PBEye Blog - Pro Bono Institute

Your On-Call Experts for In-House Pro Bono

September 24, 2026

By Alyssa Saunders, Director, Corporate Pro Bono At all stages of your pro bono program, the Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) project of PBI is here to help with confidential technical assistance, templates, and other helpful resources so you never have to start from scratch or expand your pro bono efforts alone. Since PBI launched the CPBO project in 2000, the project has been the premiere resource for legal departments interested in starting or enhancing their pro bono programs. The CPBO team have experience consulting with GCs and CLOs, in-house counsel, legal operations teams, paralegals, community service and social impact teams,

Community Justice Worker Update in Texas

September 1, 2026

By Erica Norris, PBI intern The PBEye has been reporting on recent developments as jurisdictions authorize Community Justice Workers (CJWs) to address specific access to justice issues. Our latest blog series focuses on the implementation of CJW programs in three jurisdictions: Alaska, Delaware, and Texas. Although Texas has not yet authorized the licensing structure that would allow CJWs to provide legal services, the Economic Justice Initiative (EJI), an initiative of the Texas Immigration Law Council, is already developing a framework in preparation for a future licensing system. Once Texas authorizes CJWs to provide legal services, EJI plans to build on

Community Justice Workers Assist in Landlord-Tenant Cases in Delaware

August 27, 2026

By Erica Norris, PBI intern The PBEye has been reporting on recent developments as jurisdictions authorize Community Justice Workers (CJWs) to address specific access to justice issues. Our latest blog series focuses on the implementation of CJW programs in three jurisdictions: Alaska, Delaware, and Texas. Delaware’s CJW model focuses on one specific legal issue: landlord-tenant cases. This model differs from Alaska’s CJW program, in which CJWs are supervised by a legal aid organization and may work on a broader range of issues. Delaware also stands in contrast to Texas, where lawyers are building a framework for future implementation of a

Unum Group: Navigating the Road to Asylum

August 25, 2026

For more than four years, the legal department at Unum Group** has been engaged in a deeply impactful pro bono effort: representing a family seeking asylum in the U.S. after fleeing persecution in their home country. What began as a single asylum application evolved into a long-term, department-wide commitment. Led by an in-house lawyer at Unum’s Portland, Maine, campus, and supported by a dozen colleagues across practice groups, the matter reflects the persistence, empathy, and sustained advocacy required in asylum work, where cases often unfold over many years. For our latest Signatory Showcase, we spoke with Lisa G. Iglesias, Executive

California Considers Community Justice Worker Proposal

August 19, 2026

By Anne Hickey, PBI Sheehan Scholar UPDATE (as of September 25, 2026): Following the public comment period, the State Bar of California’s Board of Trustees on September 19, 2026, voted to advance proposed rules to the California Supreme Court that would authorize a Community Justice Worker (CJW) model. The PBEye blog will continue to monitor these updates. California is among the latest states to move forward with a Community Justice Worker program proposal. PBI has been following updates closely and keeping stakeholders up to date. Additionally, the PBEye has been reporting on recent developments as jurisdictions authorize Community Justice Workers

Community Justice Worker Model in Alaska

August 18, 2026

By Erica Norris, PBI Intern The PBEye has been reporting on recent developments as jurisdictions authorize Community Justice Workers (CJWs) to address specific access-to-justice issues. Our latest blog series focuses on the implementation of CJW programs in three jurisdictions, beginning with Alaska, which implemented the original CJW model. Stay tuned for future pieces in this series covering implementation in Delaware and Texas. Alaska’s CJW model was implemented under the supervision of Alaska Legal Services Corporation (ALSC) to provide community members with assistance on select legal matters. Since its inception in 2019, the program has continued to grow and has expanded

How AI is Reshaping the Pro Bono Landscape

August 4, 2026

By Nihad Mansour, Associate Director, Law Firm Pro Bono Project, and Innovation Specialist AI is no longer a theoretical concept in pro bono. Instead, it is an evolving set of tools that organizations are testing, adopting, and in some cases, building themselves. Recent insights from sessions at the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) 2026 Annual Conference, the PBI 2026 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report, and the 2026 Global Pro Bono Guide, a collaboration between Latham & Watkins, PBI, and the Thomson Reuters Foundation, show that the question is no longer whether AI belongs in pro bono, but how it can

CLE Credit and Pro Bono Participation: Growth in the U.S. and Beyond

July 30, 2026

By Anne Hickey, PBI Sheehan Scholar Continuing legal education (CLE) requirements are designed to ensure attorneys remain informed about developments in the law and maintain the skills necessary to serve their clients effectively. Traditionally, attorneys have satisfied CLE requirements through courses, trainings, and other educational programs. An increasing number of jurisdictions have recognized another way for attorneys to contribute to their professional development: providing pro bono legal services. To help attorneys and organizations navigate credit rules, Pro Bono Institute (PBI) recently updated its CLE Credits and Pro Bono Guide, which provides an overview of how jurisdictions around the U.S. address

Expanding Opportunity for Second Chances in Missouri

July 29, 2026

By Erica Norris, PBI Intern Missouri joined 13 other states and the District of Columbia that have clean slate laws, which automatically seal or expunge certain offenses from an individual’s criminal record and help remove barriers to successful reentry, according to the Clean Slate Initiative. Since Pennsylvania passed the first clean slate law in 2018, advocates have pushed for other states to implement clean slate policies and for federal recognition of clean slate initiatives. On May 15, Missouri took a major step toward expanding second chances by passing bipartisan public safety bill, Senate Bill 1421 (SB1421), with a 110–25 vote.

Access to Justice, AI, and the Unauthorized Practice of Law

July 28, 2026

By Anne Hickey, PBI Sheehan Scholar As information technology continues to advance and evolve, new opportunities and new challenges arise for access to justice organizations. Technological advances have paved the way for online resources and tools that help individuals navigate legal issues efficiently and cost-effectively. At the same time, the legal profession is exploring new strategies to engage professionals who are not lawyers in access-to-justice solutions. However, where there is less attorney oversight, more automated assistance/programs, or both, access to justice organizations face more legal challenges alleging the unauthorized practice of law. Update on Upsolve and UPL Restrictions in New