The PBEye
July 16, 2012

Though our 2012 Annual Conference was in March, we’re still working to ensure that those of you who couldn’t make it or those who did and need a refresher can still get the latest and best information about pro bono.  Most recently, PBI hosted a webinar “Pro Bono and the Crisis in Legal Aid” in conjunction with West LegalEdcenter.

The program, which is part of our Best of the 2012 Conference Series, focused on how law firms and legal departments can strengthen support for legal services and legal aid and ensure that pro bono activities address the most pressing legal needs of the poor and disenfranchised.  PBI’s President and CEO Esther F. Lardent and the Legal Services Corporation’s President James J. Sandman discussed a number of issues – mainly a rise in the need for legal services for the poor combined with funding cuts caused by the recession – regarding legal aid in the U.S. and how law firms and in-house legal departments can help mitigate the damage.  Sandman’s unique position as president of the largest funder of civil legal aid in the country puts into perspective the effects of the recession on access to justice for the poor.