The Pro Bono Wire

The Pro Bono Wire is PBI’s online newsletter. We encourage Law Firm, In-House, and Public Interest pro bono leaders as well as other interested stakeholders to sign up to receive this valuable resource. Members of the Press are also encouraged to receive The Wire. To subscribe to The Wire, click here.

Read archived issues of The Wire here.

October 2024

PBI 2024 Annual Dinner Recap: A Celebration of Pro Bono

It was wonderful to be back at New York’s iconic Gotham Hall for an evening of celebration, networking, and inspiration at PBI’s 2024 Annual Dinner. The event was expertly led by Dinner Co-Chairs Tonya Robinson, (former) Vice Chair and General Counsel – Legal, Regulatory and Compliance, KPMG LLP, and David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy and General Counsel, Amazon, whose leadership helped make the night such a success.

The exceptional pro bono efforts of our award recipients were highlighted throughout the evening through the stories they shared of their programs, projects, and the clients they have helped.

PBI presented the following awards:

2024 John H. Pickering Award

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP

________________

2024 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award

Paramount Global

in partnership with

Loeb & Loeb LLP

________________

2024 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award

PSE&G

in partnership with

Gibbons P.C. | McCarter & English, LLP | Volunteer Lawyers for Justice

(L to R, above center) David Zapolsky, Senior Vice PresidentGlobal Public Policy and General Counsel, AmazonTonya Robinson, (formerVice Chair and General Counsel – Legal, Regulatory and Compliance, KPMG LLPEve Runyon, President and CEO, PBI; and Jon Harmon, Chairman, McGuireWoods, and Chair, PBI Board of Directors.

Watch PBI’s 2024 Convocation:

Pro Bono Strategies to Bridge the Justice Gap,

with speakers from Munger, Tolles & Olson

PBI at the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Annual Meeting

PBI’s Corporate Pro Bono project (CPBO) had a productive time at the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Annual Meeting in Nashville! Alyssa Saunders, Director of Corporate Pro Bono, Erin Palmer, Associate Director of Corporate Pro Bono, and Genevieve Timm, PBI Project Assistant, engaged with over 150 attendees in the exhibit hall at the CPBO booth over the course of the event. It was a pleasure to share insights and resources on starting and expanding in-house pro bono programs to enhance access to justice, including making the business case for in-house pro bono, identifying pro bono opportunities, crafting a pro bono policy, and tackling common hurdles like time constraints and malpractice insurance.

Driving Change: The Chief Legal Officer’s Perspective on Innovation and Pro Bono 

During the ACC Annual Meeting, CPBO hosted an insightful session on Driving Change: The Chief Legal Officer’s View on Innovation and Pro Bono. Moderated by Alyssa Saunders, the session featured Gayle Littleton, Chief Legal Officer, Exelon Corporation**, and Bimal Patel, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, PayPal, sharing how Chief Legal Officers can drive meaningful change.

The panel attracted a diverse audience from legal departments of various sizes, with many senior leaders present, including other GCs and CLOs. About half of the attendees reported having a pro bono program, while the other half did not.

🗝️ Key Takeaways:

  • Core Mission: Pro bono strengthens communities and enhances the social impact of corporate legal departments. 
  • Employee Engagement: Diverse participation and opportunities foster a culture of service and boost morale. 
  • Innovative Practices: Aligning pro bono initiatives with corporate mission enhances engagement and impact. 
  • Sustainable Relationships: Building strong ties with community organizations boosts pro bono efforts. 
  • Overcoming Barriers: “Bite-size” projects, training, and partnerships help address common concerns about and barriers to participation. 

PBI extends its gratitude to Gayle Littleton and Bimal Patel for their leadership and insights into advocating for pro bono work within corporate legal departments. 

READ MORE ON THE PBEYE BLOG

Showcasing Challenge Signatories

Citigroup Inc. Signatory Showcase Podcast

Voices for Change: Pro Bono Advocacy for Social Justice in Brazil

Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr. e Quiroga*† has been a trailblazer in advancing access to justice in Brazil, dedicating its pro bono efforts to some of the most pressing social issues. Their work addresses racial discrimination, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, and refugee protection, leaving a profound and lasting impact on both individuals and communities. In 2023 alone, the firm provided approximately 20,000 hours of free legal assistance, handled 270 cases, and engaged over 400 legal professionals. Their comprehensive pro bono practice spans individual case defense, support for civil society organizations, strategic litigation, and impactful partnerships with both national and international entities.

In this episode of the Pro Bono Happy Hour podcast, Nihad Mansour, Assistant Director of PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project, interviewed Flavia Regina Oliveira, Pro Bono Partner and Partner of Social Impact and Philanthropy, along with Caroline Sena, Litigation Associate in Mattos Filho’s 100% Pro Bono Practice Group.

LISTEN TO THE PRO BONO HAPPY HOUR PODCAST

Ethical Storytelling for Legal Services Organizations On-Demand Programs

Entrusted in telling their clients stories, whether to funders, media, pro bono partners, or volunteers, legal services organizations and other pro bono providers bear a crucial responsibility in ensuring effective and responsible communications. This three-part on-demand series delves into the principles and practices of ethical storytelling for lawyers and legal organizations.

FIND MORE PBI WEBINARS

Celebrate and Learn About In-House Pro Bono Basics with Two Webinars

  • Join us tomorrow, Friday, October 25 at 2 p.m. (ET) for a webinar on Celebrating In-House Pro Bono Impact. CPBO Director Alyssa Saunders will moderate a panel with speakers from Microsoft**, Verizon**, and The Pew Charitable Trusts. This session will highlight the vital contributions in-house legal teams make to their communities through a diverse array of pro bono initiatives, including bite-size and long-term opportunities. The program will showcase both how corporate legal departments can support and encourage employees to do pro bono, and how individual in-house attorneys and legal staff can pursue their own pro bono passions. (While this program is offered through DC Pro Bono Week, the content will be relevant to in-house counsel and legal staff across the United States). REGISTER HERE 
  • Then, continue the Pro Bono Week celebration into next week with a webinar on Growing Your Corporate Pro Bono Program on Tuesday, October 29 at 1 p.m. (ET). CPBO Director Alyssa Saunders will participate in a panel with speakers from Paladin, Oracle**, and Citi**. This program will feature a candid conversation on how to build and grow pro bono programs within corporate legal departments, including global departments. REGISTER HERE 

We hope to see you at one or both programs!

Next EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day, November 14, 2024

PBI’s Corporate Pro Bono project (CPBO), in partnership with the legal department of Entergy Corporation and the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), is excited to announce the third annual EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day on Thursday, November 14, 2024! This day of pro bono service brings together volunteer attorneys and legal staff from electric and gas companies, in partnership with law firms and legal services organizations, to provide pro bono legal services to low-income, marginalized communities, magnifying their impact and increasing access to justice.

The third annual EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day will expand on past efforts, including the more than 130 in-house volunteers who participated last year, serving more than 120 clients. Volunteers will come together to address critical legal needs across a range of issues—including homelessness, eviction prevention, immigration, expungement, supporting veterans, and estate planning. By leveraging partnerships with legal services organizations and law firms, participants will enhance their collective impact and make a meaningful difference in their communities.

For more information about the 2024 EmPOWERing Pro Bono Day, contact CPBO at cpbo@probonoinst.org.

On the Road Again

6th Annual In-House Pro Bono Summit

On September 25, PBI attended Davis Wright Tremaine’s*† 6th Annual In-House Pro Bono Summit, which brought together legal professionals to explore vital themes in pro bono work and community engagement. Featuring leaders from Microsoft**, Smartsheet, Cisco**, Uber**, Wells Fargo, Everyday Health, AIG**, Entergy**, and more, panelists discussed ways to engage in service that maximizes pro bono lawyer and staff time and resources, as well as broader impact on access to justice; explored broader social impact initiatives like hands-on volunteering and ESG and sustainability initiatives; and concluded with a critical examination of how to embed ethical considerations into pro bono practice.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the Law Firm Pro Bono Project® Staffing Survey! We are finalizing our report, which we are eager to share in the coming weeks. The report will lay the groundwork for a further in-depth discussion for Law Firm Pro Bono Project® members on patterns and trends observed in the staffing data, including correlations between staffing data and data from our Challenge survey. Stay tuned for the report and for information about this special member programming as we dive into the numbers and identify areas of strength and those we can improve upon to increase access to justice together!

Save the Date

PBI 2025 ANNUAL CONFERENCE
February 26-28, 2025 
The Westin Washington, D.C., Downtown

Watch your email for more details–coming soon!

* denotes a Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® signatory
** denotes a Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® signatory
† denotes a Law Firm Pro Bono Project® member

Pro Bono Institute®, PBI®, Law Firm Pro Bono Project®and CPBO® are registered trademarks of Pro Bono Institute