The Pro Bono Wire
November 26, 2013
As a global partnership project of PBI and ACC, CPBO participates in the ACC Annual Meeting each year to provide information and guidance on in-house pro bono to the thousands of in-house counsel who attend. This year, CPBO hosted three events in addition to staffing a booth in the exhibit hall.
Clinic in a Box® Program
On October 28, CPBO co-hosted a Clinic in a Box® Program with the Southern California ACC Chapter, Alston & Bird*†, and Public Counsel. The clinic was attended by 40 in-house volunteers. After a training on key issues related to employment, governance, intellectual property, real estate, and tax matters, volunteers broke into teams to conduct a pro bono legal assessment for nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles.
The Ethics of Pro Bono Practice by In-House Counsel
CPBO then hosted a session on in-house pro bono, “The Ethics of Pro Bono Practice by In-House Counsel,” featuring a panel comprising California Court of Appeal Associate Justice Laurie Zelon, Public Counsel Vice President and General Counsel Liz Bluestein, and Caterpillar Inc.** Deputy General Counsel Mike Sposato. The speakers provided broad perspective and insight on ethical issues and practical tools in-house counsel should keep in mind when providing pro bono legal services. Topics included attorney-client privilege, malpractice insurance, multijurisdictional practice, and matter management.
Pro Bono Breakfast
Finally, CPBO hosted a breakfast for in-house counsel engaged in or interested in pro bono. The breakfast brought together in-house counsel from around the U.S. with varying degrees of experience with in-house pro bono. The discussion focused on current pro bono activities (at legal departments and ACC Chapters), best practices, and means for overcoming real and perceived challenges associated with engaging in pro bono.
A bonus at this year’s meeting was the addition of three new CPBO Challenge® Signatories: MVG Development, Inc.**, State Volunteer Mutual Insurance Company**, and 2013 ACC Corporate Pro Bono awardee TE Connectivity, Ltd.** Each of these legal departments has a demonstrated commitment to pro bono legal services, and CPBO is pleased to add them to the list of now 130 CPBO Challenge® Signatories.
CPBO looks forward to the 2014 ACC Annual Meeting, which will be held on October 28 – 31, in New Orleans.
** denotes a Signatory to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge®
* denotes a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®
† denotes a Member of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project