EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day

On November 14, 2024, the third annual EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day brought together in-house legal teams from electric and gas companies to provide crucial pro bono legal assistance to underserved communities. Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO), the global in-house project of Pro Bono Institute (PBI), partnered with Entergy Corporation’s legal department and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) to organize this industry pro bono day.

EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day is an initiative for volunteer attorneys and legal staff teams from electric and gas companies to collaborate with law firms and legal service organizations, creating pro bono opportunities that address the critical legal needs of low-income and marginalized communities. The initiative not only increases access to justice but also fosters deeper engagement within the in-house pro bono community.

This year, pro bono leaders from 15 companies – including Alliant Energy Corporation, Ameren Corporation, Avangrid, Inc., Con Edison, Dominion Energy, Duke Energy Corporation**, El Paso Electric Company, Entergy Corporation**, Exelon Corporation**, FirstEnergy Service Company, KPMG**, National Grid, PPL, PSE&G, and Southern California Edison Company – joined forces to organize 20 impactful pro bono events and trainings. In partnership with major law firms and legal services organizations, volunteers worked on initiatives such as:

• Life planning documents for seniors (wills, powers of attorney, healthcare directives)
• Expungement of criminal records
• DACA clinics (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals renewals)
• Veterans’ legal wellness services
• Legal aid for homeless youth
• Tenant Power Toolkit Clinic (eviction defense)

As currently reported, 297 in-house volunteers participated in these events, offering vital legal assistance to 315 clients. Several events included training sessions that will expand the reach of pro bono support in the coming months. Volunteers also created new resources to help nonprofits serve more beneficiaries.

The feedback from both volunteers and clients underscores the significant impact of the initiative. Volunteers expressed gratitude for the opportunity to assist clients and an appreciation for the chance to work outside their usual practice areas, including the following feedback:

• “Our volunteers found this event incredibly meaningful, and were so thankful to be able to provide assistance to young people going through these immigration proceedings.”
• “The volunteers truly enjoyed the Justice in Action Sprint and found it interesting to research federal and state laws outside of their practice areas and jurisdiction for the benefit of homeless youth.”
• “We received many words of gratitude and thanks for hosting this event from our volunteers.”
• “All of our volunteers enjoyed being able to assist our vets.”
• “The volunteers found it rewarding to engage with clients who shared interesting life stories and appreciated the opportunity to serve them.”
• “A worthwhile [and] rewarding pro bono event.”
• “Volunteers enjoyed working in partnerships with firm and in-house attorneys. Additionally, volunteers appreciated the timeliness of this event in assisting key members of our community.”
• “Feedback from colleagues was [] entirely positive, relating primarily to their positive experiences with their clients, the opportunity to help those that otherwise may not be able to receive these legal services and the work and support of our partners at Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy and Parker Poe in planning and holding the event.”

Client feedback also reflected appreciation for the services:

• “It was extremely appreciated to receive pro bono service, especially since they are young people without representation during these proceedings.”
• “The clients found [the services] very helpful and appreciated being heard.”
• “Clients were grateful for our free service and appreciated the detailed explanation of their powers of attorney forms, which helped them make informed decisions about medical care and financial matters. Some of these clients had been waiting for months to complete these forms, so they were relieved to finally finish this task.”
• “DACA clients appreciated attorneys’ professionalism and the ease of the renewal process.”
• “Feedback from clients was entirely positive; predominantly appreciation and thankfulness for the services being provided and relief that they had these documents prepared.”
• “This event was truly a wraparound community effort, and the positive response speaks volumes about its impact.”

This year’s EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day was a resounding success, and CPBO extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who made it possible.