Establishing pro bono service for nonprofit organizations with corporate counsel
Abstract
Although recently broadening in application and scope, pro bono has come to be synonymous with the legal field. This effective practice highlights General Electric’s efforts to stimulate and encourage pro bono service to nonprofit organizations by corporate counsel, and the subsequent successful results.
Issue
While there is increasing reliance on and need for nonprofit services in the health care, housing, food, education, and cultural sectors of society, the sustainability of nonprofit organizations is oftentimes neglected.
Corporate organizations look to offer their services on a pro bono basis for a variety of reasons and in a variety of capacities; nonprofit organizations seeking these services are as varied in number. The challenge is achieving the right fit to create a win-win situation.
Action
In the late nineties, leaders at General Electric (GE) led the creation of the Pro Bono Partnership to stimulate and encourage pro bono service to nonprofit organizations by corporate counsel. Working with the Lawyers Alliance for New York, GE established the Pro Bono Partnership to assist nonprofit organizations serving poor or disadvantaged individuals and families, civic groups, arts organizations, and environmental or conservation groups; to provide a wide range of opportunities for attorneys in corporations and law firms to work on rewarding pro bono business and transactional matters; and to focus in particular on engaging volunteers from corporate legal departments.
Context
General Electric is a diversified media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world’s toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing, and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, and media content, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. GE applies its long-standing spirit of innovation and unique set of capabilities to its pro bono work in communities around the world.
Citation
“The Pro Bono Partnership: Making In-House Pro Bono A Success,” Metropolitan Corporate Counsel Magazine, September 2001.
GE Pro Bono Partnership, 2006 Annual Report.
Outcome
The GE Africa Project
In Africa, GE has committed to invest $20 million in product donation and services to improve clinics and hospitals. Through this venture, GE applies solutions from its business expertise to rural African communities to improve access to reliable power, clean water, up-to-date healthcare equipment, and communication technologies. GE involves community members in many parts of the development process to strengthen local sense of ownership. This approach also provides opportunities for local citizens to gain valuable skills through their involvement and ensures that GE solutions are well implemented and sustained over the long term
Evidence
The Pro Bono Partnership served 81 clients in its first full year of operation in 1998. Since then, its services have grown dramatically. According to the partnership’s 2006 Annual Report, 1,250 attorneys have volunteered on more than 3,200 legal matters since 1997, and the resource call center responds to more than 1,000 calls annually from nonprofits around the country.
In 2006, GE announced an expansion of the Africa Project to complete upgrade work in more than 30 hospitals and clinics across Africa. By 2008, the GE Africa Project has resulted in 12 upgraded hospitals in Ghana and 13 newly initiated projects in countries including Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Rwanda, and Senegal.
For More Information
Resources
See the Resource Center’s pro bono page at http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/probono.
See also: www.probonopartnership.org