dlipscomb, Author at Pro Bono Institute

Illinois In-House Pro Bono Rule Now Effective

April 9, 2013

On April 8, the Illinois Supreme Court made effective a new rule that empowers more than 400 limited license in-house attorneys in the state to provide pro bono legal services free from unnecessary restrictions. As The PBEye recently reported, the Court approved an amendment to its practice rules in March regarding limited license in-house attorneys providing pro bono legal services. The Illinois action is striking for two reasons. First, like Virginia two years ago, Illinois amended an existing rule that allowed non-locally licensed in-house counsel to provide pro bono but imposed various restrictions to their participation, such as only providing

Illinois Adopts Cutting Edge In-House Pro Bono Rule!

March 19, 2013

The PBEye is delighted to report that the Illinois Supreme Court has approved amendments to its practice rules that remove unnecessary restrictions on limited license in-house attorneys providing pro bono legal services. As a result, more than 400 limited license in-house attorneys in the state will be free to provide pro bono legal services to needy Illinoisan individuals and organizations to the same extent as other Illinois licensed lawyers. The Illinois Supreme Court is currently preparing the filing upon which the amendment will become effective. Check back with The PBEye for more details about this cutting edge new rule. For

ACC Chapters and Pro Bono

January 30, 2013

Since its inception, CPBO has worked closely with the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) and many local chapters of the organization on pro bono matters. ACC currently has 54 chapters, which represent more than 30,000 in-house counsel around the globe. ACC Chapters are engaged in improving access to justice in a number of ways, including coordinating pro bono projects for their members, supporting local legal services organizations, developing important connections between in-house volunteers and pro bono opportunities, and expressing the voice of the in-house bar on access to justice related issues, such as authorized in-house counsels’ right to practice pro

New Year Brings New In-House Pro Bono Practice Rules in Minnesota

January 25, 2013

On January 17, Minnesota amended its practice rules to permit “house counsel” registered under Rule 10 and “temporary house counsel” registered under Rule 9 to provide pro bono legal services to pro bono clients referred to the lawyer through an approved legal services provider. Minnesota, like most other states, permits in-house counsel licensed and in good standing in another jurisdiction to work for their employer in Minnesota. Prior to the rule change, Minnesota did not allow those lawyers to also provide pro bono services. In revising its practice rules, the state joins others, like Connecticut and Iowa, that have recently

Just Released: Law Firm Pro Bono Staffing Survey Report

January 10, 2013

Over the summer, the Law Firm Pro Bono Project conducted a survey to obtain current information about pro bono staffing at large law firms. We frequently receive requests from firms regarding trends in pro bono staffing and the survey results enable us to provide accurate information about the evolving law firm pro bono staffing ecosystem. The 2012 report on this survey has been published and provides an update to similar surveys conducted in 2001 and 2007. The report – the most comprehensive of its kind – documents the detailed information obtained from more than 100 respondents from 89 different law

Your Guide to Global Pro Bono is Here

December 6, 2012

PBI is pleased to introduce the 2012 edition of Latham & Watkins LLP’s* “Survey of Pro Bono Practices and Opportunities in Select Jurisdictions.” A compilation of reliable and locally sourced information, the 2012 Survey offers chapters on more than 70 countries – from Angola to Venezuela – that describe the legal landscape and provide essential details about local legal aid programs, unmet legal needs, and rules that shape the framework for pro bono legal services. The survey is a useful tool for law firms, legal departments, and others interested in understanding pro bono services around the globe and who seek

The Three Rs

November 29, 2012

We spend a lot of time thinking, talking, and writing about why lawyers, law firms, and legal departments should do pro bono work. Many of the benefits of pro bono work, both the easily measureable ones and those less quantifiable, support an unwavering business rationale for pro bono and for institutional engagement. It is critical that pro bono supporters persuasively identify the aspects of pro bono work that, when appropriately structured and woven into the fabric of the workplace, yield important institutional benefits for the law firm or legal department and its attorneys, in addition to the clients and communities

Protecting Women from Violence with Pro Bono

November 26, 2012

On November 25, the world celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Around the world, violence against women and girls has become one of the most pervasive tragedies of our time. According to UN Women, up to 70 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The group also states that acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined, in women ages 15 to 44. These statistics are among the reasons why the United Nations designated a day of recognition to promote awareness of violence

In Support of Our Elders

November 21, 2012

Nearly 50% of the legal departments that responded to CPBO’s 2010 benchmarking survey provide pro bono legal services to the elderly. The following highlights a few of the many projects The PBEye has identified, in which in-house counsel have dedicated their time to assist elderly clients in need. Wills Clinics for the Elderly Many legal departments participate in clinics that assist with end-of-life planning. Among them, Caterpillar, Inc.** often partners with an outside firm and a legal services provider to host clinics in its headquarters in Peoria, Ill., as well as in Chicago, where attorneys aid the elderly in preparing

In-House Pro Bono Efforts Aiding Our Nation’s Youth

November 20, 2012

November 20 is Universal Children’s Day! Established by the United Nations to promote the welfare of children worldwide, this day commemorates the Assembly’s 1959 adoption of the Declaration of the Rights of the Child, and 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child. In honor of Universal Children’s Day, The PBEye notes the many ways in-house attorneys improve the lives of children by providing them with quality pro bono legal services. Providing Legal Services for Immigrant Children Unaccompanied immigrant children in the U.S. often face unimaginably dire situations, regardless of whether they fled here or were coerced for forced labor.

Author: dlipscomb