FAIRFIELD, CONN. - March 22, 2000 - The General Electric Company has been awarded the National Public Service Award by the American Bar Association Section of Business Law for its role in creating the Pro Bono Partnership, which provides free legal services to non-profit organizations.

GE's Corporate Legal Organization was selected for the award by the American Bar Association's Section of Business Law. The award is presented annually to individuals, firms or corporate legal departments that have demonstrated a commitment to providing free legal services to the poor in a business context.

Created in 1997 with significant support from GE attorneys, the Pro Bono Partnership is a tax-exempt public charity dedicated to providing free legal services primarily through corporate legal departments to non-profit organizations in Westchester (New York) and Fairfield (Connecticut) counties. The program is currently expanding into northern New Jersey.

In its first two years, the Pro Bono Partnership has enlisted more than 300 volunteer lawyers, primarily from corporations from the three-state region, who have provided free legal services to more than 160 community based non-profit organizations that needed but could not afford corporate and business-related legal assistance.

More than 30 GE lawyers have volunteered their legal services for many of the Partnership's clients, offering advice and counsel on matters related to corporate structure and governance; contracts and leases; real estate; employment law; environmental law; tax law and tax exempt status; regulatory compliance; and mergers, bankruptcy, and dissolution.

In selecting GE, the Amercian Bar Association Section of Business Law said:

"The General Electric Corporate Legal Organization has distinguished itself through the pivotal role it has played in the creation and continued support of the Pro Bono Partnership. Since its creation in 1997, the Partnership has become a model program for offering pro bono business legal services through its efforts in helping organizations that work in the areas of health and human services, affordable housing, and neighborhood revitalization."

Ben W. Heineman Jr., GE's senior vice president, general counsel and secretary said, "The simple message from this award is that corporate law departments around the country can use the Partnership as a model to encourage their in-house lawyers to deliver desperately needed legal services to financially strapped community organizations.

"The GE Corporate Legal Organization is just representative of the many corporate law departments in Westchester and Fairfield counties that have participated energetically in the Partnership," Heineman said. "My thanks to all my colleagues in other companies and my special thanks to GE's Corporate Counsel, Robert Healing, for his central role in making this great concept a reality."

With more than 50,000 members, the ABA Section of Business Law provides business lawyers with education and analysis that furthers the development and improvement of business law and helps its members serve their clients competently, efficiently and professionally.

The American Bar Association is the largest voluntary professional membership organization in the world. With more than 400,000 members, the ABA provides law school accreditation, continuing legal education, information about the law, programs to assist lawyers and judges in their work, and initiatives to improve the legal system for the public.

Healing will accept the award Friday at a ceremony in Columbus, Ohio.