The section seeks to develop community outreach programs and pro bono activities that take advantage of corporate, finance, and securities lawyers’ skills.
Several years ago, an innovative Community Economic Development Project was launched by the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program. The project has two components, one for law firms, and one for individual lawyers. However, the section must do more, and we welcome section member ideas for other activities to pursue in this area.
- Community Economic Development Project
- Through law firm matchups, Community Economic Development Clinic,
and educational sessions, the Community Economic Development (CED)
Pro Bono Project provides pro bono legal counsel, education, and information
to organizations serving and operating in low-income communities in
the District of Columbia. With CED Pro Bono Project assistance, large
law firms can be matched up with established community development
organizations and other mature community-based nonprofits that are
operating without benefit of legal counsel. The goal of these matches
is to establish an outside general counsel relationship between the
firm and the client organization, which transcends a single project
or legal issue and provides access to counsel on a range of matters
that arise in the nonprofit client’s operations and programs. The
Community Economic Development Clinic program matches the specific
expertise of individual volunteer lawyers with discrete legal issues
faced by smaller or start-up non-profit organizations and small and
disadvantaged businesses. The goal of the clinic is to work in partnership
with an established non-profit serving a targeted area and to deliver
corporate, real estate, tax, and general business law advice to organizations
in the service area who otherwise would not have access to counsel.
Through the education and information component of the project, topics
related to low-income community economic development are offered to
interested nonprofits and other community development practitioners.
For example, a seminar was held in 1998 on D.C. enterprise zones.
The D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program’s training schedule for attorneys this
year includes a session on nonprofit incorporation. Brown bag luncheon
discussion are now being planned on issues relating to nonprofit partnerships
and business enterprise.
Law firms interested in matching up with community organizations, lawyers interested in volunteering for the clinic, and attorneys wishing to donate their time and expertise in education and training programs should contact Deborah Austin, project director, at 202-737-4700, ext. 376.
For more information on services of the D.C. Bar Program or the Community Economic Development Pro Bono Project, visit www.probono.net/dc.
