Pro Bono Institute Podcasts

For 14 years, Mexico Appleseed has been growing a network of law firms and corporate counsel engaging in pro bono in Mexico. In this episode, NihadMansour, Assistant Director, Law Firm Pro Bono Project® interviews Lisa Dewey, Pro Bono Partner, in DLA Piper’s Washington DC office, Maru Cortazar Executive Director of Mexico Appleseed and Gabriela Ala…

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has given rise to many legal needs for those in Ukraine. In this episode, Nihad Mansour, Assistant Director, Law Firm Pro Bono Project® interviews Lauren Worsek, Director of Pro Bono Initiatives at Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG). Hear more about L4GG’s pro bono program offering assistance to those in Ukraine…

In honor of May Mental Health Awareness Month, PBI takes a look at what one firm, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, is doing to support health & wellness through pro bono. In this episode, Nihad interviews Jonathan Baum, Senior Counsel and Director of Pro Bono Services, and Janet Hoffman, Senior Counsel and Pro Bono Counsel. Hear ways in which Katten is …

Since 2020, many law firms have incorporated new racial justice efforts into their pro bono programs. Some have hired pro bono professional staff whose primary focus is to expand the firm’s racial justice work. Others have expanded the roles and responsibilities of their pro bono professionals to include racial justice. In this episode, hear from p…

As we wind down 2021 and gear up for 2022, PBI takes a look back at 2020, which was an extraordinary year for legal pro bono, despite the many challenges. In this episode, Nihad interviews members of the PBI Team, Eve Runyon, President & CEO, Erik Swenson, Director of Law Firm Pro Bono Project and Alyssa Saunders, Director of Corporate Pro Bono. He…

In this episode, PBI interviews access to justice leaders, Tony West, Karen Lash, and Maha Jweied who all played an integral part in leading the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) first office for Access to Justice, which was formally established in 2016. Hear Tony, Karen, and Maha share more about the exciting recent announcements by the President and …

"We have to challenge the status quo and model the way." In this episode, PBI interviews Jo-Ann Wallace, President and CEO of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (NLADA), to learn more about NLADA’s continued efforts to assist civil legal aid, public defenders and client and community advocates through the pandemic. Hear how NLADA is ad…

In this episode, PBI interviews Ron Flagg, President of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), to learn more about the LSC eviction study that launched in September 2020. With many out of work and unable to pay rent due to the coronavirus pandemic, the nation finds itself in a heightened eviction crisis. Hear more about the LSC eviction study and wh…

"Don't let good be the enemy of the ok." PBI interviews Becky Troth, Executive Director of the DC Bar Pro Bono Center. As the largest provider of pro bono legal services in DC, the DC Bar Pro Bono Center continues to offer pro bono help amidst the global pandemic. Hear more about how the DC Bar Pro Bono Center is serving the District while keeping …

"This is about justice." PBI interviews Judge Jonathan Lippman, of counsel at Latham & Watkins in New York City and a former Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals. Judge Lippman is also the chair of New York's COVID-19 Pro Bono Network, a task force created by the New York State Bar Association, in partnership with the state court syst…

MassMutual’s General Counsel Michael O’Connor and Corporate Law Lead Counsel and Pro Bono Committee Founder Dorothy Varon join the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles’ Executive Director Silvia Argueta and Baker McKenzie’s Pro Bono Partner and Executive Director of the Pro Bono Practice Angela Vigil to describe how their organizations are effective…

Featuring Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP’s Chair – Brad Karp, as well as Robert Atkins and Michael Gertzman, Co-chairs of the firm’s Litigation Department, this is the second in a special series of podcasts from PBI illuminating the legal aid and pro bono community’s response to COVID-19. In this episode, we hear more about the growin…

This special episode reveals the depth and breadth of legal assistance needed to address the effects of the pandemic, and how to overcome the obstacles the legal community faces in finding and serving clients with the greatest need for help. PBI speaks to leaders Jim Sandman, Chair of the ABA COVID-19 Task Force, Ron Flagg, President of the Legal S…

Are you looking to expand your global pro bono practice? PBI talks to Wendy Atrokhov and Harry Redford of Latham & Watkins about global pro bono and the recently updated Global Pro Bono Survey (lw.com/gpbs), produced by Latham & Watkins with the support of PBI. The survey is part of an ongoing effort to promote and stimulate the growth of pro bono …

In this special episode, we sat down with our fantastic summer interns, The George Washington University Law School's Leah Calabro, the University of Michigan's Drew Sovel, and the University of Michigan Law School's Kyle Pham to talk about hip hop, their experiences at PBI working to promote pro bono and access to justice, ghostwriting, and much m…

PBI talks to Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft's Osvaldo Garcia about incorporating pro bono into his life as a busy law firm associate, his experience creating and directing the Cadwalader Black and Latino Association Immigration Clinic, how lawyers can be superheroes, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Betsy Hutson from McGuireWoods about incorporating pro bono into her life as a busy law firm litigator, her experience representing survivors of human trafficking, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Foley Hoag's Rebecca Cazabon talks to us about the firm's pro bono program, the access to justice culture in Boston, advice for summer associates, and more. Bonus music from Rebecca's father, Salvador Cazabon, and his trio, Trio Los Treboles, and their rendition of "Guantanamera" by José Martí and Julián Orbón.…

Husch Blackwell's Margaret Richards talks to us about how pro bono "fuels her soul," her career, the firm's pro bono program, having a client cry tears of joy, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

We offer a preview of our upcoming Conference (March 27-29), exploring what's new this year, opportunities for networking, cutting-edge issues that will be featured, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

We continue our conversation with Pepper Hamilton's Joe Sullivan, discussing how to foster a culture of pro bono at a law firm, utilizing pro bono as a training tool, one of his first pro bono cases in Philadelphia, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Pepper Hamilton's Joe Sullivan talks to us about his career, "mandatory" pro bono, the access to justice culture in Philadelphia, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone's Wendy Richards talks with us about her Detroit roots, how she motivates lawyers to engage in pro bono work, her recent immigration matters, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Cozen O'Connor's Melinda deLisle talks with us about her career journey, her work on behalf of children in foster care, a roller-coaster pro bono case, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Womble Bond Dickinson’s Mark Desgrosseilliers talks with us about the firm's recent combination, his pro bono work protecting children in the foster care system, access to justice in Delaware, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

King & Spalding's Josh Toll returns to talk with us about his ongoing work with the Clemency Project, improving housing conditions, "Standing With Our Neighbors," representing people with disabilities, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

With the midterm elections around the corner, Nancy Anderson and Pooja Chaudhuri from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law join us to talk about how pro bono lawyers can advance and defend the right to vote.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI welcomes back Katten Muchin Rosenman's Jonathan Baum to talk about the firm's pro bono clinic at the Jose de Diego Community Academy, what hot button issues the firm has been focusing on, one of his first pro bono matters, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Get to know our summer interns! In a special episode, PBI talks to Arlyn Upshaw, Matti Vagnoni, and Nick Martire about their experiences at PBI working to promote pro bono and access to justice, what they've learned this summer, their future plans, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Hunton Andrew Kurth's Kim MacLeod about how to effectively run a law firm pro bono committee, why bread?and?butter pro bono cases are the most meaningful to her, gender equity issues in the legal profession, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Lathrop Gage's Kate Nolen about her career, the firm's pro bono program, the access to justice culture in Kansas City, her work advocating on behalf of children, and more. This will be our last new episode for a while. Use the down time to visit our archives and catch up on any episodes you may have missed.…

PBI talks to McCarter & English's Michelle Movahed about her career, the firm's pro bono program, the access to justice culture in New Jersey, her work on behalf of refugee children, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Armstrong Teasdale's Scott Hunt about his career, the firm's pro bono program, inspiring the next generation, food deserts, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Alston & Bird's Mary Benton about her career, the firm's pro bono program, the access to justice culture in Atlanta, her work on behalf of the Truancy Intervention Project, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson's Karen Grisez about her first pro bono case, the firm's pro bono program, developing expertise with asylum and other immigration matters, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Where will you be on February 21 to 23? The Law Firm Pro Bono Project offers a preview of the 2018 PBI Annual Conference. We explore what's new this year, opportunities for networking, session highlights, podcast guest star sightings to look forward to, a surprise VIP, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI welcomes back podcast all-star and Houston resident Ellyn Josef of Vinson & Elkins to talk about pro bono efforts and lessons learned after Hurricane Harvey and how lawyers can be of help before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.By Pro Bono Institute

In this Very Special Holiday episode, we answer listener questions, discuss the Pro Bono Happy Hour's origin story, offer a few gift ideas that also give back, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

A discussion on the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program with four experts who highlight the history of the DACA program (in part one), how the rescission is impacting DACA recipients, and how pro bono lawyers can help going forward (in part two). Bradley Phillips of Munger, Tolles & Olson moderates the discussion with Jesse Gabrie…

A discussion on the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program with four experts who highlight the history of the DACA program (in part one), how the rescission is impacting DACA recipients, and how pro bono lawyers can help going forward (in part two). Bradley Phillips of Munger, Tolles & Olson moderates the discussion with Jesse Gabrie…

PBI talks to Ericka Garcia of The Florida Bar Foundation about her career, her passion for advocating on behalf of children with developmental disabilities, access to justice in Florida, evolving technological solutions for reaching rural and urban residents, the Foundation's new initiatives to prepare ahead of natural disasters and crises, and mor…

PBI talks to Jacqui MacLennan & Lou O'Neill of White & Case about leading a global pro bono practice, areas of strategic focus and impact, meaningful pro bono matters, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's Andrew LeGrand about incorporating pro bono into his life as a busy litigator, his experience developing an informal pro bono appellate program at the firm with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, the link between pro bono and professional development, and more.…

PBI talks with Her Justice's Amy Barasch about her career, the organization's "pro bono first" model, working with clients affected by intimate partner violence, poverty, and divorce, their externship program, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks with Ballard Spahr's Mary Gay Scanlon about the impact of current events on law firm pro bono, pro bono efforts to promote access to nutritious food, the importance of firm leadership, the access to justice culture in Philadelphia, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks with Eliza Vorenberg of Roger Williams University School of Law about cultivating a dedication to pro bono among law students, the Pro Bono Collaborative, the access to justice culture in Rhode Island, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to BJ Jensen from Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison about his Canadian background, serving as the firm’s full-time Pro Bono Associate, airport advocacy, responding to access to justice emergencies, the Name Change Project, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI talks to Kat McGee of Duane Morris about her career and leading the firm's pro bono program, making our days "count," inspiring pro bono efforts on behalf of eligible medical patients, small business owners, survivors of domestic violence and sex trafficking, veterans, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

PBI continues our conversation with Winston & Strawn's Greg McConnell, discussing why pro bono is "more than winning," how to create a firm–wide "culture" of pro bono, The Innocence Record, and more.By Pro Bono Institute

Ripped from the headlines, PBI talks to Chris Marquardt from Alston & Bird, David March of the Minnesota Corporate Pro Bono Council, and Liz Markuci from Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS) about the recent cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and the pro bono community's response.…