PBEye Blog - Page 43 of 67 - Pro Bono Institute

Making a Case for Pro Bono

April 16, 2014

For over a decade, PBI has promoted the “business case” for pro bono. Indeed, PBI’s research suggests that the benefits of pro bono outweigh the costs of starting and maintaining a pro bono program. In particular, pro bono engagement can help a law firm or legal department recruit and retain talent, develop the professional skills of its attorneys, and increase employee engagement. This is a case PBI reiterated for law firms in a 2010 law review article and for in-house departments in a 2013 paper. So The PBEye was heartened to see the business case argument compellingly made this month

Five Ways to Feel Better About Tax Day

April 10, 2014

April 15 is just around the corner and this time of year can be stressful, especially for low-income Americans. They may fall victim to exploitation by commercial tax preparers charging unduly high fees for their services. Many also face obstacles when claiming their Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which provides them and their families a refundable tax credit based on earnings and number of children. There are numerous ways that pro bono lawyers can get involved during tax season and all year long to help low-income taxpayers. 1. Participate in a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program or a Low-Income Taxpayer

The Power of Pro Bono Featured on “48 Hours”

April 2, 2014

“Last Chance,” the most recent episode of the CBS true-crime investigative program “48 Hours,” tells the compelling story of Damon Thibodeaux. Thibodeaux was wrongfully convicted of the rape and murder of his “step-cousin” in 1996, and spent 15 years on death row in Louisiana. The PBEye previously reported on his exoneration, which was made possible through the heroic pro bono legal assistance of attorneys and staff at Fredrikson & Byron*† in collaboration with the Innocence Project and the Capital Post Conviction Project of Louisiana. Among those interviewed and seen on the program are our friends, attorney Steve Kaplan and Pro

Guest Blog: Pro Bono Legal Advice Opens the Tap to Provide Clean Water

March 28, 2014

March 22 marked the commemoration of World Water Day, an opportunity to focus public attention on critical issues relating to water. A key issue concerns the fact that 768 million people still do not have access to safe drinking water. Millions of people around the world are forced to choose between having to travel great distances to collect clean water or to drink water which is contaminated. Neither option is ideal. Children (and girls in particular) are often withdrawn from school to collect water for their families. And the consequences of drinking dirty water, as we already know, can lead

A Dangerous Precedent for Pro Bono

March 27, 2014

Earlier this month, while we were celebrating pro bono at the 2014 PBI Annual Conference, the U.S. Senate rejected President Barack Obama’s nomination of Debo Adegbile to lead the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. All Republicans and seven Democrats voted against the nomination ostensibly because, while working for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF), Adegbile contributed to a series of briefs on behalf of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a death-row inmate convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer. Abu-Jamal’s death sentence was ultimately overturned on the grounds of unconstitutional jury-sentencing instructions. Adegbile’s defeat on these grounds sends

Video: Why Do Pro Bono? Annie Pineda, The Bronx Defenders

March 13, 2014

Pro bono gives lawyers an opportunity to think creatively and use problem-solving skills that they may not use in their everyday line of work. This week, we hear from Annie Pineda, pro bono attorney at The Bronx Defenders, as she explains why doing pro bono can be an eye-opening experience. YouTube Link

Last Call: Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Reporting for 2013

March 13, 2014

The Law Firm Pro Bono Project is still accepting Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® reports for the 2013 calendar year. Time is running out, so act quickly! We e-mailed customized survey links to Challenge Signatories in January, so contact Law Firm Pro Bono Project Assistant Eva Richardson if you have not received yours. Please assist us in communicating the good news about the work of law firms to our colleagues in the legal profession and to the public with your submission of the electronic reporting form. We also urge you to let us know about your firm’s accomplishments and news.

The Polar Vortex and Pro Bono

February 25, 2014

This winter, Americans across the country have faced extreme weather as streets became covered in ice and mounds of snow and temperatures and wind chills dropped to record lows. Many of us have complained about this seemingly endless winter, but we’ve also had the privilege of being able to stay warm in our homes and offices. We at The PBEye have tried to remember to be sensitive to the needs of others. According to government data, more than 600,000 Americans are homeless on any given night and approximately 700 homeless people die from hypothermia each year. While many cities guarantee

Pro Bono is a Priority in New York: Chief Judge Lippman’s State of the Judiciary Speech

February 12, 2014

New York Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman delivered his annual State of the Judiciary speech this week, and in it, he reassured New Yorkers of his commitment to improve and enhance the justice system as it faces evolving challenges. Pro bono was once again a focal point of Chief Judge Lippman’s speech. Building on the mandatory pro bono requirement for prospective attorneys that he implemented last year, he has proposed a new Pro Bono Scholars program, which would allow students to dedicate the final semester of their third year of law school to doing pro bono. Pro Bono Scholars will receive

New Legislation Brings New Opportunity

February 11, 2014

As Target Corporation**, Lindquist & Vennum*, and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota (ILCM) demonstrate, with new legislation comes new opportunities to serve those in desperate need of legal assistance. In June 2012, the Obama Administration issued a directive implemented by the Department of Homeland Security which provides eligible immigrants the opportunity to defer deportation action and seek work authorization through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In Minnesota, a team of lawyers from Target, Lindquist, and ILCM, worked together to develop a pro bono project to help these young immigrants realize their rights under this new directive.