Corporate Pro Bono Archives - Page 16 of 19

Gap Meets with Local Nonprofits

December 7, 2011

Last week, Gap, Inc.’s** legal department met with ten local nonprofits to conduct a legal audit of the organizations and ensure that they are operating in good legal health. Gap partnered with CPBO, Volunteer Legal Services Program (VLSP) of The Bar Association of San Francisco, and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP* to host a Clinic in a BoxSM program. The Clinic, held at the Gap headquarters in San Francisco, attracted 42 members of the Gap legal department, including Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Secretary, and Chief Compliance Officer Michelle Banks, who participated in the training session and met with a

VIDEO: Verizon on the Pro Bono Horizon

December 7, 2011

Our friend John Frantz, vice president and associate general counsel at Verizon Communications Inc.**, heads the company’s pro bono program and spoke with us about two emerging areas in pro bono we care a lot about: multijurisdictional practice rules reform and pro bono partnerships. In the video below, Frantz explains why both are important to pro bono culture, and both are subjects Frantz knows something about. In April, the Virginia Supreme Court removed restrictions on pro bono practice by in-house lawyers in the state, a great victory for pro bono and Verizon, which was looking to get attorneys more involved

GE, Arnold & Porter, CLC Partner for Kids

November 11, 2011

In the summer of 2010, representatives from General Electric Company** and Arnold & Porter LLP*combined forces to help address some of the issues facing at-risk youth in the Washington, D.C. area. The team met with the Children’s Law Center (CLC), an organization that provides free legal counsel to low-income children in the D.C. area, to formulate a plan. After meeting with CLC, the organizations decided to focus their efforts on increasing access to special education resources. Washington, D.C. has an exceptionally high prevalence of disability among children, with more than 12,000 children who have disabilities requiring special education accommodations. Many schools

Pro Bono to Honor Those Who Serve

November 10, 2011

“In an unbroken line of valor stretching across more than two centuries, our veterans have charged into harm’s way, sometimes making the ultimate sacrifice, to protect the freedoms that have blessed America. Whether Active Duty, Reserve, or National Guard, they are our Nation’s finest citizens, and they have shown the heights to which Americans can rise when asked and inspired to do so.” — President Barack Obama (2010) This Veterans Day, Americans will recognize the sacrifices of the country’s veterans with parades, memorials, and tokens of appreciation. Providing pro bono services to eligible veterans is a unique opportunity for lawyers

VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono?

November 9, 2011

Why do pro bono? It’s a question that The PBEye loves hearing because there are so many good reasons. For starters, it may help you live longer. You can literally change the world with pro bono. With enough dedication to pro bono, you can help someone get his life back. Or maybe you do pro bono because you believe that access to justice is a fundamental human right that no one should be denied. We could go on and on, but we’d rather let you hear it from those who do it every day. YouTube Link

Guest Blog: Deere Celebrates Giving Back to the Community

November 2, 2011

The Deere & Company** Global Law Services Group held its bi-annual Pro Bono and Community Service Celebration at Deere & Company’s Worldwide Headquarters in Moline, Ill., on Oct. 19. Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas L. Kilbride was the event’s keynote speaker. The celebration’s theme, “Giving Back to the Community,” reflected the Global Law Services Group’s dedication to serving those in need of legal services and, more generally, Deere’s commitment to an environment in which employees are encouraged to engage in volunteerism for the betterment of their communities. In his keynote address, Chief Justice Kilbride encouraged participation in pro bono

Ford, Dykema , and CLR Team Up

October 25, 2011

In 2008, Ford Motor Company**, Dykema Gossett PLLC*, and Community Legal Resources (CLR) conceived of a program to provide legal support to Michigan nonprofit organizations. In the wake of the recession, the nonprofits faced significant financial hardship and found it increasingly difficult to serve their clients. Michigan was one of the states hit hardest by the economic downturn, rendering the services provided by nonprofit organizations all the more important. Witnessing the vulnerability of nonprofits in the state, Ford, Dykema, and CLR developed a program called the Nonprofit Survival Clinic to help implement legal strategies to improve their financial wellbeing. In preparation

VIDEO: Thinking Practically About Pro Bono Risk Management

October 6, 2011

On Tuesday, The PBEye posted a video about risk management at law firms and legal departments in the context of Maples v. Thomas. In Maples, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether a defendant is prohibited from arguing the unconstitutionality of his death sentence in federal habeas proceedings, because – through no fault of his own – his lawyers missed a filing deadline in the Alabama state court. In Tuesday’s video, our own Reena Glazer, assistant director of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project, discussed a few best practices regarding the duty to supervise subordinate lawyers and non-attorneys in pro

UnitedHealth Group and CLC

October 5, 2011

Upon establishing a pro bono program in 2008, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated** set out to create formal legal services partnerships. The Children’s Law Center of Minnesota (CLC) proved to be the perfect fit. CLC’s mission to give a voice and assist children in foster care, many of whom are children of color or have mental disabilities, matches UnitedHealth Group’s values. Plus, CLC provides a strong program in which UnitedHealth Group volunteers can easily work as a part of a team to dramatically impact a child’s life. In the resulting Child Law Project, each volunteer attorney receives training. Then, he or she

VIDEO: Integrating Risk Management into Pro Bono Practice

October 4, 2011

The U.S. Supreme Court today heard oral arguments in the case of Maples v. Thomas, which concerns the appeals process for death row inmate Cory Maples (more on the case and oral arguments here). At issue in the case is whether a mailroom mix-up at the firm that was representing Maples at the time should cost him his critical appeal. The PBEye has been watching the case closely and has some insights on risk management and best practices that pro bono lawyers should consider implementing with regards to supervision of pro bono work and the treatment of pro bono matters

Category: Corporate Pro Bono