Instagram for Justice

Did you know social media can be good business? It can! A study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation found that neutral feelings towards a company can be shifted to positive by increasing the promotion of CSR using social media.  By expanding their social media presence to include emerging applications like Instagram, law firms and their pro bono programs can not only increase engagement but connect visually with clients, partners, the community, and others while promoting pro bono and access to justice. Previously, we have discussed the impact of cultivating a law firms’ social media presence to promote their

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Transgender Name Changes and Pro Bono

As of 2016,approximately 1.4 million people in the United States identify as transgender. An important milestone in many of their transitions is legally changing their name and gender marker. However, the process can be overwhelming due to confusing regulations, high costs, and government bureaucracy. Transgender people are four times more likely to live under the poverty line, and many cannot afford the financial and time commitment necessary to obtain a legal change in name and gender designation. Fortunately, a number of organizations across the country have dedicated time and resources to provide such services through pro bono volunteers. For example,

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It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday

Don’t miss the latest episode of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s podcast, the Pro Bono Happy Hour, featuring Courtney Darts of the Pro Bono Partnership. Courtney talks to us about pro bono initiatives to support nonprofit organizations, transactional pro bono opportunities that strengthen communities, advice for aspiring public interest lawyers, and more. Subscribe to the Pro Bono Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and be sure to leave a review! We’d appreciate the feedback and it would help us expand the conversation about access to justice. The podcast is also available on YouTube. Links to all of our episodes can

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Partners Versus Associates

We’ve previously shared highlights from the 2016 Report on the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®, such as information about law firm charitable giving. Challenge signatories visibly acknowledge their institutional, firm-wide commitment to provide pro bono legal services. They agree that they “will use [their] best efforts to ensure that a majority of both partners and associates in the firm participate annually in pro bono activities.” Participation rates in 2016 remained steady for both partners and associates: 65.5% of partners and 84.4% of associates participated in pro bono, with an overall attorney participation rate of 74.9%. Many law firms struggle with

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It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday

Celebrate our “diamond” program with us! Don’t miss the 75th episode of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s podcast, the Pro Bono Happy Hour, featuring Susan Hoffman of Crowell & Moring*. Susie talks to us about her career, the firm’s pro bono program and foundation, the “loaned lawyer” program, and more. Subscribe to the Pro Bono Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and be sure to leave a review! We’d appreciate the feedback and it would help us expand the conversation about access to justice. The podcast is also available on YouTube. Links to all of our episodes can be found here.

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It’s Pro Bono Podcast Monday

As we start this patriotic holiday week, do you need a break from thinking about the state of our union? How about focusing instead on the state of pro bono? Don’t miss the latest episode of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s podcast, the Pro Bono Happy Hour, Pro Bono: Beyond the Numbers, during which we discuss the recently published 2016 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report, the current pro bono landscape, concrete and doable tips for improvement and growth, and more. Subscribe to the Pro Bono Happy Hour on Apple Podcasts and be sure to leave a review! We’d

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Mischief Managed!

We couldn’t help but notice that the “Harry Potter” series turned 20 this week. Wow! Time flies. You don’t have to be a child or a wizard to appreciate the spell cast by J.K. Rowling. Pro bono-supporting muggles could learn a lot from her and the magical world that she created. One of our favorite takeaways is from a speech she gave in 2008 at Harvard University: “We do not need magic to transform the world.  We carry all the power we need inside ourselves already. We have the power to imagine better.” Like all struggles, the march toward access

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Time and Money

PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project recently released its annual Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report, which examines the pro bono activities of Challenge signatories. A notable highlight from 2016 was the jump in charitable giving to legal services organizations. The average firm donation last year was $503,875, the highest average donation in the Challenge’s history, and a 9.4% increase over 2015, when the average donation per firm was reported as $460,660. We applaud those firms and attorneys who not only gave their time but also contributed dollars to local and other legal services organizations. Firm contributions are critical to

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Clorox Honored as 2017 Best Legal Department

In early June, Corporate Counsel announced CPBO Challenge® signatory, The Clorox Company**, as one of four 2017 Best Legal Departments. The awardees were selected based on success stories indicating the department has been integral in leading innovation and change. According to Corporate Counsel’s write-up on Clorox’s award, Cleaning up with Clorox’s Legal Team, the department received the award in part because of its knack for successfully collaborating with the company’s business side. “Our hallmark is partnering with business,” says Laura Stein, Clorox’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel and CPBO’s Advisory Board Co-Chair, “The global legal implications of doing business today

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Measuring the Justice Gap

Last week, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) released a report, “The Justice Gap: Measuring the Unmet Civil Legal Needs of Low-Income Americans,”  which is the result of a survey conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago of 2,000 Americans living at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Level.  The report takes a detailed look at documents the extent of the “the justice gap,” which  LSC defines “as the difference between the civil legal needs of low-income Americans and the resources available to meet those needs.” Key findings include: Seventy-one percent of low-income households experienced at least one civil

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