Pro Bono

Weil takes a different tack by funding ‘Zero L’ public service

Weil, Gotshal & Manges is partnering with 10 top-ranked law schools to encourage incoming students to spend a year working at public service organizations before they begin their legal education.

Jul 15, 2022 3:30 PM CDT

ABA project seeks more pro bono attorneys in wake of Supreme Court death penalty decision

The Death Penalty Representation Project offers varying opportunities for mid- to large-size firms, small firms and solo practitioners. Its staff is actively recruiting pro bono attorneys for about two dozen cases at any given time and will hire law students and undergraduate students for semester-long internships throughout the year.

Jul 6, 2022 3:14 PM CDT

Reed Smith’s pro bono report expresses ‘grave’ concerns about death row inmate’s conviction

A lawyer for an Oklahoma inmate plans to seek a stay of execution after Reed Smith released a report on its independent investigation of the case, undertaken pro bono at the request of a bipartisan group of more than 30 state lawmakers.

Jun 17, 2022 10:57 AM CDT

Attorney who immigrated to the US now provides pro bono help to immigrants

Dahlia French has prioritized pro bono throughout her career. She helps immigrants who qualify for Temporary Protected Status and foreign nationals who need assistance with their taxes. She mentors other immigration attorneys through the American Immigration Lawyers Association. And in the past year, she became one of the most active volunteers on ABA Federal Free Legal Answers.

May 9, 2022 8:51 AM CDT

Volunteer attorneys needed to help Afghan evacuees stuck in limbo within Abu Dhabi camp

Jordan Jones went to the United Arab Emirates in late March, hoping to help Afghan judges, prosecutors and rule of law professionals who fled their country nearly eight months earlier.

Apr 21, 2022 11:19 AM CDT

‘Lucky in Life’: Emily Feinstein creates opportunities for others through pro bono and hockey

“I always say I have been so lucky in life,” Emily Feinstein says. “I was lucky that my dad married my mom, because that relationship provided me with so many opportunities that would not have otherwise been available—the ability to go to college and the belief that I was obviously going to law school. I don’t think that would have been ingrained in me. And so being able to take what I have and use it to help others has always been really important.”

Apr 1, 2022 1:00 AM CDT

Richard Posner’s lawyer says the retired judge has Alzheimer’s, didn’t have capacity to contract

Richard Posner, a retired judge on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago, didn’t have the capacity to enter into a contract because of Alzheimer’s disease, his lawyer said in a letter.

Mar 30, 2022 9:46 AM CDT

3 BigLaw firms close their Kyiv offices; firms in US ready for pro bono refugee work

Baker McKenzie, Dentons and CMS have closed their offices in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv until further notice, spokespeople said Thursday.

Feb 25, 2022 11:38 AM CST

ABE supports 12 ‘new and critical initiatives’ through annual grant program

The American Bar Endowment's Opportunity Grant Program will again support a number of causes, including advocating for children who are deaf and hard of hearing, improving access to the courts for women in prison and ensuring due process for immigrants and asylum-seekers.

Feb 9, 2022 10:16 AM CST

A 1997 experience taught me the power of pro bono and the need to fight for equality

“Diversity, justice and equality are vitally important to our nation’s health. That’s why diversity, equity and inclusion are among the American Bar Association’s core goals. For attorneys, a professional obligation exists to pursue justice and equality, especially for vulnerable populations. And volunteering for pro bono work is one of the most fulfilling ways to do this.”

Feb 1, 2022 3:00 AM CST

Miss USA 2019, a lawyer who worked for social justice, dies at age 30

A lawyer, fashion blogger and Extra correspondent who won the Miss USA pageant in 2019 has died by suicide after apparently jumping from an apartment building in Manhattan, New York City.

Jan 31, 2022 11:26 AM CST

ABA launches nationwide pro bono campaign to help families facing deportation

The ABA is offering volunteer lawyers a new opportunity to help families in 11 cities navigate their now-accelerated immigration court proceedings.

Jan 12, 2022 12:07 PM CST

Interested in helping Afghans apply for asylum? Here’s a way to start

The ABA Commission on Immigration, through a new partnership with refugee resettlement agency HIAS, is hoping to help more people from Afghanistan who were evacuated to the United States after the Taliban took over their country last year.

Jan 6, 2022 8:58 AM CST

Scores of lawyers work to gain temporary legal status for 250 female judges in Afghanistan

Lawyers from some of the nation’s largest law firms are working to help win temporary legal status for 250 female judges who feared for their lives in Afghanistan after the U.S. withdrawal earlier this year.

Dec 23, 2021 1:26 PM CST

Meet 12 ABA members who inspired us in 2021

The ABA Journal regularly profiles exceptional ABA members in its Members Who Inspire series. In the past year, we featured many in the legal field who are encouraging and energizing others with their good work, including advocating for inmates on death row, mentoring prospective law students of African descent and fighting to stop bullying in the workplace.

Dec 17, 2021 9:34 AM CST