Annual Conference Archives - Pro Bono Institute

Keeping Up Volunteer Motivation: PBI Annual Conference Preview

January 22, 2024

By Lindsay Haaker Raising pro bono participation can help lessen the barrier to access to justice for many unrepresented individuals. This makes finding the right approach to increase pro bono engagement critical. According to PBI’s 2023 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report, participation rates in 2022 were down for both partners and associates at Challenge signatory law firms, marking the second straight year of declines after a string of years with small upticks. In 2022, 63.1 percent of partners and 83.4 percent of associates participated in pro bono, compared to 66.7 percent and 86.8 percent, respectively, in 2021. Similarly, the

2023 PBI Annual Conference Takeaways

March 29, 2023

At the end of February, PBI hosted the 2023 Annual Conference in Washington, DC. For the first time since 2019, the Annual Conference was held entirely in-person in Washington, DC. With over 200 attendees from law firms, in-house departments, and public interest organizations, the 2023 Annual Conference sparked passionate and insightful discussions surrounding many pro bono topics. Here are a few takeaways from the Conference: The number of lawyers doing pro bono in the U.S. is increasing, but so is the number of individuals without access to justice. During their plenary presentation, Jim Sandman, Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Future of

Looking Back While Looking Forward

June 8, 2021

Revisiting the PBI 2021 Annual Conference The cicadas are chirping and the humid, hot days have arrived here in D.C., yet it doesn’t feel so long ago that PBI hosted its springtime Annual Conference. From March 23 – 26, 2021, PBI virtually welcomed hundreds of pro bono leaders from the in-house, law firm, and public interest sectors. Here are a few takeaways that reflect back on the Conference while also speaking to the future of pro bono: Pro bono lawyers are innovating and collaborating to address the crises of our time. During a year that changed the way we practice

PBI’s First Ever Virtual Conference Calls on Pro Bono Attorneys to Advance Racial Justice

July 30, 2020

The year 2020 have been a whirlwind for the entire globe, and specifically for the United States. Beginning in March, the spread of COVID-19 has kept approximately one-third of Americans working from home and the entire nation social distancing from friends and family. During this already historic moment, we arrived at another important chapter in the history of the United States. The murder of George Floyd awakened much of our country to the fight for racial justice and need for police reform. We have watched, and many of us have participated, as protestors take to the streets in cities and towns all across America and the world to demand racial equality, racial justice, and the end of police action that brutalizes Black Americans and people of color.

As pro bono professionals, leaders, and volunteers, we continuously look to the communities in which we live and work to identify issues and individuals in need of legal assistance. Communities across the country need pro bono services to advance racial equity. When PBI began planning its first ever virtual conference in March, the emerging pro bono needs brought on by the pandemic were front and center. After the killing of George Floyd in May, addressing systemic racism became a vital focus.

Creating opportunities to address racial injustice in this country, PBI was fortunate to present three exceptional keynote speakers to our conference: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, political leader and nonprofit CEO Stacey Abrams, and Lawyers’ Committee President and Executive Director Kristen Clarke.

John Oliver Takes On Voting Rights

March 3, 2016

The presidential primaries are in full swing and The PBEye was pleased to see that John Oliver kicked off season three of Last Week Tonight with a timely segment about voting rights. He took aim at states that have implemented voting restrictions following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder, which weakened the Voting Rights Act. According to Oliver, “Since 2011, seven states have curtailed early voting and 13 have added requirements that voters show some kind of ID at the polls.” After showing clips of state lawmakers claiming that these new voting requirements are simply

Pro Bono Matchmaking

June 11, 2015

We can’t believe it’s already been three months since pro bono leaders from law firms, legal departments, and public interest organizations from around the world gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2015 PBI Annual Conference to share ideas on how to enhance the performance, efficiency, and effectiveness of their pro bono efforts. Each year, law firm and in-house attendees make new connections and forge fruitful relationships with public interest organizations during the Pro Bono Expo Lunch and other networking opportunities throughout the Conference. For example, the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund (TLDEF) has attended the Conference for the past

The Polar Vortex and Pro Bono

February 25, 2014

This winter, Americans across the country have faced extreme weather as streets became covered in ice and mounds of snow and temperatures and wind chills dropped to record lows. Many of us have complained about this seemingly endless winter, but we’ve also had the privilege of being able to stay warm in our homes and offices. We at The PBEye have tried to remember to be sensitive to the needs of others. According to government data, more than 600,000 Americans are homeless on any given night and approximately 700 homeless people die from hypothermia each year. While many cities guarantee

Don’t Be Intimidated: Selecting In-House Pro Bono Projects

November 19, 2013

At this year’s PBI Annual Conference, in-house counsel and other legal department pro bono leaders broke into groups to discuss a variety of topics relevant to the continued development of in-house pro bono. One group, led by Adam Brink of The Clorox Company**, focused its discussion on the selection of pro bono projects including how departments starting, expanding, or refocusing their pro bono efforts can select the right projects. Getting Started When creating an in-house pro bono program, there are a series of steps to take prior to selecting specific projects. Before any significant projects can be started, departments must

In-House Hot Topic: Technology

September 24, 2013

While some in-house attendees at this year’s PBI Annual Conference talked about recognition during the In-House Track Hot Topics Session, another group focused on technology’s existing and potential impact on pro bono. David March, senior counsel at Target Corporation**, led representatives from seven legal departments in a thoughtful discussion of the topic, which emphasized that technology, when applied properly, can assist remote clients and improve the effectiveness of pro bono efforts. Those points and the challenges associated with using technology for pro bono are summarized below. Delivery of Pro Bono Services One of the greatest challenges to improving access to

Pro Bono and the Courts

July 10, 2013

As The PBEye previously detailed, the judiciary is becoming an increasingly prominent player in the fight to advance access to justice. In order to learn more, PBI hosted a panel of distinguished judges at the closing plenary session of its 2013 Annual Conference. The panel, moderated by PBI President and CEO Esther F. Lardent, included: • Hon. William Bright—Judge, Connecticut Superior Court • Hon. Bernice B. Donald—Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit • Hon. Jonathan Lippman—Chief Judge, New York Court of Appeals • Hon. Eric Washington—Chief Judge, District of Columbia Court of Appeals The judges discussed the

Category: Annual Conference