Guest Blog: “Insurmountable Opportunities”

One of the speakers at the PBI Annual Conference this year offered a quote from the classic comic strip philosopher Pogo as an apt description of the current state of pro bono, “We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities.”  One of the greatest benefits of attending the Conference for me (for the first time), was the sense of instant community I had with the people I met — bright, energetic, dedicated professionals, all faced with the same set of insurmountable opportunities. When I signed on to attend the Conference, I wasn’t sure what I really wanted to get out of it. 

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VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? Betsy Cavendish, Appleseed

We at The PBEye talk to a lot of lawyers about why they do pro bono, and we can pretty much count on them giving both professional and personal reasons.  What’s great about that is that is underscores the win-win-win outcome of doing pro bono work for firms, lawyers, and clients. Even better, often it’s hard to draw a distinct line between the professional and personal benefits of pro bono as Betsy Cavendish, executive director of Appleseed, explains below. YouTube Link

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A “True Champion of Equality” Gone Too Soon

The PBEye was saddened to hear of the passing of John Payton, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.  Payton was a lifelong champion for equal rights and justice.  Going back to his time at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP*, he embraced pro bono as a critical part of his practice and used his influence to encourage colleagues at the firm to promote pro bono work. Tributes have come pouring in in his memory, including President Obama: “A true champion of equality, [Payton] helped protect civil rights in the classroom and at the ballot box. 

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From Annual Conference . . . to Major Litigation

At the 2010 Pro Bono Institute Annual Conference, we were pleased to highlight a then month-old, cutting-edge initiative of The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the Loan Modification Scam Prevention Network (LMSPN).  Millions of distressed homeowners are vulnerable targets to devious and sometimes criminal third-party scammers and con artists.  Underwater homeowners, desperate to keep their homes, are at risk from so-called “loan modification specialists,” some of whom are the very people who previously peddled subprime loans.  They employ various scams with disastrous consequences for homeowners.  While waiting for the promised relief, homeowners not only lose their money but often

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VIDEO: 26 Years: The Dewey Bozella Story

In November, PBI was honored to hear from Dewey Bozella at the 2011 PBI Annual Dinner in New York.  Bozella, an amateur boxer who was wrongly imprisoned for 26 years, was exonerated in 2008 with the hard work of pro bono attorneys at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP*.  Bozella subsequently received the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and won his first and only professional boxing match. Now, Bozella’s story, and the hard work of WilmerHale, is the subject of an hour-long documentary by ESPN Films.  We at The PBEye, are happy to see this kind of attention paid

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VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? Cheryl Naja, Alston & Bird LLP

Why do pro bono?  Why not?  Well, it’s not quite as simple as that, but we at The PBEye have been grateful to have great friends and supporters who can explain the many important reasons to do pro bono legal work. This week hear from Cheryl Naja, pro bono and community service manager at Alston & Bird LLP* about why it’s important to do pro bono. YouTube Link *denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®

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Large Firms Embracing Social Media

In a previous post on The PBEye, our friend Lisa W. Borden, pro bono shareholder at Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, P.C.* wrote about the importance of social media to a law firm’s business and gave some tips on how firms can be savvier in promoting their pro bono work online.  Now, a recent article in The Washington Post depicts a growing trend.  “Leaders at several top 100 firms are for the first time hiring full-time social media specialists to manage firms’ LinkedIn, YouTube, and Twitter accounts, and many more are making a concerted effort to prioritize social media outreach

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Creative Initiative Helps LA’s Homeless

In Los Angeles County, a coalition of nonprofit, business, and city leaders have found permanent housing for more than 3,000 veterans and chronically homeless people.  It is the result of a new initiative called Home for Good, a project that plans to end long-term homelessness nationwide by 2016.  This unique effort was launched by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles in partnership with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.   The Los Angeles Times reported, “More than 100 community leaders and organizations — including the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, several cities and housing authorities, law enforcement officials

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VIDEO: Why Do Pro Bono? David Williams, Deloitte Financial Advisory Services

As we at The PBEye have mentioned, in-house pro bono is really on a roll.   Corporate Counsel even recently ran a lead story on the factors contributing to the uptick in in-house pro bono. This we week hear from one of the corporate leaders on the front lines of in-house pro bono, David Williams, CEO of Deloitte Financial Advisory Services LLP, on why lawyers should do pro bono. YouTube Link

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CPBO Spotlight On: Aetna Inc.

Aetna, the recipient of the 2009 CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award, has a longstanding tradition of pro bono service.  Among the first to do so, the legal department adopted a formal pro bono program in 1981.  The program’s longevity is due in large part to consistent support from general counsel over the years, including current Senior Vice President and General Counsel Bill Casazza. Connecticut Lawyers’ Legal Aid to the Elderly Since the program’s inception, Aetna’s lawyers have handled hundreds of cases in the greater Hartford, Conn., area dealing with elder law issues such as estate planning, Medicaid, Medicare, landlord-tenant disputes

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