Verizon, in partnership with Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO), DLA Piper (US) LLP (a Signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®), and Pro Bono Partnership hosted its second Clinic in a Box℠ program. The Clinic took place at the Verizon offices in Basking Ridge, N.J., on November 16, 2010. The previous Verizon Clinic was hosted at Verizon’s Virginia office.
Nearly 40 Verizon lawyers participated in the Clinic, which was attended by 12 local nonprofit organizations. The Verizon Foundation and Pro Bono Partnership recruited the nonprofit clients. The Clinic provided Verizon attorneys the opportunity to conduct a legal health assessment of each of the clients in attendance.
The Clinic began with an hour and a half training session for Verizon volunteers led by Brian Angeoli, Dianne LaRocca, Leon Medzhibovsky, and Jay Taylor of DLA Piper.
The volunteers then met with representatives of the nonprofit organizations to provide pro bono legal advice. The volunteers referred to a checklist of legal issues developed by CPBO and tailored to New Jersey state law by DLA Piper expert lawyers. Volunteers were able to identify legal issues of concern and provide guidance to the nonprofits as needed. Many of the nonprofits are now aware of key legal matters that require ongoing attention, and a majority of the volunteers will continue to provide pro bono services to the clients they served at the clinic.
Verizon’s national pro bono program focuses on three topical areas: education, domestic violence, and veterans’ affairs. Many of the client organizations’ missions involve one of the three named areas.
Clinic in a BoxSM is an off-the-shelf model developed and administered by CPBO for in-house counsel interest in legal pro bono work. For more information about Clinic in a Box℠, or to learn about other resources CPBO has to offer, please contact Eve Runyon, director of CPBO or visit www.cpbo.org.
Developed by Corporate Pro Bono
A global partnership project of the Pro Bono Institute and the Association of Corporate Counsel
www.cpbo.org