The PBI Wire
August 14, 2014
“From a handful of formal programs at legal departments and Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Chapters 10 years ago to hundreds of programs today, the progress of in-house pro bono has been remarkable. In addition, as pro bono becomes an integral part of the culture of many legal departments and ACC Chapters, in-house pro bono programs are becoming more sophisticated. All in-house lawyers and legal staff, no matter the size of their law departments, the location of their offices, or their practice specialties, have the ability to contribute to access to justice. However, building a culture of pro bono, especially in a larger legal department or ACC Chapter, such that every member is encouraged and empowered to engage in pro bono, does not happen overnight. It takes effort, time, and dedication. This commitment to invest that and more is evident in the efforts of The PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (PNC) legal department.
Under the leadership of its Executive Vice President & General Counsel Greg Jordan, PNC began developing its pro bono program in December 2013. One of the department’s first steps was to form a pro bono committee, chaired by Mark Gittelman, chief practice counsel for asset recovery at PNC. Gittelman and his colleagues spent months researching pro bono opportunities, drafting policies, and addressing common concerns, like malpractice insurance and matter management. The committee created an infrastructure, including a website to manage the program and forms to streamline volunteer engagement.”