Corporate Pro Bono Archives - Page 17 of 19

CPBO Spotlight On: LexisNexis Group

September 21, 2011

LexisNexis is a leading global provider of business information solutions to a wide range of professionals in numerous industries. Under the leadership of Ken Thompson, a staunch supporter of pro bono, the LexisNexis legal department has undertaken a number of impactful pro bono initiatives. Southern Africa Litigation Center In 2007, LexisNexis launched its first pro bono project, which offers support to the Southern Africa Litigation Center (SALC). SALC trains attorneys, supports human rights cases, and carries out other programs to advance the rule of law. In partnership with local lawyers and human rights NGOs, SALC identifies the specific constitutional and

Partnerships at Work: Ford and LAD

September 19, 2011

Now that you’ve read about the successful pro bono partnership developed by our friends at ExxonMobil and Hunton & Williams LLP*, The PBEye would like to share the story of another important collaboration between Ford Motor Company** and the Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. (LAD). Ford first partnered with LAD in March 2010 to pilot a food stamp clinic. The clinic seeks to assist the growing number of people living in poverty in Detroit, which recently exceeded 30 percent of the population, resulting in an overwhelming number of food stamp benefit cases being referred to government caseworkers. During the clinic,

ExxonMobil and Hunton & Williams Team Up

September 2, 2011

With care and planning, partnerships between and among legal departments, law firms, and legal service providers can be a useful way to pool resources, increase capacity, and share ideas to help a greater number of people in need. The PBEye loves to hear about successful pro bono partnerships, and we are excited to share their stories with you in a series of blogs in the coming months. The northern Virginia office of ExxonMobil Corporation and the McLean, Va., office of Hunton & Williams LLP* formed a partnership in 2009, tapping their combined resources to serve the northern Virginia community. As its

Planning Your In-House Pro Bono Budget

August 25, 2011

As the U.S. continues to learn, it’s important to think about budgets early and often. While many of us are still in summer mode, it is never too early to start thinking about your legal department’s 2012 pro bono budget. Many budgets are due by the end of the third quarter so that they can be discussed and, hopefully, approved by year end. End of third quarter is less than 40 days away. Has your department started thinking about it? As The PBEye previously reported, CPBO conducted an in-house pro bono benchmarking survey for 2010. Survey says! Nearly 46 percent of the legal departments that responded include

Collaborating to Serve Consumer Debtors

July 26, 2011

In response to the economic downturn, a group of legal departments and a law firm are collaborating to support a New Jersey Volunteer Lawyers for Justice project dedicated to tackling issues facing consumer debtors. Lawyers from Prudential, AT&T**, Merck** and McCarter & English LLP* banded together to form Newark Legal Aid and Resource Clinic for Consumers (NLARCC), which provides legal assistance to an ever-increasing number of self-represented consumer debtors. Together, the group of lawyers has significantly increased capacity to address the uptick in consumer legal issues. The N.J. court system has been inundated with consumer-related cases, and the work of volunteer

VIDEO: Legal Services and You

July 14, 2011

As pro bono has grown and evolved over the years, partnerships among the various stakeholders regarding access to justice issues have become increasingly popular. Collaborations between law firms, corporate legal departments and legal services organizations have become more common as a way to pool resources and expertise for pro bono legal work. Now we are seeing even more involvement from government as various jurisdictions look to maximize often scarce resources for the administration of justice. The PBEye recently had a chance to speak with our friend Jim Sandman, president of the Legal Services Corporation, a federally established nonprofit designed to

CPBO Spotlight On: Verizon Communications

July 5, 2011

CPBO ChallengeSM Signatory Verizon Communications Inc. officially launched its pro bono program in late 2009. Already, the department has exceptionally high pro bono participation rates with attorneys and staff participating in offices across the United States. So far in 2011, nearly half of Verizon’s attorneys are participating. Under the program, the company’s more than 700 attorneys and staff are encouraged to volunteer a minimum of 25 hours per year. The department is fortunate to be under the leadership of a true pro bono devotee, Executive Vice President and General Counsel Randal Milch. The program is chaired by John Frantz, Verizon’s vice

CPBO Spotlight On: Royal Bank of Canada

June 28, 2011

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has been a pro bono leader among Canadian companies. RBC’s success is in large part due to the support of Executive Vice President and General Counsel David Allgood. Under his supervision, in 2007, RBC adopted a formal pro bono policy and its program has continued to flourish. With approximately 150 lawyers worldwide, the legal department has provided a wide variety of work for nonprofit organizations, including assistance with incorporation, governance, charitable tax status, employment and real estate issues, legal risk assessments, and the development of policies. In addition, RBC is involved in a variety of impactful

Pro Bono and Employee Engagement

June 16, 2011

Last Friday, our friends at Deloitte* celebrated their 12th annual IMPACT Day, a national day of service during which employees devote the day to volunteerism. More than 50,000 employees participated this year, volunteering at more than 800 events nationwide. Some of these volunteer projects were skills-based and allowed employees to use their business knowledge and expertise in order to help a good cause—in other words, they were pro bono projects. IMPACT Day encourages Deloitte employees to contribute to their communities, but the benefits don’t stop there. Each year, Deloitte conducts its IMPACT Survey to explore trends and issues in corporate philanthropy. Deloitte’s 2011

In the Windy City, Lawyers Give Back

June 13, 2011

Chicago in-house attorneys embodied the city’s old motto “I Will” on June 7, when they turned out in force to provide pro bono legal services to local nonprofit organizations during a Clinic in a BoxSM program, co-hosted by Corporate Pro Bono, United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, Navistar, and the Chicago Association of Corporate Counsel Chapter (ACC Chicago). 60 members of ACC Chicago provided legal assistance to 14 local nonprofit organizations. These organizations provide a broad range of services and serve a population of more than 42,800 low-income and under-served Chicagoans. CPBO’s off-the-shelf Clinic in a BoxSM model provides in-house attorneys

Category: Corporate Pro Bono