Law Firm Pro Bono Archives - Page 27 of 36

Knock Knock Anyone Home?

May 16, 2013

Is your firm taking full advantage of your Law Firm Pro Bono Project Member Benefits? Why not invite the Law Firm Project for a visit! The Law Firm Project provides a variety of expert consultative services to Member Law Firms. One benefit of Membership is a House Call where Law Firm Project Director Tammy Taylor and Law Firm Project Assistant Director Reena Glazer visit your city or one nearby. During the visits Project staff meet with pro bono committees, firm and office leaders, partners, and pro bono managers to discuss national trends in pro bono and to learn about innovative pro

Pro Bono Isn’t Just For Litigators!

May 9, 2013

Transactional or business-related pro bono projects can offer meaningful long-term solutions for individuals, families, and communities in need. In addition, involving non-litigators is one of the most effective ways to enhance pro bono performance and broaden institutional support for pro bono. Law firms and legal departments that want to expand their pro bono programs by involving their business and transactional lawyers, however, often report difficulty in finding a steady, varied, and reliable stream of appropriate transactional pro bono matters. It is one of the most common topics of requests for expert consultation that we receive, and we can help! Recently,

Mother Nature Needs Pro Bono Lawyers

April 25, 2013

In the days between Earth Day and Arbor Day, our thoughts turn to spring, nature, and environmental sustainability. The increased attention given to environmental and climate change issues over the past few years has brought about local, national, and international concern for the health of our planet. In their annual reports, newsletters and on their websites, a number of companies and law firms emphasize their adoption and implementation of green business practices. Recycling programs, energy-efficient lighting, and the use of e-mail and technology instead of paper are just a few ways in which law firms and legal departments, and indeed

Pro Bono Assistance for Young Immigrants

April 23, 2013

When President Obama announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in June 2012, undocumented immigrants were given the opportunity to step out of the shadows and finally pursue their dreams of becoming doctors, engineers, and teachers in the U.S. The program gives a two-year, renewable reprieve from deportation to undocumented immigrants who meet a variety of eligibility requirements, including those who came to the U.S. before age 16 and are in school, high school graduates, or military veterans. Potential participants also need to be under the age of 31 and have lived in the U.S. for five years.

Pro Bono and a Food Desert Near You

April 11, 2013

The PBEye closely follows pro bono efforts designed to increase access to nutritious and affordable food. As a society, we continue to pay greater attention to the food we eat and the impact it has on our health and well-being. Unhealthy eating habits and limited access to fresh food, however, are systemic issues for many Americans. This is particularly problematic because the number of poor and hungry residents in the U.S. climbed recently (47.3 million, nearly one in seven Americans, participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly referred to as food stamps). Pro bono work in this area has

Just Released: Law Firm Pro Bono Staffing Survey Report

January 10, 2013

Over the summer, the Law Firm Pro Bono Project conducted a survey to obtain current information about pro bono staffing at large law firms. We frequently receive requests from firms regarding trends in pro bono staffing and the survey results enable us to provide accurate information about the evolving law firm pro bono staffing ecosystem. The 2012 report on this survey has been published and provides an update to similar surveys conducted in 2001 and 2007. The report – the most comprehensive of its kind – documents the detailed information obtained from more than 100 respondents from 89 different law

The Three Rs

November 29, 2012

We spend a lot of time thinking, talking, and writing about why lawyers, law firms, and legal departments should do pro bono work. Many of the benefits of pro bono work, both the easily measureable ones and those less quantifiable, support an unwavering business rationale for pro bono and for institutional engagement. It is critical that pro bono supporters persuasively identify the aspects of pro bono work that, when appropriately structured and woven into the fabric of the workplace, yield important institutional benefits for the law firm or legal department and its attorneys, in addition to the clients and communities

Protecting Women from Violence with Pro Bono

November 26, 2012

On November 25, the world celebrated the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Around the world, violence against women and girls has become one of the most pervasive tragedies of our time. According to UN Women, up to 70 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The group also states that acts of violence cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war combined, in women ages 15 to 44. These statistics are among the reasons why the United Nations designated a day of recognition to promote awareness of violence

Pro Bono After Hurricane Sandy

November 8, 2012

Last week, millions of people on the East Coast were thrown into a state of disarray by Hurricane Sandy. Despite the destruction created by the storm, there were many inspiring stories of strangers helping each other. From individuals setting up charging stations for their neighbors without power, to restaurants providing free food to victims, the days following Hurricane Sandy have been filled with random acts of kindness. Naturally, times of crisis prompt many of us to take action to help those in need and lawyers are no exception. Attorneys in the tri-state area have been quick to respond to the

Pro Bono Me-Tooism

October 25, 2012

A few years ago, Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren E. Buffett created the Giving Pledge—to stimulate discussions about philanthropy among the ultra-wealthy and unleash a wave of “me-tooism” among others that would help solve our most pressing problems and bring about “the Second Great Wave of Philanthropy.” Each person who chooses to pledge makes a public statement in support of a moral commitment to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes and serves as a role model to others, of all financial means and backgrounds. The concept has caught on quickly; Giving Pledge commitments have increased from

Category: Law Firm Pro Bono