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Pro Bono Summer Reading

May 31, 2018

Summer is finally here! No, it’s not technically yet, but it feels like it should be! There is no time like the present to get your summer reading in order and we have recommendations for you. This summer, we are focusing our suggestions on criminal justice reform and its many issues, including mass incarceration, racial disparity in prosecuting and sentencing, and the criminalization of poverty. PBI has been directly involved in criminal justice reform efforts through our Minnesota Collaborative Justice Project. The Project involves stakeholders from more than 25 organizations working together to reduce recidivism and dramatically improve the experiences and

The Pro Bono Power Launch: How Leidos Hit the Ground Running

May 15, 2018

Since its inception in 2000, CPBO has helped countless in-house departments start and expand their pro bono programs. Despite the upward trend in in-house involvement, launching a brand-new pro bono program can present a daunting task for a legal department. With this in mind, CPBO reached out to Kristin Grimes, an attorney at Leidos, Inc.**, who recently spearheaded the successful launch of her department’s pro bono program, incorporating key elements CPBO has identified in its guide to getting started. We asked Kristin to share some insights and lessons learned about the process. You can read more about Leidos’ pro bono program here.

Loaned Lawyers: A Win-Win-Win

April 26, 2018

Want to make a meaningful difference and improve access to justice? Looking for new ideas for professional development? Are you interested in new pro bono opportunities? A rotation or externship program may be the solution. Also known as secondments, an externship or rotation is when a law firm “loans” a lawyer to an outside organization. The attorney will typically work in a legal services, public interest, government, or other host organization full-time while still employed at their law firm. On the Pro Bono Happy Hour, we spoke with Amy Barasch, Susie Hoffman, and Becca Naylor about how loaned lawyer programs

On the Road to MJP Reform

April 25, 2018

When PBI traveled south earlier this month to the 5th Biennial Virginia Pro Bono Summit, we were reminded of an earlier venture down the highway to attend the Commonwealth’s first Pro Bono Summit in 2010. It was not the first road trip that PBI had undertaken in the name of improving access to justice through multijurisdictional practice (MJP) reform, nor would it be the last. The summit was an inspiring gathering that included a persuasive appeal from Randy Milch, then general counsel at Verizon Communications Inc.**, to the Virginia Supreme Court to change restrictive practice rules that prevented many of Verizon’s in-house

Hundreds of CLOs and Managing Partners Show Support for Funding LSC

April 18, 2018

Yesterday, 251 Chief Legal Officers and General Counsel from across the country joined a letter in support of an increase in funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), the largest funder of civil legal aid programs in the U.S. The letter was part of a nationwide campaign to secure LSC funding for FY2019. A similar letter was submitted last week by more than 180 managing partners from law firms across the nation. In each of the past two years, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued proposed spending bills that sought to defund LSC. Last year’s proposal resulted in a similarly robust response from the legal community.

Virginia Is Making Pro Bono Cool!

April 17, 2018

The Virginia Supreme Court hosted its 5th Biennial Chief Justice’s Pro Bono Summit on April 4 in Richmond, Virginia. Chief Justice Donald Lemons welcomed approximately 100 attendees to the Court to share pro bono initiatives The Commonwealth is spearheading to further develop a culture of pro bono. Pro Bono Institute President and CEO Eve Runyon and Corporate Pro Bono Director Tammy Sun attended the event and were energized by the great efforts organized by all sectors of the Virginia Bar. The Virginia Supreme Court hosted its first Pro Bono Summit in 2010 with a call to “make pro bono cool.” Since then, Virginia has launched

It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday: A Conversation with Kate Nolen

March 5, 2018

This week on the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s Pro Bono Happy Hour podcast, we talk with Kate Nolen of Lathrop Gage†. A die-hard fan of Mizzou, which she attended for undergrad and law school, Kate was introduced to pro bono through her sorority volunteer program with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). She also participated in domestic violence and housing clinics while a law student. Kate went on to work for CASA in Kansas City and saw first-hand how under resourced public service organizations can be. In response and in addition to her regular duties, she started recruiting volunteer attorneys

It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday: A Conversation with Michelle Movahed

February 19, 2018

This week we talk with Michelle Movahed of McCarter & English*† on the Pro Bono Happy Hour podcast. She shares her schooling and career journey from participating in housing rights clinics at Fordham Law School to helping families recover from natural disasters in Brooklyn and expanding women’s rights to healthcare at public interest organizations to taking her talents to Big Law at McCarter & English. Her biggest takeaway from her transition from working as a social justice lawyer to working for a well-resourced law firm? “Nobody has said ‘no’ to me.” “People not only say ‘yes,’ but they come and

It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday: A Conversation with Scott Hunt

February 12, 2018

This week on the Pro Bono Happy Hour podcast, we talk with Scott Hunt of Armstrong Teasdale*† about his career, the firm’s pro bono program, inspiring the next generation, food deserts, and more. As a tax lawyer, Scott shares how non-litigators can actively participate in pro bono work and serve people in need. Scott serves on an amazing nine nonprofit boards and his areas of interest are diverse. One of the organizations he supports is The Link Market, an innovative model of modular grocery stores that are located along St. Louis’ light rail system to offer high-quality and affordable food.

It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday: A Conversation with Mary Benton

February 5, 2018

Mary Benton of Alston & Bird*† joins us this week the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s podcast, the Pro Bono Happy Hour, to discuss the firm’s proud pro bono history and exciting current projects. One of the firm’s founders – Phillip Alston – was a signatory to the resolution that created the Atlanta Legal Aid Society. Mary shared tips on how she boosts participation by recognizing and publicly acknowledging attorneys for their pro bono work. She and her team actively look for ways to thank people, including nominating them for awards presented by legal services organizations and other volunteer recognition