In 2008, some General Electric Co. lawyers were discouraged. The legal department at the global technology, services and finance company had a 10-year-old, formal pro bono program in place, but a majority of the projects were geared toward lawyers located near the GE headquarters in Fairfield, Conn.

The Association of General Counsel (AGC), an exclusive invitation-only professional organization made up of the chief legal officers of the largest and most prestigious U.S. corporations, meets twice a year to discuss issues of import to top legal business leaders. Previous speakers have included a former U.S. President, CEOs of Fortune 50 companies, and other notable business figures. At AGC’s Fall Meeting, held on Oct. 6 in Washington, D.C., PBI President and CEO Esther Lardent participated in the opening panel, facilitating a lively and interactive discussion on pro bono at in-house departments. The panel was moderated by Michael Holston, general counsel at the Hewlett-Packard Company**, and included Ron Flagg, partner at Sidley & Austin LLP*, LLP and board chair of the National Veterans Legal Services Program, and Lisa Dewey, pro bono partner at DLA Piper LLP*.

On October 5, Connecticut joined the growing list of states to host a pro bono summit (covered here by the Connecticut Law Tribune). Organized by Hon. William H. Bright, Jr. and the Connecticut Access to Justice Committee, the invitation-only summit brought together select members of Connecticut’s legal community with the ability to make significant change to the state’s pro bono culture and services, including Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Chase T. Rogers, who conceived of the summit, numerous chief administrative justices, and leaders of law firms and legal departments. The message of the summit was threefold: there is a severe and worsening crisis in access to justice; all members of the Connecticut legal community must respond creatively and in concert to address the crisis; and top members of Connecticut’s judiciary are committed to support and enable pro bono throughout the state. It was a call to action to do more, be better, and think bigger to maximize the impact of pro bono efforts by using collaborations, transitioning pro bono from “retail to wholesale” by creating projects that address particular issues on a wide scale, and focusing work on where the clients are – courts, schools, hospitals, and other institutions.

In response to requests from a host of law departments PBI is pleased to announce the launch of its Corporate Task Force on Global Pro Bono. Recognizing the high demand for and unique challenges inherent in in-house global pro bono work, PBI’s Global Pro Bono Project has teamed up with Corporate Pro Bono, a partnership project of PBI and the Association of Corporate Counsel, to assemble leaders of key legal departments to serve as thought leaders and emissaries for corporate global pro bono.

The PBEye highlights Caterpillar’s exemplary pro bono program, which holds clinics, settles individual matters, and maintains a global outreach.

The PBEye highlights some of the LexisNexis Group’s pro bono work, such as supporting the Southern Africa Litigation Center, assisting Wills for Heroes, and participating in the Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Program.

From the beginning of their partnership in March 2010, Ford Motor Company and Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc. have hosted several clinics addressing food stamp benefit cases to alleviate the struggles of those in poverty.

Since they first established a partnership in 2009, Hunton & Williams and ExxonMobil Corporation have launched and co-staffed an elder law clinic, and established a “Attorney for the Day” program.

Cargill Inc., a business devoted to providing sustenance and energy products and services to people worldwide, places significant emphasis on giving back to the communities it serves. But finding the right pro bono project for the company’s legal department was a challenge.