An important way of promoting pro bono is by approaching it academically. Understanding why lawyers volunteer and why they don't, the various strategies that have worked in other jurisdictions, and various innovative pro bono delivery models provides a foundation for analyzing and improving a community's existing pro bono projects.

Past National Celebrations of Pro Bono have featured a number of pro bono seminars, sponsored by law school and others. Examples include:

Sponsored by Law Schools

Event Title: Crafting Your Dream Job: How Pro Bono Can Change Your Career and Your Life

Sponsoring Organization: Office of Career and Professional Development-- CUA Law

Location: Washington, D.C.

Contact Information: Mandy Hitchcock, hitchcock@law.edu

Event Title: Life of a Human Rights Lawyer

Sponsoring Organization: Public Action Law Society

Location: Memphis, TN
Contact Information: C. Grace Whiting, cgjuneau@memphis.edu


2009 Events

Event Title: Professional Seminar on Public Interest Practice for Law Students
Sponsoring Organization: Faulkner University Jones School of Law Career Services
Location: Montgomery, Alabama
Contact Information: Anita Hamlet, ahamlet@faulkner.edu

Event Title: Pro Bono Publico: What is it? Who Does it? Is it Meeting the Need?
Sponsoring Organization: University of California Berkeley School of Law
Location: Berkeley, California
Contact Information: Linda Maranzana, lmaranzana@law.berkeley.edu

Event Title: Adventures in Pro Bono: Partnerships in the Public Interest
Sponsoring Organization: Emory University School of Law
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Contact Information: Jan Pratt, jpratt@law.emory.edu

Event Title: Leadership Conversation on the Future of Pro Bono in NYC
Sponsoring Organization: Columbia Law School
Location: New York, New York
Contact Information: Ellen Chapnick, chapnick@law.columbia.edu

Sponsored by Others

Event Title: Ohio 8th Judicial District Conference: "Access to Justice"

Sponsoring Organization: 8th Judicial Conference Committee

Location: Cleveland, OH

Contact Information: By Invitation Only

Event Title: The Role of Pro Bono Intellectual Property in Developing Countries

Sponsoring Organization: Public Interest Intellectual Property Advisors (PIIPA)Location: Washington, D.C.

Location: Washington, D.C.

Contact Information: R. Mark Davis, rmdavis@piipa.org

2009 Events

Event Title: Tuskegee Rotary Club Speaker
Sponsoring Organization: Tuskegee Rotary Club
Location: Tuskegee, Alabama
Contact Information: Linda Lund, linda.lund@alabar.org

Event Title: Southern California Pro Bono Symposium
Sponsoring Organization: Los Angeles Pro Bono Council; Public Counsel; Southwestern Law School
Location: Los Angeles, California
Contact Information: Ted Zepeda, tzepeda@publiccounsel.org

Event Title: Launching Your Career in Immigration and Human Rights Law
Sponsoring Organization: American Immigration Lawyers Association; University of the District of Columbia
Location: Washington, District of Columbia
Contact Information: Susan Timmons, STimmons@aila.org

Event Title: Access to Justice in North Carolina: A Right to Counsel in Civil Cases
Sponsoring Organization: University of North Carolina Law Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Contact Information: Wendy Spitzer, spitzer@email.unc.edu

Event Title: Through Different Eyes: The Faces of Poverty in Virginia
Sponsoring Organization: University of Richmond; Virginia Poverty Law Center
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Contact Information: James Speer, jay@vplc.org

Community Education Programs

Event Title: Know Your Rights: Consumer Credit Information Sessions

Sponsoring Organization: DC National Pro Bono Week Celebration Planning Committee

Location: Washington, D.C.

Contact Information: Harmony Gbe, roselina.gbe@hoganlovells.com

Event Title: Citizenship Interview Demonstration

Sponsoring Organization: Nassau County Bar Association

Location: Mineola, NY

Contact Information: Caryle Katz ckatz@nassaubar.org

Event Title: Small Business Legal Issues

Sponsoring Organization: Michigan State University College of Law

Location: East Lansing, MI

Contact Information: Caroline Kingston, ckingston@law.msu.edu

Event Title: Participate in Foreclosure Prevention Canvassing

Sponsoring Organizations: Rappaport Center for Law & Public Service, No One Leaves, Chelsea Collaborative

Location: Chelsea, MA

Contact Information: Mia Friedman, mfriedman@suffolk.edu

2009 Events

Event Title: Free Community Legal Education Seminars
Sponsoring Organization: Legal Services of Eastern Michigan (Saginaw Office); Saginaw County Bar Association
Location: Saginaw, Michigan
Contact Information: Marilyn Hackett, mhackett@lsem-mi.org

Event Title: Domestic Relations Presentation: How to Represent Yourself In Court
Sponsoring Organization: Battered Families Services; Richard W. Wade Esq.; Advocate Law Center
Location: Gallup, New Mexico
Contact Information: Francisca Palochak, galdfpp@nmcourts.gov

Event Title: Legal Clinic & Domestic Violence Prevention Awareness Seminar
Sponsoring Organization: Legal Aid Of East Tennessee (Johnson City); Tennessee Bar Association Young Lawyers' Division
Location: Bristol, Tennessee
Contact Information: Adam Moore, damoore@tndagc.org

VIP Programs

Event Title: Defending LGBTQ Human Rights in El Salvador : A Presentation by Latin American Activist William Hernandez

Sponsoring Organizations: USF Law Students for Global Justice, USF Pride Law, Public Interest Clearinghouse

Location: San Francisco, CA

Contact Information: Erin Dolly, eedolly@usfca.edu

2009 Events

Event Title: Civil Gideon CLE Program featuring former vice-president Walter Mondale
Sponsoring Organization: University of St. Thomas Law School Alumni
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Contact Information: Jennifer Eichten, jeichten@statebar.gen.mn.us

Event Title: University of North CarolinaLaw Pro Bono Program Keynote Speaker: Martin Eakes
Sponsoring Organization: University of North Carolina School of Law Pro Bono Program
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Contact Information: Emily Wallwork, emilywallwork@gmail.com

Event Title: Charlotte Law Pro Bono Week Keynote Speaker Kirk Bloodsworth,
Sponsoring Organization: Charlotte School of Law
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Contact Information: Sean Lew, slew@charlottelaw.edu