Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files

How did a local idea become a national celebration of service? In this episode of Pursuing Justice, Justice Michael Hyman, Bob Glaves, and Meg Benson share the story behind Pro Bono Week — and how it continues to connect lawyers with opportunities to make a difference. Hear a conversation about community, access to justice, and the lasting rewards of giving back. Explore our Pro Bono programs and...

In the aftermath of 9/11, thousands of trial lawyers came together to help victims and their families pro bono through an initiative called Trial Lawyers Care, launched by the American Association for Justice (AAJ). In this episode, Linda Lipsen of AAJ, Leo Boyle of Meehan Boyle, a Keches Law Firm, and Christopher Placitella of Cohen, Placitella, Roth & Goslee, PC reflect on this historic rapi...

For the 25th anniversary of September 11, Pursuing Justice host Alicia Aiken spoke with PLI’s Janet Siegel and Jesse Sands about their experiences on that tragic day in New York. They share their memories of uncertainty, profound loss, and the acts of care that helped colleagues find their way home, and discuss PLI’s efforts to offer useful programming in the wake of this and subsequent disasters....

As summer winds down and college football season gets underway, Pursuing Justice shares a fun story that brings school rivalry, trademark law, and a pint-sized joke together in one surprising pro bono case. Hear from Eric Ball and Todd Gregorian, of Fenwick & West, about their work on a dispute involving a legendary Ann Arbor watering hole’s “Buckeye Tears”— and explore the many ways IP lawyer...

In this episode, Sarah Carver and Lauren Kellogg, of Alaska Legal Services, and Nikole Nelson, of Frontline Justice, discuss how Alaska’s Community Justice Worker program is helping to close the access to justice gap by training trusted community members to provide limited legal support in places where lawyers are scarce. Hear how this work empowers low-income families navigating complex benefits,...

Hear about the Nonhuman Rights Project’s efforts to use habeas corpus to challenge the confinement of highly intelligent animals, and to push courts to recognize how the law could evolve over time. Connecting animal rights advocacy to earlier civil rights movements, advocates Evan Wolfson, Shannon Minter, Kevin Schneider, and Jake Davis illustrate the power of pro bono — along with long-term litig...

What does it take to evolve the law? In the first of a two-part episode of Pursuing Justice, Alicia Aiken speaks with two giants of civil rights litigation, Evan Wolfson of Freedom to Marry Global and Shannon Minter of the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, about the long arc of marriage equality — from early legal and cultural resistance, to the nationwide victory in Obergefell v. Hodges. Hear how...

In a series of lightning-round interviews recorded onsite at the Pro Bono Institute’s annual conference, Pursuing Justice host Alicia Aiken and Nihad Mansour, host of PBI’s Pro Bono Happy Hour, hear inspiring pro bono stories and insights from dedicated pro bono practitioners. Guests include Sirena Castillo (Manatt, Phelps & Phillips), Sara Ghadiri (Chapman and Cutler), Elba Gutiérrez Castillo...

Survivors of human trafficking are often burdened with legal and financial issues through no fault of their own. In this episode, hear how pro bono support can make a difference. Host Alicia Aiken speaks with Eve Runyon, of the Pro Bono Institute, and Sarah Dohoney Byrne, of Moore & Van Allen, about a credit-repair clinic established through a partnership between PBI and the National Survivor...

Tiela Chalmers, the recipient of PLI’s second Victor J. Rubino Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Training, talks with Alicia Aiken about her impactful career, including her contributions to California’s disaster response infrastructure, her widely used poverty workshop, and her years of teaching with PLI. Explore our Pro Bono programs and resources Learn about our Pro Bono Memberships and Scholarsh...

For the third year running, Pursuing Justice host Alicia Aiken and attorney (and fellow movie buff) John Whitcomb explore the surprising themes of pro bono and access to justice running through Oscar-nominated films from various decades. Explore our Pro Bono programs and resources Learn about our Pro Bono Memberships and Scholarships for qualified organizations and individuals Please note: CLE is...

David Turetsky shares how, in the summer of 1981, he found himself at the U.S. Supreme Court as part of a team that halted the New York City primary elections to protect voting rights. Link to Episode 65: Lessons in Crisis Lawyering Explore our Pro Bono programs and resources Learn about our Pro Bono Memberships and Scholarships for qualified organizations and individuals Please note: CLE is not o...

Pro bono lawyers are often called upon to calmly and competently help clients experiencing crises. But what if the crisis — a natural disaster, a pandemic, an unprecedented challenge at the polls — impacts the lawyer as well? In this episode, Alicia Aiken speaks with Ray Brescia, Associate Dean for Research and Intellectual Life and Hon. Harold R. Tyler Chair in Law and Technology, Albany Law Scho...

Thousands of Washington, D.C. area kids with disabilities rely on buses for transportation to the schools that can serve their educational needs — some of which are very far from their homes. But for years, the DC school bus system has been failing these students, with buses that arrive late, or not at all, or with safety concerns, all of which impacts their access to education. In this episode, h...

Incarcerated survivors of domestic violence and trafficking are finding hope and justice through the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA) — with help from pro bono attorneys. Hear a conversation with Dara Sheinfeld and Denis McInerney of Davis Polk, who have been working on the front lines of re-sentencing efforts in collaboration with pro bono clients, legal aid organizations, and pros...

Pro bono work supporting businesses and nonprofits remains one of the best ways for transactional lawyers to contribute to their communities. In this episode, Alicia Aiken talks with Bruce Ely, Tiffany Graves, and Ashley Robinson, of Bradley, about their firm’s successful implementation of pro bono clinics helping Black small business and nonprofit owners in the Southeast. Please note: CLE is not...

Hear how Sam Coren, of Perkins Coie, and Emma Jensen, of the Northwest Justice Project, helped transform a man’s life through a successful bid for clemency that began when they were in law school. Want to hear about new Pursuing Justice releases? Subscribe to our monthly pro bono emails Explore our Pro Bono programs and resources Learn about our Pro Bono Memberships and Scholarships for qualified...

(Originally published 4/28/23): Many lawyers take on pro bono cases unaware of the vicarious trauma they can experience when helping clients in extreme situations. Hear Akin Pro Bono partner Lauren Connell and interactive learning expert Ken Rosenblad discuss the types of training that can help lawyers manage their mental health — and become more effective advocates.  Want to hear about new Pursui...

Hear from attorneys Keith Y. Cohan and Ryan M. Goldstein of Reid Collins, and Nora Ahmed of the ACLU of Louisiana, about the Justice Lab’s longstanding advocacy for individuals impacted by discriminatory policing — and how the pursuit of justice in dozens of these cases can lead to systemic reforms. Want to hear about new Pursuing Justice releases? Subscribe to our monthly pro bono emails Explore...

Join host Alicia Aiken and fellow movie buff and attorney John Whitcomb for another lively discussion of how pro bono has been depicted in past Oscar-nominated films, exploring how these stories reflect the popular understanding of access to justice. Want to hear about new Pursuing Justice releases? Subscribe to our monthly pro bono emails Explore our Pro Bono programs and resources Learn about ou...

Pursuing Justice Podcast Episode 57: (Originally Published May 6th, 2022) What does it mean to design a fulfilling life in the law? And how does pro bono fit in? In this encore episode of Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files, host Alicia Aiken talks to Michigan Law professors Bridgette Carr and Vivek Sankaran and attorney Jessica Morton about taking stock and forging your own career path — and how...

Alicia Aiken speaks with Toby Rothschild, Of Counsel, OneJustice, about his career spanning more than 50 years in legal services, how he motivates others to do pro bono work, and why he’s still dedicated to teaching and giving back in spite of being “retired.” Toby is the winner of PLI’s inaugural Victor J. Rubino Award for Excellence in Pro Bono Training, recognizing his extraordinary contributio...

Non-consensual disclosure of intimate images, commonly known as revenge porn, can have a devastating impact on victims, mostly women. Launched a decade ago to provide pro bono support to these victims, the Cyber Civil Rights Project receives more than 30 requests for assistance per week. Hear from David Bateman and Amy L. Groff, of K&L Gates, and Elisa D’Amico, of D’Amico Law Firm PLLC, about...

In Part Two of our episode on pro bono legal assistance for journalists, hear how ProJourn lawyers are fighting to ensure that Open Vallejo — a local independent newsroom in California — can shine a light on serious police misconduct and local government. Want to hear about new Pursuing Justice releases? Subscribe to our monthly pro bono emails Explore our Pro Bono programs and resources Learn abo...

Local journalism is in crisis — and among its challenges is the urgent need for lawyers to enforce open records laws and assess stories for legal vulnerabilities. In Part One, hear how lawyers from Microsoft and Davis Wright Tremaine joined forces with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and the Knight Foundation to build ProJourn , an initiative to protect journalists by equipping th...