Corporate Pro Bono Archives - Page 8 of 19

Breaking Poverty Barriers to Equal Justice

October 29, 2015

Are you interested in strengthening communication with your pro bono clients? Ethnic and socio-economic cultural differences between pro bono attorneys and clients can jeopardize the attorney-client relationship. Lindquist & Vennum*†, in conjunction with the Volunteer Lawyers Network, developed a training program for use nationwide that aims to bridge these gaps and facilitate systemic change. The training video modules and curriculum guide feature the expertise of Dr. Donna Beegle, a nationally recognized professional trainer from Communication Across Barriers in Portland, Ore. We received a preview of this innovative project earlier this year at the 2015 PBI Annual Conference. Now that the

Global CSR + Pro Bono

September 8, 2015

One of the ways to increase pro bono activities within in-house legal departments is to closely align them with the company’s ethos and its global corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts. One such example of the complementary nature of Global CSR and pro bono programs is the work done by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), which have garnered numerous awards and recognition for the company. IBM’s legal department’s pro bono activities routinely match with the company’s CSR initiatives through such programs as IBM’s employee Corporate Service Corps and On Demand Community. In 2011, IBM celebrated its 100-year anniversary by encouraging employees

Katrina and the Legacy of Pro Bono

August 27, 2015

This month marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the devastating toll it took on the Gulf Coast. The legal profession had a key role to play in helping those affected by the storm rebuild their lives and their communities in both the immediate aftermath and the long-term. Residents of New Orleans and the surrounding areas were confronted by a slew of critical legal needs in the wake of the hurricane, but the region lacked the capacity to adequately meet the demand. Pro bono lawyers and law students from around the country stepped in, both remotely and by travelling to

Partnership Develops Tools to Aid Judges in South Asia

August 26, 2015

South Asia has suffered from a significant amount of terrorist violence over the years. For example, 38 percent of terrorist incidents in 2013 occurred in South Asia, according to the Global Center on Cooperative Security. In 2014, according to the U.S. State Department, more than 60 percent of terrorist attacks took place in just five countries (Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Nigeria), of which three are in South Asia; nearly 6,700 people died from terrorist attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and India that year. In recognition of the need to build expertise in the adjudication of terrorism-related cases, the Global Center

Mobilizing Pro Bono

August 11, 2015

In the spring of 2013, two weeks after attending an immigration law training session hosted by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld*†, AT&T Inc.** volunteers put their skills to use by participating in a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival mega-clinic. At the clinic, set in a local Dallas high school that serves a large immigrant population, AT&T attorneys counseled more than 250 immigrants regarding eligibility and in filling out detailed applications. The clinic was designed as a one-day project; however, one client who needed more assistance stuck out to Belinda Marin Boling, a co-chair of AT&T’s southwest region’s pro bono

Looking for Transactional Pro Bono Opportunities?

July 30, 2015

As part of the “Best of the 2015 PBI Annual Conference” webinar series, PBI recently hosted “Pro Bono for Entrepreneurial Clients: Small Businesses and Social Entrepreneurs.” The following panel of pro bono leaders explored best practices for providing pro bono representation to small businesses and social entrepreneurs: Judah Ariel, Sidley Austin*† Jennifer DaSilva, Start Small Think Big, Inc. Regina Hopkins, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center Cynthia Weiss, Latham Watkins*† A growing number of transactional pro bono opportunities involve eligible small businesses and social entrepreneurs and much of this work requires the specialized skills of transactional attorneys. The panelists shared recent

Chief Legal Officers Speak Out on Pro Bono

July 17, 2015

Chief legal officers have been at the forefront of the incredible growth of in-house pro bono. Many have publicly emphasized the importance of engaging in pro bono not just for their own legal departments but for every lawyer. At the 2014 PBI Annual Dinner, Randy Milch, former general counsel and current executive vice president and strategic policy advisor, Verizon Communications Inc.**, shared why pro bono service is important and spoke about the tremendous need for attorneys to volunteer and become evangelists for pro legal services. In his remarks, Milch, acknowledging that more than 80 percent of the legal needs of

Video: Why Do Pro Bono? Michael Howson, AOL Inc.

July 2, 2015

Michael Howson, assistant general counsel, AOL Inc.**, explains how pro bono work creates a sense of balance between his day-to-day corporate responsibilities and his desire to make an immediate impact in his community. YouTube Link ** denotes a Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® signatory

Benchmarking In-House Pro Bono: Liability Insurance

June 23, 2015

What are some of the ways that your legal department can obtain professional liability insurance for pro bono engagement? Which sources of coverage are most popular? The most recent CPBO Benchmarking Report answers these questions and more! There is a variety of malpractice insurance coverage options available for in-house counsel and legal departments engaging in pro bono, including adding an endorsement to an existing policy or purchasing a standalone policy, and many departments access a combination of options to ensure coverage. According to the 2014 Benchmarking Report, the majority of responding legal departments elect to partner with a legal services

Liberia, the Magna Carta, and the Rule of Law

June 17, 2015

On June 15, thousands of people from around the world descended on a field in Runnymede in the United Kingdom to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta. Although the Magna Carta was not the first time a monarch agreed to respect the rights and liberties of others, it went on to become an icon for the revolutionary concepts of due process and the rule of law. As British Prime Minister David Cameron noted at the commemoration, “Think of South Africa – of that courtroom in Rivonia. As Nelson Mandela stood in the dock, looking at

Category: Corporate Pro Bono