As part of the “Best of the 2015 PBI Annual Conference” webinar series, PBI recently hosted “Pro Bono for Entrepreneurial Clients: Small Businesses and Social Entrepreneurs.” The following panel of pro bono leaders explored best practices for providing pro bono representation to small businesses and social entrepreneurs:
- Judah Ariel, Sidley Austin*†
- Jennifer DaSilva, Start Small Think Big, Inc.
- Regina Hopkins, D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center
- Cynthia Weiss, Latham Watkins*†
A growing number of transactional pro bono opportunities involve eligible small businesses and social entrepreneurs and much of this work requires the specialized skills of transactional attorneys. The panelists shared recent pro bono successes, both at home and abroad, as well as the lessons they have learned as leaders providing services to these transformative “change agents.”
One of the most important takeaways was the profound impact that this type of pro bono work can have. By helping individual clients stabilize their own situations, pro bono lawyers can also indirectly provide chronically underserved communities with the basic services and economic boost they need to thrive.
Want to learn more about how transactional attorneys can get involved in pro bono work? Visit our Resource Clearinghouse and download “Transactional Pro Bono Opportunities for Law Firm and In-House Attorneys,” which is free for Law Firm Pro Bono Project Members and available to all others for purchase. (If you are new to the Resource Clearinghouse, please contact Law Firm Pro Bono Project Assistant Eva Richardson to register.)
Missed the webinar? Don’t worry – the program, which is eligible for CLE credit in many jurisdictions, is available on-demand. Access is free for Law Firm Project Members Firms. Law firm participants should contact Eva Richardson for registration information and in-house participants should contact CPBO Project Assistant Josh Lefebvre.
* denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®
† denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project
Hat tip to PBI intern Ali Remick for her help with this post.