Author: dlipscomb

Today is Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day, a time to commemorate the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust. Imagine having your family and childhood destroyed by the Nazis, only to be tormented by the crushing burden of poverty in old age. This is unfortunately the reality for a great number of survivors worldwide who live below the poverty line. There are a range of opportunities for pro bono lawyers to help survivors with their legal needs. One inspiring example that has been in the news recently involves a team of pro bono lawyers from Akin Gump

Don’t miss your chance to schedule a house call with the Law Firm Pro Bono Project. We have upcoming trips to Austin, Texas, and Richmond, Va., and we are currently planning our travel schedule for 2015 and early 2016. Make sure your city is one of our destinations! These house calls are part of our expert and confidential consultative services program. Law Firm Pro Bono Project staff visit law firms and meet with firm and office leaders; pro bono committees; pro bono partners, coordinators, directors, and managers; and others to offer individualized assistance. During these meetings we discuss issues and

March Madness is winding down as we head into the Final Four this weekend, and we hope that your brackets are doing as well as ours. The good news is that the excitement doesn’t have to stop on Monday evening after we crown a new champion. The PBEye is thrilled to announce that PBI is partnering with several governing bodies on a new program – Pro Bono Madness! Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in various types of informal competitions (i.e., between different offices or practice groups) to boost pro bono performance within law firms. We were

  On this week’s episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver tackled the issue of criminal justice debt, providing an in-depth look at how relatively small violations can have disastrous effects on the lives of low-income people. He explained how fines and fees arising from traffic and other low-level offenses, often used as a way to fund local governments without raising taxes, can trap those unable to pay in a vicious cycle of debt. Failure to pay a fine can lead to additional surcharges and fees, the suspension of one’s driver’s license, or even jail time in some cases. Furthermore,

Pro bono has become a significant part of the summer associate experience and a crucial differentiator as talented law students make decisions about their futures. Again this year, Law Firm Pro Bono Project staff members are available to speak at events for summer associates. Each summer, we participate in a number of informational programs, during which Project staff, along with firm partners, directors, managers, coordinators, associates, and pro bono committee members, discuss an array of pro bono-related topics, such as: • the relationship of pro bono to professional and skill development; • national trends in pro bono; • “hot” and

The Law Firm Pro Bono Project is still accepting Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® data for the 2014 calendar year. Time is running out, so act quickly! Reporting is easier than ever. This year, we have issued a more streamlined survey with fewer mandatory questions. Signatories need only provide information about their pro bono hours, pro bono hours provided to those of limited means, and attorney participation, although we welcome responses to the optional questions as well. We have also prepared a new, user-friendly, comprehensive FAQ to make responding straight-forward and efficient. Thank you to those who have already submitted

Are you new to the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s Resource Clearinghouse? Could you use a refresher on what resources we have to offer? The Law Firm Pro Bono Project has released a catalog that provides a sampling of the available publications and materials. Law Firm Pro Bono Project Members recently received a copy of this new catalog in the mail. Others may contact Law Firm Pro Bono Project Assistant Eva Richardson to request a copy. The Resource Clearinghouse is a one-stop, online resource for publications, best practices, surveys, model policies, and other materials on law firm pro bono. The

Reporting season for the 2014 calendar year is now open. We have emailed unique survey links to all Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Signatories, so be sure to check your spam filter if you did not receive the email. The deadline for reporting is February 27. This year, we have issued a more streamlined survey with fewer questions; we are only requiring that Signatories provide information about their pro bono hours, pro bono hours provided to those of limited means, and attorney participation. We have also prepared a new, user-friendly, comprehensive FAQ to make responding easy and efficient. Since 1993,