PBEye Blog - Pro Bono Institute

AI Ethics in Law: Emerging Considerations for Pro Bono Work and Access to Justice

August 29, 2024

Erin Palmer, Associate Director, Corporate Pro Bono Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly advancing, prompting a critical dialogue about its regulation and innovation within the legal field. State bar associations and courts are increasingly scrutinizing the use of generative AI tools, striving to balance technology’s transformative potential with the need to safeguard the integrity of legal practice. This regulatory landscape is particularly pertinent as AI promises to enhance the work of pro bono lawyers and revolutionize access to justice for underserved communities. Understanding how regulatory efforts intersect with innovative applications of AI in pro bono legal services sheds light on the

The Power of Training: The Importance of Educating Lawyers on AI Tools to Successfully Scale Pro Bono Efforts

August 28, 2024

PBI Intern, Riley Kelly Background: Advancements in artificial intelligence technology have the potential to revolutionize legal practice and, in turn, improve pro bono services. With legal service organizations being forced to turn away around 50 percent of potential clients who qualify for pro bono services due to a lack of capacity, pro bono services by lawyers and law firms are vital to narrowing the access to justice gap. AI allows lawyers to significantly increase their efficiency when completing basic tasks such as reviewing documents and drafting letters, accomplishing in minutes what would take humans hours of time. By increasing productivity

Nonprofit Spotlight: Vera Institute Opens Doors to Housing for Returning Citizens

August 19, 2024

by Katie DePalma, PBI Sheehan Scholar Housing instability presents a significant barrier for returning citizens, affecting their ability to reintegrate and contribute to society. To combat this challenge, the Vera Institute of Justice’s Opening Doors initiative focuses on expanding access to safe and affordable housing for returning citizens. By partnering with various stakeholders, including public housing authorities and state legislatures, with support from pro bono lawyers, Opening Doors works to dismantle the barriers that prevent individuals with conviction histories from accessing stable and affordable housing. Vera’s strategic approach enhances opportunities for economic stability and social integration for people with conviction

In-House Counsel in the Community: Advancing Justice Through Pro Bono in Domestic Violence and Immigration Matters

July 29, 2024

PBI Signatory Showcase Interview with Kimball Electronics, Inc.** Organized by the Orange County Public Law Center, Kimball Electronics has been actively involved in the Domestic Violence Assistance Program where they provide vital legal support, assisting clients in obtaining restraining orders to protect them from domestic violence. These efforts are crucial in empowering individuals to secure their safety and that of their loved ones. The department also collaborates with the Indiana Bar Foundation’s Indiana Legal Help walk-in clinics, both in-person and online. Both organizations work to improve legal assistance for people across the state of Indiana. And beyond direct client representation,

Breaking the Cycle: The Power of Pro Bono in Addressing Racial Wealth Disparities Through Heirs’ Property

July 23, 2024

By Riley Kelly, PBI Intern Many families in the United States face heirs’ property issues, where land is passed down without a formal will, leading to unclear ownership and legal challenges. Heirs’ property challenges disproportionately affect communities of color, especially Black families in the South, limiting their ability to build wealth through homeownership. Pro bono attorneys can play an essential role working with legal services organizations to help these families navigate legal complexities, secure their property rights, and contribute to closing the racial wealth gap by preserving generational assets. What is heirs’ property? Heirs’ property refers to land that has

Driving Impact and Engagement: The Business Case for Corporate Volunteerism

July 15, 2024

By Daniela Ramirez-Ledesma, PBI Intern Offering a legal pro bono or corporate volunteerism program not only increases access to justice in our communities, it’s also a smart business decision. The business case for legal pro bono and corporate volunteerism more broadly isn’t new, and recent research continues to show that these programs increase employee engagement, provide an advantage in employee recruitment and retention, and help employees develop leadership potential and thrive. Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO), the global in-house project of Pro Bono Institute, has highlighted the business case for in-house pro bono for over a decade. CPBO’s Guide on The

Sheltering Justice: The Crucial Role of Pro Bono Lawyers After Grants Pass v. Johnson

June 28, 2024

By Hailey Kearsley, PBI Intern and PBI Staff The U.S. Supreme Court issued its highly-anticipated decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson today – holding that a city’s efforts to prohibit unhoused individuals from sleeping outside when there’s nowhere else for them to sleep does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection against cruel and unusual punishment. I sat in front of the Supreme Court at 1:00 a.m. on a cold night in April so that I could attend oral argument in the case. With the temperature falling to 40 degrees, many came prepared, camping outside with tents and sleeping

The Force Multiplier Effect: Combining Partnership, Mentorship, Technology and More to Serve Nonprofits and Impact Community

May 29, 2024

PBI Signatory Showcase Interview with Koch Capabilities, LLC and Barnes & Thornburg LLP In February 2020, weeks before the pandemic began to ripple across the U.S., Koch Industries welcomed representatives from our panel of preferred law firms to Wichita. Koch General Counsel Ray Geoffroy felt strongly that Koch had a tremendous opportunity to accomplish so much good for society by leveraging our combined capabilities (internal lawyers and external panel firm lawyers) on a larger scale. He challenged the law firms to partner with our Pro Bono Initiative and become a “force multiplier” to Koch’s efforts. Further, he set the expectation

The Power of Law Firms and Law Schools Working Together on Pro Bono

May 28, 2024

by Kelsey Hunt, PBI Intern Strong and growing interest in pro bono at law schools suggests that there has never been a better time for collaboration between law firms and law schools. For example, 82 students at the University of Virginia School of Law’s 2023 graduating class completed the pro bono hours challenge of at least 75 hours of service. This law student interest in pro bono is more than just a flash in the pan; interest has been peaking over several years now. The University of Chicago Law School’s class of 2022 broke the school’s record by collectively recording

Balancing the Scales: State Efforts for Local Legal Aid Funding

May 22, 2024

The Legal Services Corporation Act of 1974 changed the access to justice landscape by funding the first independent, national nonprofit – the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) – to financially support legal aid organizations that assist with civil legal matters. The Act underscored that “there is a need to provide high quality legal assistance to those who would be otherwise unable to afford adequate legal counsel.” Unmet civil legal need continues to grow, however, and without necessary funding, legal services organizations and pro bono lawyers cannot adequately provide services to low-income individuals. Both nationally and across the states, government officials, legal