从成功中学习

Every firm has a “culture”—a particular way of doing business, 培训的靠谱的滚球平台, and providing legal services to clients. The firms that have folded pro bono legal work into this culture, 不足为奇的是, are the firms with the most successful pro bono programs. Several firms described to us their historically strong participation in pro bono legal work. 这些公司解释说，有才华的靠谱的滚球平台有兴趣维持公益业务，他们被吸引. As one lawyer noted: “Our firm has a historic culture of public service, so like-minded attorneys want to come work here.”

没有从长期参与公益法律事务中受益的公司可以采取措施改变他们的公益文化. 几家律所与我们分享了他们为加强公益项目而采取的措施，以使公益工作成为靠谱的滚球平台职业生涯的核心部分. They emphasized that no single model of pro bono program is going to work at every firm. Factors such as a firm’s governance structure, 靠谱的滚球平台薪酬结构, 在设计或扩大公益项目时，必须考虑到实质性的实践领域. Some of the core characteristics of successful programs are outlined in this paper. 提供稳定的, long-term, 以及对无偿服务的明显承诺, it can become an integral part of any firm’s culture.

我们采访过的所有靠谱的滚球平台事务所都有开发、分配和管理公益工作的基础设施. The firms we spoke with ranged in size from 25 attorneys to over 250. Some were single-office firms, others were D.C. offices of national firms; several were headquarters offices. Each firm’s pro bono program was set up in a different way, but there were common, core aspects.

• Establish clear accountability for the pro bono program.
  
  Lawyers carry out their assignments—it is part of the legal work ethic. 结果是, it is not surprising that when someone is appointed to manage a firm’s pro bono program, 这个项目蓬勃发展. All of the “40 at 50” firms have someone assigned to run their pro bono program. 在某些情况下, it is a duty collateral to a lawyer’s other work; other firms have one or two people whose only assignment is the day-to-day management of the firm’s pro bono program. Even when pro bono program management is just part of a lawyer’s portfolio, 我们了解到，公司领导层理解并期望公益项目的管理至少要消耗25%的资金, 有时甚至更多, 那个靠谱的滚球平台的时间. 除了, firms have a pro bono committee, typically made up of partners and associates. The role of pro bono committees varies with the particular needs of the firm. 在许多城市设有办事处的律所可能在每个办事处都有一个公益委员会，关注当地的问题, or it may have a national pro bono committee that addresses broader, 全公司的政策问题. Similarly, a firm with only one office may use a pro bono committee to screen possible pro bono matters, 或者担任决策角色.

• Include senior lawyers in the pro bono infrastructure.
  
  The size of a firm may drive the kind of infrastructure that is in place: one of the smaller firms we spoke with uses its management committee to address pro bono issues; another firm of the same size has a pro bono committee and a partner assigned to coordinate pro bono work. 两者的共同点是，中级和高级靠谱的滚球平台都参与了解决公益问题的委员会. 这确保了一个一致的信息，即无偿服务对公司和个人靠谱的滚球平台的整个职业生涯的重要性.

• Hire someone good to run your pro bono program.
  
  Firms are increasingly hiring staff, typically an attorney, to coordinate pro bono matters. Depending on the size of the firm involved, these positions are either these are either full- or part-time positions the key, 正如一家公司所描述的那样, is to “hire someone who can be an organized, 热情的, 有效的管理者, 案件主管, 和啦啦队长.“最好的律所会确保他们的公益靠谱的滚球平台得到一个强有力的委员会的明显支持, 高级管理人员, or both. They also ensure that the pro bono counsel is focused not on just doing pro bono work, but on engaging as many lawyers as possible in pro bono work. Pro bono counsel develop relationships with area legal services providers, provide orientations for incoming attorneys, and help firm lawyers find pro bono matters of interest to them. 除了, 一些公益靠谱的滚球平台监督和培训事务所靠谱的滚球平台处理特定公益案件所需的技能, and also carry their own pro bono caseload. Some of these pro bono counsel moved from a regular attorney position in the firm into the pro bono job; others were hired from the legal services community. One firm noted that until the firm dedicated an attorney position to the pro bono program, there was limited pro bono participation at the firm, in spite of written policies encouraging and setting targets for pro bono.

一份书面政策，明确支持和期待靠谱的滚球平台的无偿法律工作, 正如一家公司所说, “the bedrock of the firm’s pro bono practice.” Again, this is a matter that is largely driven by firm culture. Firms with fewer written policies may have fewer written policies on pro bono, while those that have more written policies tended to have more that addressed pro bono. 我们从采访的公司那里听到的信息在核心上也相当简单:如果一家公司有书面政策，规定其靠谱的滚球平台应该从事的工作水平和类型, specific provision should be made for pro bono work. Some examples of policies in place in the various firms with which we spoke include:

• Allowing pro bono hours to count towards billable minimums, with or without a “cap.”
• Allowing pro bono hours to count for purposes of bonuses.
• Including performance on pro bono cases in associate evaluations.
• Setting a minimum number of pro bono hours lawyers should perform each year.
• Including pro bono hours in monthly and other regular reports of attorney hours.
• Assessing compliance with the pro bono minimum in associate annual evaluations.

Overall, 律所的公益政策的目标是传达一个明确的信息，即公益工作对律所的决策者很重要, that it is treated the same as work for paying clients, and that doing pro bono work and doing it well is important to a lawyer’s career at the firm.

成功的公益项目是根据特定事务所靠谱的滚球平台的需求和利益量身定制的. 至少三种不同的, 但互补, ways to achieve this goal emerged from our conversations with firms.

• Develop relationships with legal services providers.
  Several firms have developed relationships with area legal services providers, and get most of their pro bono cases from these providers. 这使得事务所能够在通常由法律服务提供商处理的各种案件上建立内部专业知识, making it easier to place cases and find partners to supervise matters. 法律服务提供者, in turn, 当有大型或特别有吸引力的案件需要无偿靠谱的滚球平台时，通常首先与这些公司联系.

• Identify and meet law firm practice needs.
  拥有全职公益靠谱的滚球平台的律所表示，他们会努力确定律所内靠谱的滚球平台的需求和兴趣, and then find pro bono opportunities that meet those needs. 有几家律所强烈地感觉到，他们能够让许多不同的靠谱的滚球平台参与公益工作的关键原因是，他们的公益事务吸引了许多不同类型的靠谱的滚球平台. 例如, 几家律所报告说，他们的靠谱的滚球平台既需要也想要实际的法庭经验. 他们的回应是确定能够可靠地提供这种经验的无偿服务机会. Similarly, 一家靠谱的滚球平台事务所报告说，它已经开发了一系列非诉讼公益机会，以便为对诉讼没有兴趣或经验的靠谱的滚球平台提供从事公益工作的机会. 这种机会的例子包括非营利组织和社区发展事务. 一位无偿服务靠谱的滚球平台成功地招募了专注于交易/并购的靠谱的滚球平台来处理收养事宜. 他解释说，一旦他把涉及收养的法律工作重新定义为“将资产(孩子)从一个实体(寄养服务机构)转移到另一个实体(养父母)”，这似乎就更熟悉了, 更有吸引力, 致交易靠谱的滚球平台. 关键似乎在于寻找公益机会的灵活性和创造性，并将它们与现有的兴趣和需求相匹配.

• Use technology to aid in placing cases.
  管理公益项目最耗时的部分之一可能是了解靠谱的滚球平台的兴趣，然后将可用的靠谱的滚球平台与可用的机会相匹配. Several firms rely on an intranet system to help with this process, 在公益页面上发布机会，该页面直接链接到靠谱的滚球平台登录电脑时首先出现的屏幕. Another firm keeps a database with lawyers’ interests, 因此，当公益事务出现时，公益协调员可以很容易地联系一小群感兴趣的靠谱的滚球平台. Most of the firms with which we spoke use email to communicate available opportunities.

All of the firms we spoke with take significant steps to keep pro bono a visible, meaningful part of a lawyer’s life at the firm. 我们了解到，有一些共同的步骤可以成功地向律所的靠谱的滚球平台传达这样的信息:无偿法律工作是律所业务的一部分.

• Partners are visibly and deeply engaged in pro bono.
  拥有最成功的公益项目的律所报告说，他们的合伙人——从最资深的到最年轻的——都积极地、明显地参与公益事务. 没有什么比让合伙人处理案件更能说明公司公益项目的可行性了, 监督, and talking about pro bono legal work.

• Pro bono is part of the new associate and lateral hires’ orientation.
  人们普遍认为，当新靠谱的滚球平台介绍律所时，会包括律所公益项目的讨论, articulation of pro bono expectations, and direct contact with the person who can help them get pro bono cases, it significantly increases participation in pro bono. Some firms therefore include pro bono as part of a broader orientation meeting. 其他律所让无偿服务靠谱的滚球平台在入职后不久与新靠谱的滚球平台和横向雇员单独会面.

• Pro bono is on the agenda of regular firm meetings.
  我们采访过的一些公司表示，每当有定期的全公司会议时, the pro bono program is on the agenda. Treating pro bono as an integrated part of the firm’s practice, rather than an adjunct or extracurricular activity, 被认为是使无偿服务成为靠谱的滚球平台职业生涯中有意义的一部分的重要一步.

• Pro bono cases are included in reports about firm accomplishments.
  我们采访过的许多律所都有简报，重点介绍了律所公益项目的各个方面. Some firms distribute these materials in hard copy, and find them to be attractive for marketing to clients and presenting the firm to potential recruits; others use a firm-specific intranet, or website to publicize accomplishments. 公司倾向于使用与公司相同的平台来宣传或宣传其其他工作.

我们采访过的几家律所采取了额外的措施，以确保靠谱的滚球平台们了解律所的公益项目. 一家律所在对靠谱的滚球平台的评估中加入了一项内容，说明该靠谱的滚球平台是否达到了律所政策中规定的无偿法律工作的最低小时数. 没有达到这一目标的靠谱的滚球平台被要求与事务所的公益靠谱的滚球平台会面，制定一个计划，在来年达到这一目标. 另一家律所为新入职靠谱的滚球平台举办了无偿服务的年度培训——当年未达到无偿服务目标的靠谱的滚球平台也必须参加培训. 另一家律所希望其新靠谱的滚球平台在入职六个月后至少接手一个案子.

从事无偿法律工作对社区有好处，有些人会说这对灵魂有好处. We learned that it is very good for business, as well.

• Pro bono is good for client relations.
  Several firms told us that corporate clients had been impressed by the firm’s pro bono work. When there is competition among high-quality law firms for business, having an active pro bono program can tip the scales in a firm’s favor. 一家公司报告说，当一个大的, 全国公司了解到，该公司与该公司合作的是同一家全国性非营利组织, the company began to send more work the firm’s way.

• A strong pro bono program is a potent recruiting tool.
  许多顶级律所告诉我们，他们的公益项目对新靠谱的滚球平台很有吸引力, including those coming out of prestigious clerkships. 靠谱的滚球平台事务所对此做出了解释, talented new lawyers are very interested in working on cutting-edge legal issues, 或者在他们职业生涯的早期有机会直接与客户合作并出庭.

• A diverse pro bono program is a fertile training and skill-building ground.
  We spoke with firms ranging in size from 25 lawyers to those with over 250 attorneys. 他们都一致认为，公益案件可以帮助新靠谱的滚球平台培养关键的靠谱的滚球平台技能. 一些人报告说，他们的合伙人积极参与无偿法律工作，部分原因是为了保持他们的法庭技能, 由于他们为付费客户处理更大的民事事务，他们上法庭的频率要低得多.

鼓励有兴趣了解更多信息的公司利用华盛顿的许多可用资源, D.C. 法律社会. A good starting place may simply be a law firm with a healthy pro bono program. 地区靠谱的滚球平台事务所的公益合伙人和公益靠谱的滚球平台或协调员通常是获得项目和实质性信息的最佳资源, and are very willing to both help—and learn from—others.

Get help in strengthening your pro bono program.

D.C. 酒吧部分程序: Join over 100 law firms with organized pro bono programs at regular meetings, at which participants learn of emerging and critical pro bono needs, as well as exchange ideas for enhancing their own pro bono programs. The PART Program will soon have a practice area on probono.net/dc that will allow members to share firm policies, practices, and other information. 联系人:D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center, 202-737-4700, ext. 293, or (电子邮件保护).

D.C. 靠谱的滚球平台事务所公益倡议:参与靠谱的滚球平台事务所每年向华盛顿靠谱的滚球平台事务所报告在保密基础上的公益表现, 并获得信息作为回报，使他们能够评估他们的无偿服务与类似的公司在D.C. 联系人:DC Bar Pro Bono Program, 202-737-4700, ext. 293 or (电子邮件保护).

乔治城大学法律中心的公益研究所:PBI的靠谱的滚球平台事务所公益项目为至少有50名靠谱的滚球平台的靠谱的滚球平台事务所提供信息, materials, and consultative services on pro bono programs. 欲知更多资料，请浏览: probonoinst.org.

Locate pro bono cases appropriate for your firm.

Probono.net/dc: This website includes a library of training materials, 模型诉状和其他材料, 发布志愿者机会, and descriptions of the District’s legal service organizations. Current substantive areas are: Asylum, 就业, 公民权利, 家庭法, 社区发展, Housing, 死刑, 与公共利益.

DCbar.org/pro-bono: The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Center provides a directory, 可按主题区域搜索, of area legal services providers with pro bono opportunities. 或者联系D的工作人员.C. Bar Pro Bono Center at 202-737-4700, ext 293, or (电子邮件保护) for advice and assistance finding pro bono projects and partner organizations.