Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files
Society & Culture
About
An exciting limited series podcast showcasing the hard work and heartening stories of the pro bono and public interest community.
Episodes
- Hallway Conversations at Pro Bono Institute's Annual Conference
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…
- Credit Repair for Trafficking Survivors
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 In…
- Tiela Chalmers: A Pro Bono Multiplier
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…
- Pursuing Justice: Oscar Season Edition
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. E…
- Bonus: David Turetsky Goes to the Supreme Court
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 Explor…
- Lessons in Crisis Lawyering
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 episo…
- The Missing School Bus
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 bee…
- Sentencing Justice for Incarcerated Domestic Violence Survivors
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 McI…
- Supporting Small Business Owners’ Dreams
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 Bradl…
- Making the Case for Clemency
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 re…
- Encore: Managing Vicarious Trauma - What Pro Bono Providers Can Learn
(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 K…
- Defending Constitutional Rights Pro Bono
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 j…
- Pursuing Justice Returns to the Movies
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…
- Encore: “Be curious. Try stuff. Stay connected.”
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 A…
- Toby Rothschild: A Life in Legal Services
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 spit…
- Helping Victims of Non-Consensual Pornography
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 receiv…
- “Elevate the Truth”: Pro Bono for Journalists | Part Two
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 l…
- “Elevate the Truth”: Pro Bono for Journalists | Part One
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 joine…
- Taste-Testing Pro Bono
Matching willing lawyers with appropriate pro bono projects can be a challenge. What are the factors that contribute to their decisions to work on one project or another — or to even get involved at all? Two experts on managing and advisin…
- Restoring Voting Rights in Florida
Florida recently restored the right to vote to over a million individuals who have served time for felony criminal convictions, but thousands in the state are still disenfranchised due to court fees and other hurdles. Hear from lawyers inv…
- Alleviating Entrepreneurs’ Pain Points With Pro Bono
Entrepreneurs, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, face a lot of pain points when starting a new business or nonprofit enterprise. Hear how corporate lawyers can ease the pain, and support initiatives that benefit communities,…
- Aiding Underserved Investors
In this special crossover episode with PLI’s inSecurities podcast, hear about how pro bono clinics can help vulnerable investors protect their hard-earned retirement funds and nest eggs. Alicia Aiken is joined by Kurt Wolfe and Chris Ekimo…
- Pro Bono Transitions: From Law Student to Big Law Associate, Part Two
In the second part of Alicia Aiken’s conversation with Lexi Wung, recorded over a year later, Lexi has completed her first year as an associate with Kirkland & Ellis. Has she held on to her passion for pro bono? Hear what her experience ha…
- Pro Bono Transitions: From Law Student to Big Law Associate, Part One
For a law student, it can be hard to figure out what a law firm job will be like — and whether pro bono will really be supported as part of regular work life. In the first of a two-part episode, hear from Lexi Wung, then a recent Michigan…
- Bonus Episode: Ryan Haygood and Ezra Rosenberg
In this bonus episode, Ryan Haygood and Ezra Rosenberg — recently featured in the Protecting Voting Rights episode — share how their backgrounds led to their professional focus on voter advocacy. Related CLE Program: You may also be intere…
- Protecting Voting Rights
Laws restricting the ability to vote, such as unnecessarily strict voter ID requirements, disproportionately impact voters of color. Hear a conversation with Ezra Rosenberg ( Voter Rights 2024 Program Chair) and Ryan Haygood about how pro…
- Pursuing Justice at the Movies
Host Alicia Aiken welcomes fellow movie buff and attorney John Whitcomb for a lively discussion of how pro bono has been depicted in past Oscar-nominated films — and how these stories reflect the popular understanding of access to justice.…
- Protecting Philly Homeowners
There is a looming crisis in Philadelphia, where the poverty rate is high, the housing stock is old, and gentrification is transforming traditionally Black neighborhoods. The ability to pass on generational wealth is at risk, as families w…
- Enlisting In-House Counsel to Support Homeless Youth
Finding accurate, locally specific information about the rights of homeless youth can be challenging. To address that problem, Baker & McKenzie leads pro bono teams that create Homeless Youth Handbooks for each state. Learn how Legal Servi…
- Podcasting Pro Bono: A Look Back at 2023
In this year-end episode, host Alicia Aiken sits down with producer Daniel Painitz to chat about Pursuing Justice ’s coverage of hot topics in the news, issues of interest to in-house counsel, ethical storytelling, helping veterans and art…
- Serving the Public Good: Entrepreneur Edition
In the legal space, Pro Bono typically means working for free — volunteering your time and legal skills. What if there’s another way to serve the public good? In this episode, meet Daissy Dominguez and Samoane Williams and learn about the…
- A Pro Bono Clinic in Action
Join host Alicia Aiken for a field trip to a pro bono clinic run by Katten and Legal Aid Chicago at the Jose De Diego School in Chicago. Listen in as attorneys tackle tricky questions on the spot and hear how the clinic helps dozens of cli…
- Volunteering for Senior Vets
“When they hear that you're a veteran, it’s an immediate connection. They know that I can understand what they’re talking about … because I lived through it too.” – Monica De Martin The veteran population is aging rapidly, and many senior…
- Encore: Disaster Strikes, Lawyers Respond
When hurricanes, floods, fires — and sometimes all of the above — strike, how can lawyers help individuals and communities respond and recover? In this encore episode, Alicia Aiken talks to seasoned disaster relief attorneys about how pro…
- Supporting Artists Through Pro Bono
The vast majority of artists working today are not well known or well paid. And those artists with fewer resources are often those with the greatest need for legal counsel, from protecting their intellectual property to drawing up contract…
- Practicing Trauma-Informed Lawyering
Trauma-informed lawyering isn’t just helpful for victims of violence. In this episode, Nefertiti J. Alexander, a litigation partner and expert on trauma-informed practice, shares how this approach can strengthen your relationship with all…
- Centering the Client in Pro Bono Storytelling
Pro bono stories can be compelling, informative, and persuasive, but they can also carry risks for clients. In this episode, Maricarmen Garza of the Tahirih Justice Center and Erin Kinsella of the Practising Law Institute speak with host A…
- Managing Vicarious Trauma: What Pro Bono Providers Can Learn
Many lawyers take on probono 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…
- In-House Pro Bono Team Helps Unhoused Families
In-house counsel face structural challenges to getting involved in pro bono projects. In this episode, hear how Amazon’s in-house team joined forces with a Big Law firm and a social services organization to make a difference for unhoused p…
- Encore: Making Detroit Entrepreneurs Capital Ready
Entrepreneurship is one traditional path to building stability and strengthening communities in the United States, but many Black and Brown business owners lack access to the capital they need to sustain and grow their business ideas. In l…
- Bonus Episode: George Fatheree III
In this bonus episode, hear how the partner who led the unprecedented land return of Bruce’s Beach to its rightful owners (covered in Episode 28 ) developed his pro bono vision and skills from early in his career, working on a range of mat…
- Pro Bono and Reparations: The Bruce’s Beach Story
Bruce’s Beach, in Southern California, represents the first example in the United States of reparations to a family harmed by the racist use of eminent domain. This agreement — and the family’s recent sale of the land back to L.A. County f…
- Appellate Justice for Domestic Violence Survivors
What can be done when survivors of domestic violence face judges who are unprepared to handle their cases? Hear from Ben Weinberg, Pro Bono Partner at Dentons in Chicago, about how an Orders of Protection Appellate Project is helping pro b…
- Justice Delayed, Part 2
What happens when a BigLaw firm brings its resources to bear on a wrongful conviction case? In Part 2 of this dramatic story, hear from a Milbank LLP partner and counsel about their successful pro bono advocacy for a wrongfully imprisoned…
- Justice Delayed, Part 1
As a teenager, Mark Purnell was convicted of a murder he didn’t commit. After years of self-advocacy, his case caught the attention of pro bono counsel. Hear about their dramatic fight for his exoneration. Related Links: National Registry…
- Ten Things New Associates Should Know About Pro Bono
New associates have a lot of questions about pro bono. Sometimes, they might not even know what questions they should have. In this special episode, three attorneys offer a “top 10” list of advice and insights for those who are getting sta…
- Eviction Court and the Right to Counsel Movement
What if your pro bono work could fundamentally restructure the delivery of justice for your whole community? In this episode, two attorneys with deep experience in advocating for the Right to Counsel — and tenants’ rights in New York City…
- Encore: “This is NOT our area of expertise”
Following Episode 21 on pro bono assistance to disasters, host Alicia Aiken revisits our inaugural episode, which tells the story of how a corporate attorney at Schulte Roth & Zabel stepped up to help Partners In Health get clearance to de…
- Disaster Strikes, Lawyers Respond
When hurricanes, floods, fires — and sometimes all of the above — strike, how can lawyers help individuals and communities respond and recover? In this episode, Alicia Aiken talks to seasoned disaster relief attorneys about how pro bono ca…
- “Be curious. Try stuff. Stay connected.”
“This isn’t about surviving. This is about thriving.” – Bridgette Carr What does it mean to design a fulfilling life in the law? And how does pro bono fit in? In this month’s episode of Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files, host Alicia Aik…