Pro bono can help attorneys feel they are a part of a larger community, whether it’s in their firm or in their own neighborhood. This week, we hear from Saralyn Cohen, pro bono counsel and director of pro bono at Shearman & Sterling*† as she describes the many benefits of doing pro bono. YouTube Link * denotes Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® signatory† denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project
It’s time to enroll or renew as a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project for 2014-2015. Complete and return the enrollment form today to demonstrate your law firm’s support for access to justice and pro bono service. Submit your form before September 1, 2014, to receive a 10 percent discount. As a Member Firm, you’ll have access to high-quality resources to help you strengthen and grow your firm’s pro bono program, such as free publications and exclusive access to the Members-only section of the Project’s Resource Clearinghouse. This section of our website, which is available only to Member
There was more than one hero in this week’s episode of Lifetime’s legal comedy/drama, “Drop Dead Diva.” Kim, one of the show’s main attorneys, is saved from a mugger by a mystery man dressed as a superhero. The man turns out to be Hank, the court bailiff, and when he is fired for his unusual after-hours work, Kim plays the hero and takes his case on pro bono. Her legal team even dons costumes when opposing counsel demands Hank appear in court in his superhero attire. “Pro Bono Man” and “Lady Adjudicator” fight the case in court and in the
The legal profession is at an extraordinary demographic crossroads, with vast numbers of baby-boom attorneys facing career transitions. This wave of lawyers nearing retirement offers enormous opportunity and capacity to deliver desperately needed legal services to low-income and underserved populations. PBI’s Second Acts® initiative pioneered efforts to support transitioning and retired lawyers interested in second, volunteer careers in public interest law by identifying and implementing a range of workable models within law firms, legal departments, and public interest organizations that take advantage of the skills and expertise of these lawyers. Second Acts programs can help transition attorneys to retirement, ensure
Ford Motor Company** Group Vice President and General Counsel David Leitch recently delivered remarks at the McGuire Woods Partners’ Retreat. Leitch touched on the history of the company’s pro bono program and provided excellent examples of how pro bono services can greatly impact communities in need. See his remarks below. Shortly after Henry Ford began the Ford Motor Company in 1903, he said, “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.” Ford felt that a good company not only creates good products for its customers, but serves the communities in which we live. You can hear echoes
The PBEye is proud to highlight one legal department’s efforts to assist veterans on a pro bono basis. The Connecticut Veterans Legal Center (CVLC), a nonprofit that helps veterans overcome legal barriers, was just four-months old with only one full-time staff member when it was approached by the Sikorsky Aircraft, Corp. In the years since, Sikorsky’s legal department has built a pro bono project that dedicates staff and resources to achieve a number of positive outcomes for veterans in Connecticut. Sikorsky, while small in staff, has worked with CVLC to provide pro bono representation in more than 20 cases to
In April, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a new initiative to encourage federal inmates who have committed low-level crimes to petition for executive clemency. Since the announcement, more than 16,000 prisoners have completed electronic surveys to apply for reduced sentences, and it’s likely that tens of thousands of additional surveys are in progress. Clemency Project 2014, a working group composed of lawyers and advocates from the Federal Defenders, the American Civil Liberties Union, Families Against Mandatory Minimums, the American Bar Association, and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), is in the process of recruiting and organizing pro
There are so many great reasons to do pro bono! This week, we hear from Garth Meintjes, executive director, International Senior Lawyers Project as he shares what he believes is the most important reason to do pro bono. YouTube Link
On May 17, 1954, America reached a milestone in its fight for justice and equality when the Supreme Court released its ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The Court reached a unanimous decision that overturned the “separate but equal” doctrine and outlawed segregation in public schools. For the millions of African-American children and parents forced to deal with the consequences of this institutionalized discrimination, the ruling represented a turning point in their fight for basic civil rights and freedom. #183323569 / gettyimages.com Sixty years later, Brown v. Board still impels many to fight all forms of discrimination and protect
Interested in a good read for the upcoming long weekend? Check out last December’s five-part series in The New York Times about a family living in a homeless shelter in Brooklyn, NY. Through the story of 11-year-old Dasani, who is one of 22,000 homeless children in New York, “Invisible Child” shines a harsh light on the alarming increase of homeless youth in recent years and our nation’s problem of vast inequality. It’s one of the most powerful pieces we’ve read this year. We’ve previously discussed how even the most well-meaning and sensitive pro bono volunteers can have a hard time
