Additional Event Ideas
Either alone or in collaboration with each other, all segments of the legal community can implement programs to highlight the importance of pro bono work and to enhance the provision of pro bono services. This section lists programs and resources to stimulate your planning.
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Bar Associations
Law Firms
Law Schools
Courts
Legal Services and Pro Bono Referral Programs and Partnerships
Bar Associations
Bar President Op Eds
Writing Effective Bar President Pages: A Resource Guide
ABA Division for Bar Services
| Tip for Organizing Your State!
The Alabama State Bar developed the goal of having celebration events in every judicial district in the state. Working with local bar presidents and state bar commissioners, the ASB utilizes the districts as identifiable units in which to plan and implement more localized events.
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Bar Sponsored Legal Clinics: One-day clinics in an area of legal need in your community:
Advocacy and Justice Clinic
By: District of Columbia Bar Association, local law firms
Legal Advice Live: A two hour, in-person free legal advice event on Independence Mall
By: Philadelphia Bar Association Young Lawyers Division
Law Jam 2
The Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program provides legal help through the use of volunteers on civil, legal matters, including benefits, consumer, employment, family, housing, landlord-tenant, probate, real property, tax, and wills cases. Assistance ranges from advice to full scale representation in court. The program sponsors an average of 16 clinics per month, including its Neighborhood Legal Clinics, Pro Se Clinics, and Wills Clinics. For more information on the Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program, visit www.dallasbar.org/dvap. To view the Law Jam 2 website, click here. |
Champions of Justices Booklet: Past award recipients provide their thoughts on why they do pro bono work.
By: North Carolina Bar Association
Contact: Michelle Cofield; mcofield@ncbar.org
Statewide Pro Bono Day of Service: In North Carolina, volunteer attorneys, supported by legal assistants, law students and staff members, provide free legal information over the phone at five locations throughout the state.
By: North Carolina Bar Association
Website to Publicize Your Celebration Events: By: Chicago Bar Association
Bar Sponsored Free Continuing Legal Education Courses for Pro Bono Volunteers
Assorted Topics: Foreclosure Relief, Protection Orders
By: Allegheny County Bar Association, Pennsylvania
Story /Testimonial Boards
Prepare large, poster-size boards highlighting the experience of local pro bono attorneys. Prominently display these boards at all national celebration events.
Story/Attorney Testimonial Boards
By: Chicago Bar Association:
Chancellor's Forum: Sponsor a panel of prestigious speakers on the importance of pro bono.
By: Philadelphia Bar Association
Contact: Merril Zebe; mzebe@philabar.org
Bar Association Pro Bono Wine and Cheese Open House: Pro Bono Fair introducing attorneys to the many public interest organizations offering pro bono volunteer opportunities.
By: Philadelphia Bar Association
Contact: Merrill Zebe, mzebe@philabar.org
Pro Bono Volunteer Appreciation Events
Breakfast
By: Columbus Bar Association:
Outstanding Volunteer Appreciation Party
By: San Francisco Bar Association Volunteer Legal Services Programs
Contact: Tiela Chalmers: tchalmers@sfbar.org
Awards Banquet at City Hall
By: Philadelphia VIP
Contact: Sara Woods; swoods@phillyvip.org
Highlight Pro Bono Efforts on an Issue of Local Importance or Urgency
Plan a summit, forum, community education program, or other event focusing on a local issue that is being successfully addressed by pro bono attorneys. For example, in 2009, spotlight efforts to address:
The Foreclosure Crisis:
By: Philadelphia First Judicial District
Assistance to Veterans:
By: New York City Bar Justice Center
Pro Bono Convention: A half-day event ending in lunch with a name speaker.
By: Ohio State Bar Association; Judicial Appellate District Pro Bono Project, Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation
Contact: Jane Taylor jtaylor@olaf.org
Educational Brochures for Low-Income Clients: Develop and distribute educational materials through appropriate court, public and community sites.
By: New York City Bar Justice Center
Law Firms
Announce and Celebrate a New Signature or Collaborative Project: Work closely with a local legal services provider to identify either a substantive project you can tackle together, or a major piece of impact litigation on which you can co-counsel.
Hold your annual awards ceremony during National Celebration of
Pro Bono Week.
Pro Bono Breakfast:Law firms and Corporate Partners housed in the Bank of America Building hold a Pro Bono Breakfast. Posters and informatio are displayed all week in the building lobby. The event provides recognition of volunteer lawyers and improves public awareness of the valuable pro bono work done by the Firms and its corporate
partners.
By: Troutman Sanders LLP , Hunton and Williams LLP, and The Bank of America Legal Department
Contact: Dorothy Jackson-Stallworth: dorothy.stallworth@troutmansanders.com
Business law assistance for non-profits and start-up businesses:
By: Goodwin Proctor, New York
Legal services for veterans
By: DLA Piper, San Diego
Neighborhood Legal Clinic: located at a medical clinic in a poor Minneapolis neighborhood to provide legal services to the local community.
By: Leonard, Street and Deinhard
Contact: Theresa Hughes: theresa.hughes@leonard.com
Fellowship Program: provides an opportunity for associates to do several years of full-time pro bono before working as litigation associates
By: Holland and Knight: Chesterfield Smith Fellowship Program
Contact: Stephen F. Hanlon; shanlon@hklaw.com
Funding Opportunities
Fund fellowships for Minority Legal Services Attorneys
By: Blank Rome LLP, Philadelphia, and the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN)
Pro Bono Awards: make awards an opportunity to make donations to legal services or other public interest organizations designated by awardees
By: Baker Botts
Contact: Bill Kroger: William.kroger@bakerbotts.com
Host a Pro Bono Open House to recruit volunteer attorneys. Invite all local public interest and legal service organizations to have tables and posters.
By: Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia, PA
Host Pro Bono CLE's: In collaboration with legal services and pro bono groups, sponsor a training CLE in specific substantive areas.
Sponsor: Pepper Hamilton LLP
Contact: Joseph Sullivan: sullivja@pepperlaw.com
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PRO BONO HALLOWEEN TREATS The last day of the 2009 National Celebration of Pro Bono week will fall on Halloween. Use your creativity to plan a themed closing celebration.
Suggested Screenplay The doorbell rings on Halloween, door after door is opened to reveal: |
Law Schools
Public Interest Career and Fellowship Symposium:
Global Social Justice Lawyering : Two day symposium focusing on post-graduate fellowships and public interest careers in a variety of potential practice areas.
By: Stanford Law School and Seattle University's Access to Justice Institute.
Contact:Susan Feathers, feathers@law.stanford.edu
Law Student Pro Bono Fair:
Provides an opportunity for law students to learn about public interest organizations for whom they could do volunteer projects.
By : University of Washington School of Law
Contact: Ann Spangler; spangler@u.washington.edu
Prisoner Re-entry Project:
The Prisoner Re-Entry Project is an opportunity for law students from all the Delaware Valley law schools to assist with legal intake for former federal prisoners working to put their affairs back in order. Together with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Magistrate Judges Timothy Rice and Felipe Restrepo of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania have developed a unique and innovative prisoner re-entry program called the Supervision To Aid Re-Entry (STAR) court program. The STAR program provides help to former inmates through a 52-week program in participants report twice-monthly to the Court, in addition to working with probation officers. Many of the participants in the Re-entry program have civil legal issues that they need help resolving. Law students conduct intake system to clarify legal issues and financial eligibility. Eligible clients are then represented by pro bono attorneys through Philadelphia VIP, pro bono legal services. By: Drexel University School of Law Contact: Karen Pearlman Raab: kpearlman@drexel.edu
Leadership in Public Service: Pro Bono Speaker Series
By: University of Maryland School of Law
Contact: Teresa Schmiedeler: tschmiedeler@law.umaryland.edu
Alumni/ae as Pro Bono/Public Interest Resources:
Invite distinguished alumni/ae to meet with students
By: Duke University
Public Interest Film Festival:
Plan a film series providing students with an opportunity to discuss contemporary films within the context of their pro bono work.
By: University of Pennsylvania Law School
Contact: Arlene Rivera Finkelstein; arfinkel@law.upenn.edu
Auctions to Benefit Student Public Interest Work:
Public Interest Coalition Auction
By: Pierce Law Social Justice Institute
Contact: Megan DeVorsey; mdevorsey@piercelaw.edu
Equal Justice Foundation Auction
By: University of Pennsylvania Law School
Student Public Interest Network Auction:
By: Temple University, Beasley School of Law
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LAWLAPALOOZA!!!!!!
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Courts
Court Recognition Programs: Plan your program to coincide with the National Celebration of Pro Bono Week.
Court Pro Bono Program
Advertise and promote court sponsored pro bono programs and policies
Pass or Publicize an Existing Resolution or Statement supporting pro bono involvement:
Resolutions:
- Judicial Council of California
- Conference of Chief Justices
- United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Statement:
Publicize Successful Judicial Pro Bono Initiatives
Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Project
By: First Judicial District Of Philadelphia
Pro Bono Expo A court-sponsored event to highlight volunteer opportunities in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Sponsor: Civil Court of the City of New York
Contact: Rochelle Klempner rklempne@courts.state.ny.us
Teach a CLE for pro bono attorneys on topics of significance to the Court
Tangled Title Issues
By: Honorable Anne Lazarus, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia ,
Philadelphia VIP
Contact: Sara Woods: swoods@phillyvip.org
Legal Services and Pro Bono Referral Programs and Partnerships
On-Line Free Pro Bono CLE Programs
Free Continuing Legal Education (CLE) events offered via video conferencing and live web streaming to pro bono attorneys .
By: Legal Services of Southern Missouri
Contact: James Spencer; jspencer@lsosm.org
Pro Bono Opportunities Day: A half-day training event for new associates as well as seasoned practitioners, PBOD introduces attorneys to pro bono work and provides 2 credit CLE courses in four substantive areas.
By: Philadelphia VIP
Contact: Sara Woods; swoods@phillyvip.org
Pro Bono Recruitment Video: Before Atticus Said, "Yes" A theatrical presentation for pro bono program recruitment emphasizing Atticus Finch's decision-making process in accepting the case in To Kill A Mockingbird.
By: Legal Aid of East Tennessee
Contact: David Yoder; dyoder@laet.org
Half-Day Clinics
Hispanic Senior Law Clinic : Preparation of Living Wills and Medical Power of Attorney documents were prepared for 75 Hispanic senior citizens
By: Senior Legal Center, Philadelphia, PA
Somerset Villas
PECO and Excelon Corporation Legal Department
Contact: Karen C. Buck; KBuck@SeniorLAWCenter.org
Personal Identification Documentation Clinic: Attorneys provide information and forms assisting individuals needing to obtain personal identification records such as birth certificates, school records, Social Security Number documentation, and non-photo ID's.
By: Homeless Advocacy Project, Philadelphia, PA
Contact: Marsha Cohen; marsha@philalegal.org
Family Fun Day: A picnic for pro bono volunteers, staff, and clients in 
Fairmount Park, complete with clowns, jugglers, games, and entertainment.
By: Philadelphia VIP
Contact: Tanya Rambert; trambert@phillyvip.org
Homeless Connect: a two day event during which attorneys provide free advice on myriad issues including child support, arrrearages, visitation, and tenant's rights.
By: Northwest Louisiana Pro Bono Project
Contact: Ruth Moore: nwlaprobono@gmail.com
Corporate Counsel
In-house Pro Bono Roundtable and Ethics CLE
By: Association of Corporate Counsel, Greater New York Chapter
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The Power of Partnerships: Merrill's Economic Stimulus Plan The Merrill Corporation, a deposition service organization, established a program whereby a $25 donation is made to Atlanta Legal Aid in the name of a retaining law firm for completed depositions scheduled within a certain time frame. Try this in your locale. |
Corporate Counsel Pro Bono Initiative Reception & Dinner
Event to help foster a coordinated approach to pro bono work and support for the access to justice community by corporate and in-house legal departments.
By: Tennessee Bar Association Access to Justice Committee
Tennessee Bar Association Corporate Counsel Section
Association of Corporate Counsel
Contact: Becky Rhodes, brhodes@tnbar.org
Corporate Pro Bono Day: provides microentrepreneurs the opportunity to discuss immediate and ongoing legal matters with corporate counsel from various businesses. Includes attorney training followed by meetings with pro bono clients.
By: Philadelphia VIP
Peco Energy, Excelon
Comcast
Glaxo Smith Kline
The Enterprise Center
Dechert LLP
Contact: Stefanie Fleischer Seldin: sfseldin@phillyvip.org