Do you remember what inspired you to become an attorney? This week, we hear from Larry Bennett, patent attorney, Intel Corporation**, as he describes how using various practice skills on pro bono cases remind him of why he decided to practice law. YouTube Link ** denotes a Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® signatory
National Foster Care Month has just concluded, but the unmet legal needs of the more than 400,000 children in foster care in the U.S. continue on, as do pro bono efforts to help address those needs. Such efforts include helping the more than 100,000 foster care children and families seeking adoption each year navigate those proceedings and providing the more than 23,000 children who age-out each year with legal and financial advice. The PBEye previously reported some of this work by law firms and legal services organizations. In-house counsel have also played an important role. In 2004, Pfizer Inc.** co-launched
Interested in a good read for the upcoming long weekend? With recent attention focused on events in Baltimore, Cleveland, Ferguson, Staten Island, and beyond, look no further than Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption by Bryan Stevenson, founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative. It’s one of the most inspiring books we’ve read this year. In his best-selling memoir, Stevenson tells the story of how he became a public interest lawyer, dedicating his career to defending the poor and the wrongly convicted and reforming our nation’s broken justice system. Among Stevenson’s many victories, which include securing
According to the International Labour Organization’s 2012 Global Estimate of Forced Labour, there were an estimated 20.9 million people in forced labor around the world at any given point between 2002 and 2012. The majority of those individuals, 68 percent (14.2 million), were forced to work by private individuals or enterprise in activities such as agriculture, construction, domestic work, and manufacturing. In Australia, most investigations of forced labor have related to sexual exploitation. However, in March of this year, one victim of labor exploitation secured restitution, thanks to the help of pro bono counsel from Clayton Utz. On March 27,
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. In case you need yet another reason, check out a recent Huffington Post article on why it’s especially important for high-level business executives to lead by example and foster a culture of giving back in the workplace. The piece persuasively makes the case that volunteering can improve a leader’s emotional strength and on-the-job effectiveness, enhance their team’s confidence and problem-solving skills, and expand a business’s network of contacts. For many of the same reasons,
Summer associates haven’t even arrived yet, but the next recruiting season at major law firms will be here before we know it. Many law students around the country are looking to join firms where pro bono is an integral part of the culture. Every year we are honored to be able to promote our Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Signatories and their demonstrated commitment to pro bono. Accordingly, the Law Firm Pro Bono Project is mailing its annual Challenge poster to the career services offices of all ABA-accredited law schools. The poster lists every Challenge Signatory, raising the visibility of
We at The PBEye are always excited to hear why our friends are doing pro bono. This week, we hear from Patricia Mugavero, vice president and assistant general counsel, JPMorgan Chase & Co., as she shares her reasons for doing pro bono. YouTube Link
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and there is still more work to be done to fight discrimination and promote equal access, independence, opportunity, and freedom from abuse and neglect. Disability rights issues are fertile ground for lawyers, law firms, and legal departments looking to develop or expand their pro bono practice. The range of opportunities is broad and deep, with options for both small and large-scale projects and those that would appeal to litigators and non-litigators alike. Through a variety of pro bono engagements and partnerships with advocacy organizations, pro bono lawyers
Is your firm interested in improving its pro bono program? If so, the spring season, with its emphasis on renewal and growth, makes it the perfect time to check out our Law Firm Pro Bono Self-Assessment Guide, which is designed to help large law firms assess the strengths and weaknesses of their programs and engage in goal-setting and long-term strategic planning. In order to be effective and successful, pro bono programs should be compatible with the firm’s environment, culture, and history. There are a range of ever-evolving factors that shape a firm’s program, such as firm size, geographic location, the
On April 1, new rules approved by the Ohio Supreme Court went into effect, permitting non-locally licensed in-house counsel registered to work in state for their employer to also provide pro bono legal services in Ohio. Under the amended Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio (Gov.Bar R. VI, Section 3) and Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct (Prof.Cond.R. 5.5.), registered in-house counsel in Ohio may provide pro bono to “either a person of limited means or a charitable organization” and the legal service is assigned or verified by an approved organization. This is an important step
