Category: Law Firm Pro Bono

On September 28, Damon Thibodeaux, at the age of 38, was given the gift of life. Thibodeaux was wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of his “step-cousin” in 1996 and spent 15 years on death row in Louisiana.  Grieving over his 14-year-old cousin’s death, he confessed to the crime during a grueling nine-hour interrogation in which police threatened to put him to death by lethal injection.  He later recanted the confession, citing pressure from police and grief, but was sentenced to death in 1997.  Despite his conviction, attorneys at Fredrikson & Byron P.A.*† believed in Thibodeaux’s innocence and agreed

The U.S. Supreme Court began a new term Monday and its docket is full of especially weighty issues. On October 10, the Court will hear oral arguments in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, a significant challenge to the use of affirmative action in higher education, and one in which we at The PBEye are particularly interested because of its significant draw of pro bono work.  Abigail Fisher, a white student who was denied admission, challenged the University of Texas’s admission policy as unconstitutional, arguing that the Court should overrule its opinion in Grutter v. Bollinger (2003), which held

There is no labor a person does that is undignified; if they do it right. – Bill Cosby Since Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894, Americans have celebrated the vast achievements of our workers.  Incredible progress has been made since the Industrial Revolution, which saw the average American working 12-hour days, seven days a week to earn a meager living, and children toiling away in hazardous conditions.  Yet there is still work to be done to secure fair wages, safe conditions, and equality in the workplace, and pro bono attorneys have contributed significantly to improve the lives of

Although it’s still summer and the temperatures say it’s here to stay for a bit, recruiting season is getting started at major law firms around the country.  With early interviews coming up, many law students are looking to join firms where pro bono is well integrated into the culture.  Every year we are honored to be able to draw attention to our Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Signatory Firms and their demonstrated commitment to pro bono.  Accordingly, PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project mailed its annual Challenge poster to the career services and public interest offices of all ABA-accredited law schools. 

There are more than 500,000 children in foster care in the United States and nearly 30,000 young people “age out” of the foster care system each year.  Aging out increases the risk of poverty, unemployment, poor education, early pregnancy, substance abuse, and future incarceration, but there is hope.  Pro bono attorneys can help these young adults in securing education, employment, safe housing, healthcare, and financial stability in a variety of ways. Here are a few inspiring examples, among many, of pro bono work to help youth aging out of foster care: Greenberg Traurig† provides pro bono legal representation to children

Looking for an innovative and engaging way to showcase your law firm’s commitment to pro bono?  Consider creating a pro bono video!  In recent years, many firms have chosen video as a medium for advertising and promoting their dedication to pro bono. Producing a successful video has many benefits.  Videos not only allow firms to present their commitment to pro bono in a concise and effective manner but also provide them with the opportunity to display the character of their firm to the public.  Moreover, videos have the power to inspire and motivate firm attorneys and other staff to contribute

The PBEye previously reported on the many barriers convicts face after being released from prison.  In addition to the myriad obstacles including legal barriers such as lack of identification, suspension of driver’s license, child support payments, and problems receiving government benefits, many ex-offenders face the struggles of trying to pay a number of other fees.  States charge numerous fees at every stage of criminal processing—fees for public defenders, jail fees, prison fees, court administrative fees, prosecution fees, probation fees, parole fees, etc.  Many offenders struggle to make payments, resulting in them having to serve an additional prison sentence or other