Pro Bono Program takes off thanks to team effort
The first full year of our Pro Bono Program was a great success, marked by several special events and initiatives. 2017 began with a pledge by former General Counsel Vince Maffeo to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® initiative to have at least half of the Leidos legal department participate in pro bono efforts. Shortly thereafter, Leidos Legal and Community Relations and Corporate Responsibility (CR2) made a $5,000 donation to the American Bar Association's Military Pro Bono Project to assist unrepresented veterans with pending disability benefits claims and provide other legal support to military lawyers and service members. After Maffeo’s retirement in the summer, current General Counsel Jerry Howe enthusiastically became the champion for these efforts.
Throughout the year, our attorneys staffed consumer law clinics at Legal Services of Northern Virginia and the DC Bar’s D.C. Superior Court Consumer Law Resource Center (CLRC). These clinics allow underrepresented individuals to consult with experts and gain valuable advice for pending or potential legal matters. Support to the CLRC is coordinated through a partnership with law firm Wiley Rein, a leader in the pro bono community. In total, Leidos attorneys contributed more than 30 hours and served 37 individuals at these consumer law events.
Our legal department also raised $2,650 for the American Heart Association's annual Heart Walk (see team photo, left) and has further pledged its support to the upcoming American Heart Association Lawyers Have Heart race. This 10K/5K race and fun walk is the premier athletic philanthropic event led by the greater Washington, D.C. legal community.
Finally, in coordination with Corporate Pro Bono (a partnership project of the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Pro Bono Institute), United Way of the National Capital Area, and another law firm pro bono leader — Cooley, LLP — Leidos hosted a half-day “Clinic in a Box®” event on Dec. 13, 2017. Twenty-two members of our legal department served four D.C. metro-area children- and human services-focused non-profits, providing social media policies, privacy policies, and non-disclosure agreements. Leidos attorneys dedicated 88 hours on event day alone, in addition to the generous time donated by CPBO, United Way, and Cooley.
The Leidos legal department greatly exceeded its initial commitment to the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge by having almost the entire legal team contribute to pro bono efforts in 2017 and we look forward to continued pro bono successes with our valued partners in 2018.
