Association of Corporate Counsel
CLO Perspectives
June 2012
“When one thinks of successful pro bono programs, one almost always thinks of the nation’s major law firms, with their dedicated pro bono coordinators or even partners assigned full-time to pro bono matters, and their traditions of public service. But Jane Sherburne, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel at BNY Mellon, wanted her in-house department to step up to the pro bono need and the result of her efforts can be seen in an award-winning pro bono program.
“‘All lawyers have a professional obligation to provide pro bono legal service, but the outlets for the obligation are often more difficult to identify for in—house lawyers,’ Sherburne says. ‘We wanted to develop a formal program that would enable our lawyers to fulfill their professional obligations, and at the same time provide team—building opportunities that would benefit the department as a whole and reflect well on the company.’”