Category: Events

John Oliver Takes On Voting Rights

  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

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Pro Bono Matchmaking

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

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The Polar Vortex and Pro Bono

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

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

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

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The December 2004 Tsunami: A Global Pro Bono “Tipping Point” for Deloitte

PBI was honored to recognize Deloitte Financial Advisory Services (FAS) LLP with the first-ever PBI President’s Award, presented at the 2013 PBI Annual Dinner on November 7 in New York.  Among its many contributions, Deloitte FAS has provided invaluable assistance to PBI, enhancing and refining PBI’s collection and analysis of annual pro bono performance data for its Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® reports.  The company is also working with PBI, Merck & Co., Inc.**, and others on the Pro Bono Measurement Project, a comprehensive process to enable law firms and legal departments to measure the societal good and business benefits

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CPBO at the ACC AM in LA

It’s that time of year again! CPBO will travel to the City of Angels to participate in the 2013 ACC Annual Meeting from October 27-30. At the Meeting, CPBO will host a number of events highlighting in-house pro bono. Clinic in a BoxSM Program Monday, October 28 from 7:00 am – 10:30 am Co-hosted at the Annual Meeting by CPBO, ACC SoCal, Alston & Bird*†, and Public Counsel, CPBO’s Clinic in a BoxSM Program offers in-house counsel the opportunity to earn CLE credit and provide a pro bono legal assessment to representatives of Los Angeles area nonprofits. Pre-registration is required

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In-House Hot Topic: Technology

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

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Pro Bono and the Courts

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

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Honoring Our Veterans Through Pro Bono

Aimee Sherrod was only 25 years old when she was discharged from the Air Force. She was deployed three times from 2001-2005, serving in both Iraq and Pakistan, where she frequently saw the horrors of war firsthand. After being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Sherrod was separated from the military and was denied the military retirement benefits to which she was entitled. She married and started a family, but her young family suffered from the financial burden of purchasing healthcare, and they could not afford an essential surgery her son needed. In 2008, the National Veterans Legal Services Program

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“IP”ro Bono

Attendees at the PBI Annual Conference last month had the opportunity to learn about an exciting new pilot initiative called the Minnesota LegalCorps Inventor Assistant Program.  John Calvert from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and Candee Goodman from Lindquist & Vennum PLLP*† were on hand to speak about the program and educate attendees as to how this can be a resource for IP lawyers looking to do pro bono work, while helping jumpstart the U.S. economy.  Independent inventors fuel innovation that can inspire inventions and create new businesses and jobs.  However, they often need legal help they

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