Announcements Archives - Pro Bono Institute

We Have a New Look and New Address!

November 2, 2017

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” – John F. Kennedy This week we released our new brand identity including a new logo for Pro Bono Institute (PBI), Law Firm Pro Bono Project, and Corporate Pro Bono, a global partnership project of PBI and Association of Corporate Counsel. Our new look reflects our bold, innovative mission and the past 20 years of transforming the pro bono landscape with you. You’ll see the new branding on our correspondence, website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn pages.

Upcoming Webinar: Pro Bono in Practice – Elections

July 7, 2016

What do John Legend, John Oliver, and The PBEye have in common? We are all interested in voting rights and the upcoming election. As the 2016 presidential election captures our attention and November 8 gets closer, one thing is certain: many eligible voters will have trouble casting ballots on Election Day. Voting is at the heart of our democracy; yet our voting system remains imperfect and deeply flawed. A number of prominent civil rights and public interest groups are leading non-partisan, critical efforts to ensure that every eligible voter can vote and that every proper vote is counted. Join us on July

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

VIDEO: Lippman Outlines New York Bar Admission Pro Bono Requirements

September 26, 2012

On September 19, New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced the details of New York’s new pro bono requirement for admission to the bar at a press conference at the New York University School of Law. Prospective attorneys will be required to perform 50 hours of pro bono service as condition of admittance, with the policy becoming effective January 1, 2013, and applying to law students entering their first and second years of school. The details came less than five months after Judge Lippman stunned the legal world with his announcement that New York would become the first state to

Undocumented Youth Have Hope

September 12, 2012

On June 15, the Obama administration announced a new program to benefit undocumented young people in the U.S. A two year renewable reprieve from deportation and work permits are available for undocumented immigrants who entered the U.S. before age 16, are currently 30 years old or younger, and are in school, are high school graduates, or military veterans. Other considerations will also be taken into account, such as one’s criminal history. It is estimated that around 1.7 million individuals are eligible to benefit from the program which began accepting applications on August 15. Although the full ramifications of the program are

Pro Bono Weathers Rough Economy

June 27, 2011

As promised, PBI‘s Law Firm Pro Bono Project released its annual report of pro bono participation at large law firms today. The Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® report examines the 2010 pro bono activities of firms that have signed on to the Challenge. In 2010, attorneys from 138 firms completed more than 4.45 million hours of pro bono service, the third highest year on record! The executive summary notes: • Overall Challenge Performance — Reporting firms completed a total of 4,451,009 hours of pro bono work, the third highest year in the history of the Challenge. • Service to Persons

Walmart to Launch Signature Medical-Legal Partnership

May 5, 2011

A new player enters the world of in-house pro bono with a bang. The Walmart* legal department will launch a medical-legal partnership (MLP) project with Arkansas Children’s Hospital and Legal Aid of Arkansas this spring. A relatively unchartered arena in in-house pro bono, Walmart’s MLP will be a signature project for its legal department, and will include both onsite and virtual pro bono opportunities for Walmart lawyers and legal staff. Onsite, legal professionals become a part of the healthcare team. Doctors will refer patients to lawyers for legal assistance when appropriate. Just as a pediatrician refers a patient to a radiologist for

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