15 Bringing Together In-House Counsel with Nonprofits for Greater Pro Bono Impact Survivors of domestic violence know they have a safe place to go with HarborCOV, a nonprofit in Chelsea, Massachusetts, that helps people affected by violence and abuse rebuild their lives, and provides free safety and support services, along with housing and economic opportunities. Given the organization’s dedication to stabilizing individuals who are in dire need, it is indeed a luxury for its executive team to take time to reflect on the nonprofit’s own stability by reviewing its governance documents and policies. Last fall, however, Kourou Pich, HarborCOV’s co-executive director, took advantage of such an opportunity at a Clinic in a Box workshop hosted by Mintz Levin. Clinic in a Box workshops were created by Corporate Pro Bono, a national partnership project between the Association of Corporate Counsel and the Pro Bono Institute. At the workshop, Mintz Levin attorneys Allan Caggiano, Geri Haight, Anthony Hubbard, and Martha Zackin trained 43 in-house attorneys to work with nonprofit providers. “We were able to meet with the leaders of over a dozen deserving nonprofits, many of whom would otherwise have no access to lawyers,” says William O’Brien, chair of the Association of Corporate Counsel-Northeast Chapter’s Pro Bono Committee. He was pleased that so many in- house attorneys turned out for the event, many more than anticipated. “By teaching in-house counsel these skills, we broaden our own impact,”Martha says. Following the training, the in-house attorneys were paired with small groups of nonprofit executives. The in-house lawyers advised the nonprofit executives by applying what they had learned in the training and reviewing a legal audit checklist designed to help spot potential issues. The four Mintz Levin workshop trainers were ready to step in if needed. The benefits to nonprofits and their clients are clear. “If we can help a nonprofit access quality legal services, its management can focus on delivering services to people in need,”Anthony says. Kourou agrees that the workshop was time well spent for the domestic violence support services provider. “HarborCOV was so appreciative of the team of in-house counsel who spent time with us to review our organization’s governance and policies during the clinic,” he says. “We were grateful to have the opportunity to work with such experienced lawyers.” Reap & Sow Clinic in a Box gives us an opportunity to teach more people to do pro bono work. The hope is that training of this type will have ripple effects, eventually resulting in an exponential increase in pro bono legal help for nonprofits. Geri Haight Attorney Mintz Levin The Power of Partnerships