Many in-house legal department attorneys, while licensed and in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, are not admitted to practice (or are admitted under special practice rules only) in the state in which they currently work for their corporate employer.  As interest in in-house pro bono grows, existing rules regarding their ability to practice on behalf of pro bono clients are a major barrier in translating interest into actual pro bono service.

Given the ever-widening “justice gap” – the chasm between the level of need for legal services to the poor and disadvantaged and the limited resources available to meet that need – the current state of regulation is an obstacle to additional pro bono resources.   Corporate Pro Bono – a partnership project of PBI and the Association of Corporate Counsel – has established a task force on Multi-Jurisdictional Practice to address and improve the regulatory framework.

If your legal department or ACC Chapter would like technical assistance and support in establishing more pro bono-friendly practice rules for in-house counsel, please contact Eve Runyon, director of CPBO.  To read what Corporate Counsel magazine had to say about this issue, read editor Anthony Paonita’s comments here.

Developed by Corporate Pro Bono
A global partnership project of the Pro Bono Institute and the Association of Corporate Counsel
www.cpbo.org