dlipscomb, Author at Pro Bono Institute

VIDEO: 26 Years: The Dewey Bozella Story

March 20, 2012

In November, PBI was honored to hear from Dewey Bozella at the 2011 PBI Annual Dinner in New York. Bozella, an amateur boxer who was wrongly imprisoned for 26 years, was exonerated in 2008 with the hard work of pro bono attorneys at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP*. Bozella subsequently received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and won his first and only professional boxing match. Now, Bozella’s story, and the hard work of WilmerHale, is the subject of an hour-long documentary by ESPN Films. We at The PBEye, are happy to see this kind of attention paid

VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? Cheryl Naja, Alston & Bird LLP

March 19, 2012

Why do pro bono? Why not? Well, it’s not quite as simple as that, but we at The PBEye have been grateful to have great friends and supporters who can explain the many important reasons to do pro bono legal work. This week hear from Cheryl Naja, pro bono and community service manager at Alston & Bird LLP* about why it’s important to do pro bono. YouTube Link *denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®

Large Firms Embracing Social Media

March 19, 2012

In a previous post on The PBEye, our friend Lisa W. Borden, pro bono shareholder at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C.* wrote about the importance of social media to a law firm’s business and gave some tips on how firms can be savvier in promoting their pro bono work online. Now, a recent article in The Washington Post depicts a growing trend. “Leaders at several top 100 firms are for the first time hiring full-time social media specialists to manage firms’ LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter accounts, and many more are making a concerted effort to prioritize social media outreach

Creative Initiative Helps LA’s Homeless

March 16, 2012

In Los Angeles County, a coalition of nonprofit, business, and city leaders have found permanent housing for more than 3,000 veterans and chronically homeless people. It is the result of a new initiative called Home for Good, a project that plans to end long-term homelessness nationwide by 2016. This unique effort was launched by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. The Los Angeles Times reported, “More than 100 community leaders and organizations — including the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, several cities and housing authorities, law enforcement officials

VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? David Williams, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services

March 13, 2012

As we at The PBEye have mentioned, in-house pro bono is really on a roll. Corporate Counsel even recently ran a lead story on the factors contributing to the uptick in in-house pro bono. This we week hear from one of the corporate leaders on the front lines of in-house pro bono, David Williams, CEO of Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, on why lawyers should do pro bono. YouTube Link

CPBO Spotlight On: Aetna Inc.

March 13, 2012

Aetna, the recipient of the 2009 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award, has a longstanding tradition of pro bono service. Among the first to do so, the legal department adopted a formal pro bono program in 1981. The program’s longevity is due in large part to consistent support from general counsel over the years, including current Senior Vice President and General Counsel Bill Casazza. Connecticut Lawyers’ Legal Aid to the Elderly Since the program’s inception, Aetna’s lawyers have handled hundreds of cases in the greater Hartford, Conn., area dealing with elder law issues such as estate planning, Medicaid, Medicare, landlord-tenant disputes

Pro Bono Gives Second Chances

March 8, 2012

What is life like for ex-offenders when they are released back into society after serving their sentences? The PBEye recently saw a documentary which answers this question. Graduate film students at The George Washington University Documentary Center explored this issue in the film “Released to Life”, which was named “Washington’s Best Film” in D.C.’s inaugural documentary competition. The filmmakers shed some light on programs that are helping convicts rehabilitate and which services are sorely lacking for those leaving prison without a job, home, and everyday life skills to aid the transition. Ex-offenders face a myriad of obstacles including legal barriers, such

In Memoriam: Michael A. Rothenberg

February 28, 2012

The death of our friend Michael Rothenberg, executive director of New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI), is a profound loss for his family, friends, NYLPI, and for the entire pro bono community. Michael was a remarkable lawyer and “an inspirational leader in the New York City social justice community.” He excelled at community-based organizing and leveraging the pro bono potential of New York City’s major law firms. His visionary passion for social change ran the gamut from promoting the civil rights of individuals with disabilities to fighting for access to quality health care for all people to advocating

VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? Hon. Robert Katzmann

February 27, 2012

One of the best changes in pro bono we’ve seen over the last 15 years is the increasing engagement of government in the push for more pro bono. The PBEye particularly grateful to hear pro bono advocacy from the bench, considering judges are in a great position to assess the legal needs of their jurisdictions. This week hear from U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit Judge Robert A. Katzmann on why lawyers should do pro bono. YouTube Link

VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? Maria Odom, CLINIC

February 20, 2012

We at The PBEye think that one of the best feelings in the world is helping someone in need. So we also think that lawyers who do pro bono are some of the luckiest people in the world because they get to do just that. This week hear from Maria Odom, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network Inc., on why lawyers should do pro bono. YouTube Link

Author: dlipscomb