LexisNexis Announces Sponsorship of Pro Bono Net
NEW YORK – July 16, 2008 – LexisNexis, a leading global provider of business information solutions, today announced it has become a sponsor of Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit organization that works to increase access to justice through innovative uses of technology and increased volunteer lawyer participation. The sponsorship is part of an ongoing commitment from LexisNexis to facilitate legal assistance for the poor and disadvantaged through pro bono work.
During the past 10 years, Pro Bono Net has created a broad and powerful network of nonprofit legal aid providers, courts and bar associations across the United States. This network uses two innovative web-based platforms—www.probono.net and www.lawhelp.org—to recruit and support volunteer lawyers and to provide direct information and tools for low-income people facing legal problems. Probono.net is the leading online resource for lawyers serving the public good, providing tools, resources and opportunities to make it easy to volunteer. LawHelp.org offers state-based legal referrals, know-your-rights information and a variety of self-help tools.
“As an organization that serves the needs of legal professionals around the world, pro bono work has been a part of our corporate responsibility for many years,” said Michael Walsh, President and CEO, U.S. Legal Markets at LexisNexis and a member of Pro Bono Net’s board of directors. “In addition to engaging our own employee-attorneys in pro bono initiatives, LexisNexis supports organizations such as Pro Bono Net that complement our efforts and help all people participate in the legal system.”
In addition to encouraging more than 2,000 lawyers and legal professionals who work for LexisNexis globally to volunteer for pro bono projects in their communities, LexisNexis donates the use of its products and solutions to lawyers doing important pro bono work around the world. One example of support LexisNexis provides to Pro Bono Net is the donation of its HotDocs® software, which allows self-represented litigants and legal aid advocates to prepare legal documents based on online interviews.
“Bridging the gap between the needs of the poor and the availability of legal services remains an ongoing challenge,” said Mark O’Brien, co-founder and executive director of Pro Bono Net. “LexisNexis’ support as a corporate sponsor not only helps raise awareness of Pro Bono Net, but also helps us to engage more attorneys in providing critical pro bono help to safeguard the individual rights and livelihoods of thousands of families in crisis, refugees, and other communities in need.”
About LexisNexis
LexisNexis® (www.lexisnexis.com) is a leading global provider of business information solutions to a wide range of professionals in the legal, risk management, corporate, government, law enforcement, accounting and academic markets. LexisNexis originally pioneered online information with its Lexis® and Nexis® services. A member of Reed Elsevier [NYSE: ENL; NYSE: RUK] (www.reedelsevier.com), LexisNexis serves customers in more than 100 countries with 13,000 employees worldwide.
About Pro Bono Net
Pro Bono Net is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing access to justice through innovative uses of technology and increased volunteer lawyer participation. Founded in 1998 with support from the Open Society Institute, Pro Bono Net has created a broad and powerful network of nonprofit legal organizations, courts and bar associations across the United States. Its platforms have been adopted in 30 states and regions, reaching approximately two-thirds of the poverty population and lawyers in the United States. For more information, please visit www.probono.net.
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Media Contacts
David Kurt
LexisNexis
312-899-7805
david.kurt@lexisnexis.com
Pam Weisz
Pro Bono Net
212-760-2554 x485
pweisz@probono.net