Tomorrow is Earth Day and our attention has turned to environmental sustainability. Environmental degradation and climate change pose serious threats, and over the past few years, there has been increased local, national, and international concern for the health of our planet. As we previously reported, lawyers can put their legal training, skills, and expertise to use to propel environmental progress. There is an opportunity, which bypasses both traditional and positional conflicts, to suit the interests and talents of every pro bono lawyer, including partnering with environmental organizations, advocating and litigating on behalf of endangered species, engaging in global environmental pro

Don’t miss out on your chance to set up a house call with the Law Firm Pro Bono Project.  We have upcoming trips to Minneapolis and Portland, Ore., and we are currently planning our travel schedule for 2014 and early 2015.  Make sure your city is one of our destinations! These house calls are part of our expert consultative services program, under which Law Firm Pro Bono Project Director Tammy Taylor and Assistant Director Reena Glazer visit law firms and meet with pro bono committees, firm and office leaders, partners, pro bono coordinators, directors, and managers to offer individualized assistance. 

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

“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

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

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.