killer appellate work” is the prominent role pro bono plays in their self-described and reported accomplishments. In addition to achievements in commercial matters over the past year, the 20 firms on the Hot List were involved as pro bono counsel in a wide-range
Looking for a pro bono-themed read for the upcoming long weekend? In summers past, our suggestions have included the best-selling The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, an article on feedback loops, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic To Kill A Mockingbird. This year, we continue to be inspired by Dewey Bozella and the work of our friends at Fredrikson & Byron P.A.*†on behalf of Damon Thibodeaux, and have made selections that focus on pro bono work to exonerate the wrongfully convicted. John Hollway and Ronald Gauthier’s Killing Time: An 18-Year Odyssey From Death Row To Freedom tells the true story of
Is your firm taking full advantage of your Law Firm Pro Bono Project Member Benefits? Why not invite the Law Firm Project for a visit! The Law Firm Project provides a variety of expert consultative services to Member Law Firms. One benefit of Membership is a House Call where Law Firm Project Director Tammy Taylor and Law Firm Project Assistant Director Reena Glazer visit your city or one nearby. During the visits Project staff meet with pro bono committees, firm and office leaders, partners, and pro bono managers to discuss national trends in pro bono and to learn about innovative pro
I have had the opportunity to serve on the Multijurisdictional Practice Task Force (a joint initiative of PBI and CPBO) for a little over a year. When the purpose of the Task Force was being explained to me, its mission sounded like an easy sell: help change states’ practice rules to allow in-house counsel operating on limited licenses to do pro bono. Most states have practice rules that allow in-house lawyers working locally but licensed in another jurisdiction to practice solely for their employers without going through the full bar process (“in-house counsel rules”), but many of those rules don’t
Transactional or business-related pro bono projects can offer meaningful long-term solutions for individuals, families, and communities in need. In addition, involving non-litigators is one of the most effective ways to enhance pro bono performance and broaden institutional support for pro bono. Law firms and legal departments that want to expand their pro bono programs by involving their business and transactional lawyers, however, often report difficulty in finding a steady, varied, and reliable stream of appropriate transactional pro bono matters. It is one of the most common topics of requests for expert consultation that we receive, and we can help! Recently,
Most lawyers who dedicate a lot of their time to pro bono will tell you they do it because “it’s the right thing to do,” and we at The PBEye would have to agree. Lawyers are gifted with a particular set of skills that are very useful to those in our communities and especially those who are disadvantaged and cannot afford legal aid. This week we hear from Nicky Friedman, senior associate and national coordinator of pro bono and community programs at Allens, on why her firm believes it’s important to do pro bono. YouTube Link
In the days between Earth Day and Arbor Day, our thoughts turn to spring, nature, and environmental sustainability. The increased attention given to environmental and climate change issues over the past few years has brought about local, national, and international concern for the health of our planet. In their annual reports, newsletters and on their websites, a number of companies and law firms emphasize their adoption and implementation of green business practices. Recycling programs, energy-efficient lighting, and the use of e-mail and technology instead of paper are just a few ways in which law firms and legal departments, and indeed
When President Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in June 2012, undocumented immigrants were given the opportunity to step out of the shadows and finally pursue their dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, and teachers in the U.S. The program gives a two-year, renewable reprieve from deportation to undocumented immigrants who meet a variety of eligibility requirements, including those who came to the U.S. before age 16 and are in school, high school graduates, or military veterans. Potential participants also need to be under the age of 31 and have lived in the U.S. for five years.
The PBEye closely follows pro bono efforts designed to increase access to nutritious and affordable food. As a society, we continue to pay greater attention to the food we eat and the impact it has on our health and well-being. Unhealthy eating habits and limited access to fresh food, however, are systemic issues for many Americans. This is particularly problematic because the number of poor and hungry residents in the U.S. climbed recently (47.3 million, nearly one in seven Americans, participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps). Pro bono work in this area has
