Pro Bono Institute

🤝 Driving Change: The Chief Legal Officer's Perspective on Innovation and Pro Bono Read more on the PBEye blog here: https://lnkd.in/ez7z3-R4 At the 2024 Association of Corporate Counsel Annual Meeting in Nashville, Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) hosted an insightful session on the vital role of pro bono work in advancing access to justice. Moderated by Alyssa Saunders, the session featured Gayle Littleton (Exelon) and Bimal Patel (PayPal) sharing how Chief Legal Officers can drive meaningful change. 🗝️ Key Takeaways: Core Mission: Pro bono strengthens communities and enhances the social impact of corporate legal departments. Employee Engagement: Diverse participation and opportunities foster a culture of service and boost morale. Innovative Practices: Aligning pro bono initiatives with corporate mission enhances engagement and impact. Sustainable Relationships: Building strong ties with community organizations boosts pro bono efforts. Overcoming Barriers: "Bite-size" projects, training, and partnerships help address common concerns about and barriers to participation. Thank you, Exelon and PayPal, for your leadership! 📣 Legal departments looking to enhance their pro bono efforts should reach out to CPBO at cpbo@probonoinst.org for valuable resources. Let’s drive change and make a lasting impact together! ✨ #ProBono #AccessToJustice #CorporateSocialResponsibility #ACCAM24

🌟 Exploring Nonlawyer Providers to Enhance Access to Justice in DC 🌟 The DC Courts are considering proposals to allow trained nonlawyers to provide legal assistance for residents facing civil legal challenges, aligning with similar efforts in states. 🔍 Why This Matters: Access to Justice Gap: A staggering 75-97% of individuals in certain civil cases in DC do not have legal representation, often due to cost barriers and limited resources. Innovative Approaches: The DC Civil Legal Regulatory Reform Task Force is exploring proposals to use trained nonlawyers—like licensed paraprofessionals and community justice workers—to address urgent legal needs in housing, family law, and public benefits. Broader Landscape: Similar initiatives are underway in other states, including Texas, to enhance access to justice for underserved communities and improve overall court efficiency. 🗣️ Get Involved: The DC Task Force is seeking input through: Surveys: Online surveys for legal and social service professionals and community members are open until October 11. Focus Groups: Join focus groups on October 16 and 21 to discuss the proposals in detail and share your thoughts on nonlawyer assistance. Check out Pro Bono Institute’s latest PBEye blog post, “Exploring Nonlawyer Providers to Enhance Access to Justice in DC,” and join the discussion on how nonlawyer assistance can improve access to justice for underserved populations: https://lnkd.in/eDAFfzAs #AccessToJustice #ProBono #LegalInnovation #CommunityEngagement #NonlawyerProviders #LegalAid

The Pro Bono Institute 2024 Annual Dinner was a great celebration of pro bono achievements! It was inspiring to see New York’s Gotham Hall filled with leaders dedicated to improving access to justice. Thank you to our Co-Chairs Tonya Robinson, (former) Vice Chair, General Counsel and Secretary, KPMG US LLP, and David Zapolsky Senior Vice President, Global Public Policy and General Counsel, Amazon, whose leadership made the night such a success. We celebrated the exceptional pro bono efforts of our award recipients through the stories they shared of their programs, projects, and the individuals they have helped. The 2024 award recipients are listed below, and learn more about their pro bono work here: https://lnkd.in/e6NhcP7y Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP; Paramount Global, in partnership with Loeb & Loeb LLP; and PSEG in partnership with Gibbons P.C., McCarter & English, LLP, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice

Are you in Nashville for the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Annual Meeting? Be sure to stop by Corporate Pro Bono project booth in the exhibit hall! We will be here until 6:30 pm today honoring pro bono royalty 👑 – come by, say hi, pick up a ring pop and bookmark, and find out the many great resources CPBO has available for your in-house pro bono program! Be sure to check out the session moderated by PBI on Driving Change: The Chief Legal Officer’s View on Innovation and Pro Bono, on Tuesday, October 8, 2:45-4:15 pm. We will host two pro bono leaders: Gayle Littleton, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Corporate Secretary at Exelon and Bimal Patel, Senior Vice President and General Counsel at PayPal. They will discuss how they promote innovation through their pro bono programs and align their efforts to further their companies’ impact. Sure to be a great session! #ProBonoProud #ACCAM24

🎉 Energize and Celebrate Your Pro Bono Programs 🎉   By taking the time to jumpstart or re-energize pro bono program during Pro Bono Week, firms and departments can increase their impact and strengthen their culture of pro bono for the long-run. Read our latest blog about how to make Pro Bono Week a success for your organization. https://bit.ly/4duOw08

💡 Reimagining Legal Services: How Texas is Tackling the Access to Justice Crisis In a groundbreaking move, the Supreme Court of Texas is addressing the justice gap by proposing licensure for legal paraprofessionals and court-access assistants to improve the ability of low-income litigants to navigate the court system and resolve their legal issues. Under this proposal, licensed paraprofessionals and court-access assistants would be able to provide limited legal representation and other services in small claims matters. Licensed paraprofessionals would also be able to provide specified services in the areas of: ✅Family law ✅Estate-planning and probate law ✅Consumer debt matters Check out our blog to learn how this effort in Texas and similar initiatives across the country 🌟 Empower litigants  🌟 Speed up legal resolutions  🌟 Allow attorneys to focus on complex cases There, you’ll also find a link to the full set of proposed rules from the Supreme Court of Texas. You can have your voice heard by submitting comments to the proposed rules by November 1. With rules expected to take effect on December 1, stay tuned with us for more updates as Texas embarks on this new and innovative step in its access to justice journey! https://bit.ly/3NaJ5bS #AccessToJustice #LegalInnovation #TexasLaw #LicensedParaprofessionals #CourtAccessAssistants   

Beyond the Classroom: The Future of Academic Freedom in Florida NEW SIGNATORY SHOWCASE BLOG: We interviewed Ballard Spahr attorneys who shed light on their pivotal role in challenging Florida’s controversial HB7, also known as the Stop W.O.K.E. Act, through the high-stakes case of Pernell v. Lamb. Ballard Spahr LLP’s team discusses their strategic approach with the ACLU, ACLU of Florida, and NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. in defending academic freedom and combating censorship in education. They delve into the legal and ethical implications of the act, highlighting their commitment to pro bono work and the broader impact on democratic values. This insightful dialogue reveals the complexities of their legal battle and the broader fight for academic freedom. Thanks to Jason Leckerman and Jacqueline Mabatah for sharing your insight and expertise! https://bit.ly/4djF3J8 #probono #AcademicFreedom #LegalAdvocacy

🚨 Emerging Legal Issue: Discrimination in "Crime-Free" and “Nuisance” Housing Programs 🚨 An emerging legal challenge is taking center stage: the discriminatory impact of "crime-free" and "nuisance" housing ordinances. Supposedly intended to enhance safety, these policies are under increasing scrutiny for disproportionately affecting marginalized communities, including people of color, individuals with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence. Recent U.S. Department of Justice guidance highlights that many of these ordinances violate federal laws such as the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Violence Against Women Act. As legal scrutiny intensifies, pro bono lawyers have an opportunity to contribute by representing affected individuals and supporting policy changes. 🔗 Explore Pro Bono Institute’s latest PBEye blog post, “Exposing Discrimination in "Crime-Free" and “Nuisance” Housing Programs: A Call to Action for Pro Bono Lawyers,” and learn more about this emerging legal issue and its impact on low-income communities and access to justice. https://bit.ly/4euMIoN #EmergingLegalIssues #HousingJustice #ProBono #FairHousing #CivilRights #AccesstoJustice

PBI’s Corporate Pro Bono project publishes a collection of “In-House Pro Bono in Practice Profiles” that feature standout examples of in-house pro bono programs. This resource reviews the structure and substance of companies’ pro bono program, and highlight the lessons their pro bono leaders have learned while building and growing the program. Check out the full collection of Best Practice Profiles here: https://lnkd.in/e_x-Ny5k Our newest Best Practice Profile features AT&T, a Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® signatory. Find out how AT&T’s attorneys and legal staff are making an impact by delivering pro bono legal services to veterans, immigrants, nonprofits, and low-income individuals here: https://lnkd.in/ek7cT5Xi

We've got two, must-read blogs, on pro bono and AI... Navigating AI and Legal Ethics Guidance Ethical guidance on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in legal services is evolving and responding more and more to civil legal needs and expanding access to justice for underserved communities. As use of AI expands, state bar associations and courts are considering how to avoid ethical pitfalls while taking advantage of emerging technology. Read more! https://bit.ly/3X7ltcN The Power of Training: The Importance of Educating Lawyers on AI Tools to Successfully Scale Pro Bono Efforts Advancements in AI technology hold the potential to revolutionize legal practice and enhance pro bono services. With legal service organizations currently forced to turn away nearly 50 percent of qualified pro bono clients due to capacity constraints, the contribution of lawyers and law firms is essential to bridging the access to justice gap. AI can dramatically increase efficiency in completing routine legal tasks, such as document review and letter drafting, reducing processes that typically take hours to mere minutes. This heightened productivity allows lawyers to devote more time to building client relationships and focusing on complex legal issues where their expertise is most needed, thereby maximizing the impact of pro bono efforts. By integrating AI into their practices, law firms can deliver more cost-effective, efficient legal services with better outcomes, significantly expanding their reach to clients in need. This technological shift could be transformative in the pro bono sector, enabling the delivery of services to a broader population of underserved clients. Find out more about how you can scale AI to your pro bono efforts. Read more! https://bit.ly/4dGJnTK Need more resources? Check our web site: https://lnkd.in/eFnWK-Ut