ACC CLO Perspectives
March 21, 2013
“Earlier this year, International Business Machines Corp. became the first in- house law department to win a place on the National Law Journal’s highly regarded Pro Bono Hot List. In examining this achievement, it has become thoroughly clear to all observers that in-house corporate law departments are just as capable as law firms of developing a world-class pro bono program, including one that has gained the highest respect company-wide and across the legal profession as a whole.
Robert Weber, IBM’s Senior Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs, and General Counsel, is as responsible for the development of IBM’s program as anyone else. Four years ago, after he had been in his present CLO job for two years, he planned a top-to-bottom overhaul of IBM’s pro bono efforts with the goals of doing as much good as the company was capable of doing and of involving as many lawyers as it could.”