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Pro Bono
Partnership Reports On Its 1998 Successes;
In 1998, 74 volunteer lawyers provided free legal service through the Pro Bono Partnership to 63 non-profit organizations in the Fairfield and Westchester County areas. The universally appreciative response from the non-profit organizations has been matched by positive comments from the attorney volunteers. In 1998, the following corporations participated in the Pro Bono Partnership: American Express, BHC Company, Clairmont Technology, Champion International, EDO Corporation, First Brands Corp., GE, IBM, NIAC, Olin Corp, PepsiCo, Pitney Bowes, Pittston Company, Rayonier, RMC Develop. Co., Sara Lee, Texaco, Union Carbide, UST Inc., Xerox and Wallace Law Registry. The following comments written to the Pro Bono Partnership by corporate lawyers who have volunteered provide the best advertisement for continuing and expanding the work of the Pro Bono Partnership. Margaret Williams, Xerox: "Through the Pro Bono Partnership, I was introduced to the courteous and professional staff of CTE, Inc., the Community Action Agency for the Greater Stamford Area. I was able to assist CTE with several of their leasing concerns.... Without Pro Bono Partnership’s matching of my particular skills to CTE’s particular needs, it is doubtful that such an opportunity would ever have presented itself or that such an opportunity would have been as successful and rewarding." Marie Renna, PepsiCo: "Working with the Partnership and Food-PATCH, Westchester’s food bank, has given me tremendous personal and professional satisfaction. The legal assistance sought by Food-PATCH fits so well with what I do on a daily basis. As a result, I was able to contribute to an important segment of the community with a minimal amount of effort. It has been an additional plus that the client truly appreciates my efforts." Gerald E. Klein, Union Carbide: "I wanted to thank the Pro Bono Partnership for giving me the opportunity to ‘give back’ to my profession by helping me work on the by-laws that are currently being reviewed by the Northern Westchester Center for the Arts. I believe the client was also quite appreciative both of my efforts and those of the Partnership. Overall the experience has been most satisfying and I look forward to additional assignments as time permits." Mark Nordstrom, General Electric: "As an inhouse lawyer, I have always felt pro bono work was beyond the capability of inhouse counsel. I now see that it is not. In fact, I was surprised to learn that labor and employment issues are among the most frequently raised concerns of the agencies served by the Pro Bono Partnership. My first assignment is to address several employment issues, including a Fair Labor Standards Act question, that have been raised by Bridge House. Both Bridge House and the Pro Bono Partnership understand that my ability to commit time is limited and that I must work on occasional, discrete projects. It appears, however, that such an arrangement is eminently possible and that both Bridge House and I can achieve enormous benefits from the association." Michael H. Rudy, Texaco: "The whole experience was not only painless, but also fun. Fortunately, the work I needed to do for Stamford Cares was within my area of expertise. I first met with [a representative of the Pro Bono Partnership] and representatives of Stamford Cares. I then reviewed their charter and by-laws and made some suggestions to bring these documents up to date. I also made some suggestions regarding the composition of their Board. They appeared to genuinely appreciate the time I took and the work I did for them and I felt good that I was able to make this small contribution to my community..." Edgar J. Smith Jr.: "I thought that you should know that I have thoroughly enjoyed my newfound partnership with the Partnership. Your personal help has been great and your model by-laws are useful points of reference. Like any inhouse corporate lawyer, I have some sense of how corporations work organizationally, so I found that I was both comfortable and able to help the representatives of the Putnam Child Care Council in framing a set of by-laws that would suit their purposes. It is interesting work, gives me a sense of contributing something of value both professionally and to society, and can be done in a way that fits into my schedule without a lot of pushing or pulling. It is also of no small import that the client is very appreciative and that the work performed has an immediate impact on its real life." Andrew R. Gold, Pitney Bowes: "I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to present employment law issues to the several non-profit organizations you gathered. As we discussed, I enjoy teaching, especially to such a lively and interested group. I truly appreciate your working with my schedule to make the preparation for the seminar so easy. Including the actual seminar, the total time I spent was less than 10 hours over several weeks." The Pro Bono Partnership conducted twelve Legal Workshops on topics including Legal Maintenance, Employment, Political Activities, Sexual Harassment and Fundraising. Four of these workshops were sponsored by the Westchester Community Foundation/ CHASE in White Plains. The other organizations which sponsored workshops were: Child Care Council of Westchester, Inc., Association of Day Care Directors, PTA of Westchester, The Fairfield County Nonprofit Loan Fund, Institute for School Age Children, International Institute, Connecticut Association of Non-Profits and United Way and Volunteer Center of Danbury. On December 4, the Partnership will honor three individuals and one corporation as the first recipients of a new annual honor — The Pro Bono Partnership Outstanding Volunteer Award. The awards will be presented at the Annual Meeting and Dinner-Dance of The Corporate Bar Association of Westchester and Fairfield, Inc. at the Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Old Greenwich, CT. The corporate recipient is Champion International General Counsel, Stephen Brown. The inhouse attorneys at Champion have been at the forefront of the Partnership’s efforts to recruit volunteer attorneys. The entire legal department has signed on to volunteer on behalf of the Partnership’s clients. As a result, Champion attorneys are assisting four community-based organizations with corporate governance and employment issues and provide comprehensive legal services to a large social service agency on an on-going basis, essentially acting collectively as the organization’s general counsel. "Steve Brown, Champion’s General Counsel, has set the tone by actively encouraging his staff to engage in these activities, resulting in Champion’s pivotal role in the Partnership’s ability to make comprehensive and professional legal services available to organizations in need of such services," said Richard Hobish, the Partnership’s Executive Director. The individual recipients include: Mr. Gold of Pitney Bowes. He was among the Partnership’s earliest volunteers and worked on a number of matters over the course of the year. In addition to making a presentation on employment law issues to more than 25 non-profit managers ("His expertise, presence and delivery just couldn’t have been better," according to the seminar’s sponsor), he provided direct legal services to two of the Partnership’s clients facing the prospect of protracted discrimination suits. He also served as a resource to the Partnership’s staff who regularly reached to him on employment-related issues. "Andy’s ongoing availability and advice throughout the year represent the leveraging of essential resources to help the less fortunate in our communities that are so critical to the Partnership’s success," Mr. Hobish said. Ms. Renna of PepsiCo. She also was one of the Partnership’s earliest volunteers, agreeing to represent two of its clients involved in housing and hunger issues. The organizations with which she is working have nothing but praise for her and her work. According to one executive director: "She has earned the confidence, trust and praise of everyone who has been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with her. She has provided invaluable assistance to our organization, making herself available on untold numbers of occasions to provide us with vital legal counsel. And, her efforts have extended beyond the provision of legal services with her agreement to become a member of the board of directors. We are lucky she has taken such an interest in our organization." She also has been instrumental in the Partnership’s efforts to recruit volunteers from the ranks of inside counsel. Ms. Williams of Xerox. She has worked no less than five real estate matters for several of the Partnership’s clients, in most cases reviewing lease agreements that have a significant impact on the programs on these organizations. According to one of her clients, a leading social service provider in Fairfield County: "In each instance, Margaret provided us with excellent legal services. Her personal commitment and dedication have been invaluable. I cannot begin to describe how reassuring it is for us to have a caring and competent attorney there when we need her." And according to Maurice Segal, a Senior Staff Attorney with the Partnership, "Margaret’s involvement has been a home run for us, especially since she simply never says no; we could use a hundred more volunteers just like her." Reprinted by Permission of The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel |
