PBEye Blog - Page 44 of 68 - Pro Bono Institute

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 Children (and girls in particular) are often withdrawn from school to collect water for their families.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.

In-House Pro Bono in Australia

January 24, 2014

This week The PBEye takes a look at pro bono down under where Telstra, one of the largest in-house legal departments in Australia, has expanded the company’s responsibility to be a good corporate citizen to include legal pro bono work. Working with Justice Connect, the new name for the merged Public Interest Law Clearing Houses of the states of New South Wales and Victoria, Telstra’s legal department has provided hundreds of hours of pro bono assistance to underserved communities throughout Australia. The push to engage in direct legal services came from the legal team at Telstra. A department of about

Law Firm Pro Bono Resources Are Only a Click Away

January 23, 2014

Do you need examples of pro bono policies from firms similar to yours? Could you use ethics guidance related to a pro bono matter? Are you re-vamping your pro bono annual report and looking for models? Visit the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s Resource Clearinghouse for helpful research and publications. The Resource Clearinghouse is a one-stop destination for publications, best practices, model policies, and other materials related to law firm pro bono. Browse and be inspired. The growing catalog comprises PBI’s research and expert analysis with additional resources from trusted and verified sources. Materials available include: • Original publications • Best practices

New Release: Pro Bono and Autism

December 19, 2013

When presented with the opportunity to work on a project about which he felt passionately, former Pro Bono Institute summer intern John Treat jumped at the chance. Like many families, his has been affected by autism. It is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the U.S., currently affecting one in 88 children. Families with an autistic member can encounter a multitude of legal challenges over the course of a lifetime, such as those related to education, the criminal justice system, guardianship/conservatorship, healthcare, insurance, housing, and more. Treat conducted original research and prepared a comprehensive report that documents the meaningful work