Pro Bono Blows into the Windy City!
Pro bono is alive and well in Chicago! On July 25, CPBO, the Chicago ACC Chapter, DLA Piper*†, and The Law Project co-hosted a Clinic in a Box® program for in-house volunteers from the Chicago ACC Chapter, marking CPBO’s 50th Clinic in a Box® program to date. The Chicago ACC Chapter alone has co-hosted six of these programs, making it an annual event for the chapter.
Held at DLA Piper, the Clinic attracted lawyers and other professional staff from legal departments throughout the Chicago area. The program began with an hour and a half training session led by expert attorneys from DLA Piper, covering areas of law relevant to nonprofit organizations. Following the training, volunteers from the Chicago ACC Chapter met in teams of three to four with the nonprofit clients to conduct a legal audit of each organization. During the meetings, volunteers reviewed a legal audit checklist, developed by CPBO and tailored to Illinois state law by DLA Piper. The volunteers identified issues of concern and provided guidance to the nonprofit clients as needed.
The clients not only remarked on the breadth of issues covered at the Clinic but also how they were able to ask “very specific questions and [receive] excellent responses.” These services better assist the organizations as they provide vital resources to the greater community. The nonprofits served during the Clinic provide a wide range of services, including assistance to victims of domestic violence, community art programs for children and local artists, as well as maternal and child health services. The PBEye is pleased that this year’s Chicago ACC Chapter Clinic in a Box® program was a great success for pro bono and the community’s nonprofits. We look forward to what next year’s event will bring!
The Clinic in a Box® program is a time-limited pro bono opportunity that allows in-house lawyers and other department staff to work together to provide meaningful assistance to organizations that serve the local community. If your legal department is interested in co-hosting a Clinic in a Box® program, contact Eve Runyon, director of CPBO, for more information.
* denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®
† denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project
