VIDEO: Pro Bono for Global Social Change

The PBEye has been excited to report on various global pro bono efforts that have harnessed the power of attorneys to affect social change.  So of course we were delighted to talk to Edwin Rekosh, executive director of PILnet (formerly the Public Interest Law Institute), abut his organization’s mission to promote the use of law for social change.  Internationally, civil society organizations are using legal tools to pursue certain public interests, but don’t always have the backing of pro bono lawyers that they do in the U.S.  That’s where PILnet seeks to strengthen pro bono culture to assist foreign NGOs.

Ford, Dykema , and CLR Team Up

In 2008, Ford Motor Company**, Dykema Gossett PLLC*, and Community Legal Resources (CLR) conceived of a program to provide legal support to Michigan nonprofit organizations.  In the wake of the recession, the nonprofits faced significant financial hardship and found it increasingly difficult to serve their clients.  Michigan was one of the states hit hardest by the economic downturn, rendering the services provided by nonprofit organizations all the more important.  Witnessing the vulnerability of nonprofits in the state, Ford, Dykema, and CLR developed a program called the Nonprofit Survival Clinic to help implement legal strategies to improve their financial wellbeing.

In preparation for the Nonprofit Survival Clinic, the partnership created a legal questionnaire to identify nonprofit concerns before the clients’ appointments with an attorney.  The questionnaire helps streamline the counseling process and ensures that clients get the most value out of their time with an attorney.

Each clinic begins with a training session for the Ford lawyers led by Dykema and CLR lawyers with expertise in nonprofit law, followed by a 90-minute one-on-one consultation between nonprofit representatives and volunteer attorneys.  During the consultation, Ford attorneys evaluate nonprofit financial vulnerabilities as well as labor and real estate issues while Dykema attorneys provide backup as necessary and are available to answer questions from Ford attorneys.  The Ford attorneys then provide the nonprofit client with a written report highlighting potential legal problems and solutions.

In addition to addressing existing legal issues, Ford attorneys counsel nonprofits on legal problems that may arise in the future.  This proactive approach saves time and money by preventing future legal problems, which enables the nonprofits to use their valuable resources to more effectively serve their communities.  Indeed, the clinics have allowed several nonprofits to avoid going out of business.

Since the inaugural Nonprofit Survival Clinic in 2009, more than 40 nonprofits have participated in eight clinics. Nearly 40 percent of Ford’s attorneys have provided assistance, with several attorneys providing representation on an ongoing basis.

*denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^®
**denoted a Signatory to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge^SM

“The Good Wife” Does “Good” Again

There are many indications that law firm pro bono has hit critical mass – law firm pro bono brochures and videos, questions about pro bono in RFPs from corporate clients, cocktail party talk about pro bono work – but one sure sign is the prevalence of pro bono in popular culture, including documentaries, coffee table books, and prime time television.

As we’ve reported previously, Lockhart Gardner, the fictional law firm at the center of “The Good Wife,” a successful CBS series on Sunday evenings, does a lot of pro bono work.  During one of its first episodes, a firm managing partner emphasized that “like many law firms we donate five percent [the highest aspirational goal of the Pro Bono Institute’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^®] of our billable time to pro bono.”

Again, last week, in between the maneuvering, scheming, and politicking, the plot revolved around pro bono.  In addition to focusing on one intense pro bono representation, the episode explored whether law firms can afford to (or whether they can afford not to) take on significant pro bono matters during times of economic stress and depressed revenues and the “worst practice” of dumping a pro bono matter back on the legal services provider or referring nonprofit organization.

Spoiler alert:  The episode has a happy ending for the pro bono client, the pro bono lawyers, and the financially-strapped legal aid organization which referred the case to the firm.  The takeaway is a pro bono positive message for firms to emulate:  the leaders of Lockhart Gardner decide to bring the legal aid organization in-house by offering the group office space at the firm.

Who is your favorite fictional pro bono lawyer?  Leave a comment and let us know!

Stop the Presses for Pro Bono!

Have you heard the news?  PBI announced the winners of its John H. Pickering and CPBO Pro Bono Partner Awards today!  This year’s honorees are outstanding leaders in the pro bono community because of the innovative work they have done during the last year.

Morrison & Foerster LLP*, this year’s John H. Pickering award winner, has continued its long-standing commitment to pro bono through countless endeavors. In 2010, their 1,000 attorneys recorded more than 95,000 hours of pro bono services.  “At Morrison & Foerster, we believe it is our responsibility as lawyers to contribute to and support the communities in which we live and work,” Morrison & Foerster Chair Keith Wetmore said. “We thank the Pro Bono Institute for recognizing our dedication to pro bono work and to serving those in need.”  Read the official press release here.

Verizon Communications Inc.** and DLA Piper LLP*, the CPBO Partner Award winners, lead an impressive collaborative initiative with their work on a number of pro bono projects, securing for themselves this year’s CPBO Pro Bono Partner Award.  Randy Milch, executive vice president and general counsel for Verizon, said, “Since we started our pro bono program, hundreds of Verizon’s attorneys have participated and used their skills to provide services to those in need.  Our partnership with DLA Piper is a cornerstone of our program.  By working together with DLA Piper, we have been able to tackle so many projects neither of us could have done alone.  We are deeply honored to receive this award.”

“It is a tremendous honor to receive this award from PBI and the CPBO,” said Elizabeth Dewey, U.S. pro bono partner for DLA Piper and director of New Perimeter.  “We are extremely proud of the accomplishments from our pro bono partnership with Verizon thus far and look forward to continuing to collaborate with our clients and nonprofit organizations to help those less fortunate throughout the world.”  Read the official press release here.

The awards will be presented at the 2011 PBI Annual Dinner in New York on Nov. 3.  PBI will also be celebrating its 15^th anniversary and will be joined by many of our past awardees.  Register for the dinner today!

*denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^®
**denotes Signatory to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge^SM

Boston Pro Bono Clinic a Smashing Success

CPBO just returned from a trip to Boston where we co-hosted a Clinic in a Box^SM program with the Northeast Association of Corporate Counsel** (ACC) Chapter; Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C.*; and United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley.  One of the larger Clinic in a Box^SM programs to date, 41 in-house attorneys turned out to provide legal assistance to 15 local nonprofit organizations.

The Clinic began with an hour and a half training session led by expert attorneys from Mintz Levin, covering areas of law most relevant to nonprofits.  Following the training, the ACC members met with the nonprofit clients to conduct a legal audit of each organization.  During the meetings, volunteers referred to a questionnaire developed by CPBO and tailored to Massachusetts state law by Mintz Levin.  Volunteers identified issues of concern and provided guidance to the nonprofits as needed.

The clients served during the Clinic provide a wide range of services to the greater-Boston community, including domestic violence counseling, advocating for the LGBT community, improving the health of children, and developing renewable energy projects.  Afterward, one of the clients remarked, “[The Clinic was a] great session and a fantastic resource for us. We genuinely appreciate the time and talent that the lawyers provided.”

The Clinic model is a great time-limited pro bono opportunity for in-house lawyers.  If your legal department or ACC Chapter is interested in co-hosting a Clinic in a Box^SM program, contact Eve Runyon, director of CPBO, for more information.

*denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^®
**denotes Signatory to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge^SM

TKO for Pro Bono

The PBEye sends special congratulations to Dewey Bozella on winning his first and only professional boxing match on Saturday.  As we’ve reported on this blog previously, Bozella was an amateur boxer when he as wrongfully convicted of murder and spent 26 years in prison.  He was released in 2008 thanks to the hard work of attorneys at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP*, which took his case pro bono.

Incidentally, Bozella will be our special guest at the 2011 PBI Annual Dinner in New York.  Bozella’s story is truly inspiring and reminds us of the importance of pro bono in closing the justice gap.  We hope that you’ll joins us Nov. 5 at Gotham Hall to hear Bozella speak and to celebrate another year of amazing accomplishments in pro bono.  (Get all the information you need about the Annual Dinner here.)

Below is a trio of stories from ESPN that cover various aspects of Bozella’s journey.

Barack Obama calls Dewey Bozella

Dewey Bozella wins pro boxing debut

Bozella’s relentlessness wins out again

*denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^®

VIDEO: Broadening the Bench: Involving Non-Attorneys

Law firms and legal departments are made up of a lot of people – many of whom may not be lawyers.  Involving paralegals; librarians; compliance specialists; marketing staff; policy, science, human resources, and information technology experts; and other non-lawyer staff in your pro bono efforts is one way to effectively increase your pro bono practice and serve more clients.  In order for non-lawyers to successfully contribute to your pro bono efforts: (1) the culture of your firm or organization must support non-lawyer participation; (2) non-lawyers must be informed and made aware of relevant pro bono opportunities; (3) you should cater to non-lawyer abilities and interests; and (4) non-lawyers must be adequately trained and supervised, so that they can have a meaningful experience.

Last year, at our Annual Conference, our friend Cheryl Naja, pro bono-community service manager at Alston & Bird LLP*†, inspired attendees with one visionary and creative way that the firm has been able to involve non-lawyers.  Naja saw a unique opportunity to assist the Georgia Senior Legal Hotline, which had to cut staff following budget cuts in 2009.  Faced with splitting the hotline’s staff attorney time between representing clients and monitoring hotline calls, Alston & Bird put its receptionists to work doing intake for the hotline.  The program allows the firm’s non-lawyer staff to make a meaningful contribution while giving legal services attorneys more time to help their clients.  Naja explains the program in more detail in the video below.

We are delighted to report that last month, Alston & Bird was honored with a Corporate Volunteer Council of Atlanta 2011 IMPACT Award in recognition of this program and the contributions it makes to the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and the Georgia Legal Services Program.  This innovative model could – and should – be replicated by firms around the country.

How are you engaging your non-lawyer staff and leveraging their skills in support of pro bono projects?  Leave a comment and share your creative ideas.  To learn more about involving non-lawyers in pro bono, email Law Firm Pro Bono Project Assistant Mary Baroch to request a copy of the Project’s publication “Broadening the Bench: Involving Non-Lawyer Staff in Law Firm Pro Bono.”

*denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^®

†denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project

Webinar Recap: Trends in In-House Pro Bono

Did you tune in? Last month CPBO moderated a webinar exploring recent trends in in-house pro bono.  Panelists Tianne Bataille, senior counsel at Accenture LLC**, and John Frantz, vice president and associate general counsel at Verizon Communications Inc.**, discussed what their respective pro bono programs are up to and the most cutting edge developments in in-house pro bono.  Topics of discussion included integrating pro bono and corporate social responsibility, developing longer term and more extensive projects, and global pro bono.

The webinar attracted a diverse audience, consisting of in-house counsel, law firm lawyers, and members of the public interest community.  Panelists answered participant questions regarding malpractice insurance, partnerships with law firms, and budgeting for pro bono.

The program recording is currently available online.  For instructions to access the webinar, please contact CPBO Project Assistant Sarah Neuman.  CLE credit is available for this program in many states.

Check back often for other online offerings from PBI and CPBO and join us for our next webinar program.

**denotes Signatory to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge^SM

Singapore’s Solution to Dead-Beat Dads

In 2009 alone, Singapore moms filed 3,600 claims against fathers who failed to make child support and spousal maintenance payments, some of them repeat defaults.  Custodial parents who depend on regular payments to support their minor children endure an endless stream of time-consuming court procedures in an effort to enforce their kids’ legal right to support.  The PBEye recently learned from The Straits Times that pro bono is about to make justice more accessible to single parents in Singapore.

The Singapore Council of Women’s Organisations (SCWO) is tackling this barrier to justice by shifting the burden from the custodial parent to the parent that is chronically in arrears.  Last week, SCWO, in collaboration with social services and the justice system, opened the doors of Maintenance Support Central (MSC), a one-stop drop-in center where low-income moms can get help to collect unpaid maintenance and child support, and access free financial and emotional counseling services.  MSC partners with the Law Society of Singapore’s Pro Bono Services Office and the local family bar in order to provide parents with free legal representation.  SCWO President Laura Hwang told Singapore Law Watch that the center’s average client is a mother in her thirties with two children, and has only a secondary school education.  Money is tight for these parents, and time spent at court chasing down delinquent maintenance payments is time that they could be working.  One working mom, Leanne Tan, shared, “I had to make six, seven trips to court every time my former husband defaults on child support payment.  In the last three years, there had been about eight incidents of default. Just imagine the number of times I had to take time-off from work to go to court.”

Through pro bono legal services, MSC helps means-tested indigent moms file enforcement complaints without having to spend countless hours in a courthouse.

Under Singapore law, ex-spouses who fall into arrears face penalties, including mandatory community service, financial counseling sessions, and banker’s guarantees to prevent future arrears.  But, without MSC’s free legal assistance, single parents in Singapore who can’t afford to hire an attorney or take time off from work are unable to utilize these enforcement mechanisms.  Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yacob told reporters, “We don’t want the children to grow up remembering the court system as part of their routine in life.  We see this as a more holistic approach towards enforcing or ensuring that women have a stream of revenue to take care of their needs and [those] of their children.”

The PBEye tips its hat to Singapore’s legal community for collaborating to harness pro bono to provide meaningful access to justice.

Are you in the know about emerging pro bono initiatives abroad?  Drop us a comment below and tell us all about it.

VIDEO: Thinking Practically About Pro Bono Risk Management

On Tuesday, The PBEye posted a video about risk management at law firms and legal departments in the context of Maples v. Thomas.  In Maples, the U.S. Supreme Court is considering whether a defendant is prohibited from arguing the unconstitutionality of his death sentence in federal habeas proceedings, because – through no fault of his own – his lawyers missed a filing deadline in the Alabama state court.

In Tuesday’s video, our own Reena Glazer, assistant director of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project, discussed a few best practices regarding the duty to supervise subordinate lawyers and non-attorneys in pro bono matters and the treatment of pro bono matters when the attorney primarily responsible for the matter leaves the firm/department. Today we thought we’d post a follow-up with a few more focused tips for leaders in law firms and legal departments looking to take a proactive approach to risk management with regard to their pro bono practices.  Prudent policies and practices, however, should not be mistaken for a license to overreact or otherwise retrench from pro bono work.

What pro bono quality control and risk management issues keep you up at night and what steps have you taken to address them?  Let us know in the comments section or shoot us an e-mail.