Pro Bono Wire
April 26, 2012
“Change, promise, innovation, and creativity were the drivers at the 2012 PBI Annual Conference, held in Washington, D.C., on March 28-30. Yes, we understood that we are facing the worst crisis in access to legal services and access to justice in our lifetimes, but that disturbing fact resulted not in despair but in a rededication to service, action, and new solutions.
One of the most striking developments highlighted at the Conference was the transformation of pro bono engagements from one client/one matter/one lawyer service to major projects undertaken by a wide range of institutional stakeholders and designed to effect positive systemic change in one area of the law or the justice system. We have seen the pro bono model evolve over the years as individual law firms and legal departments assembled pro bono teams and designed and implemented signature projects. That evolution accelerated with the growth in partnerships between and among law firms, public interest organizations, and in-house legal departments. Recently, major pro bono engagements have expanded to include non-traditional partners, most notably the courts, but also city and state executives; federal and state agencies; city governments; prosecutors and attorneys general; and medical and other professionals.”