Pro Bono
Pro Bono Committee
The Pro Bono Committee was established by CBA Council at the 2003 Mid-Winter Meeting, and came into effect in September 2003. Our mandate is to promote and facilitate pro bono service in the legal profession on an ongoing basis. CBA’s pro bono initiatives help to ensure access to justice for all Canadians and in turn, publicizing lawyers’ pro bono work enhances the public image of the profession.
We are a large Committee by CBA standards — each of the 13 CBA Branches can name a member. Council names the Chair and Vice Chair. The cost of meeting in person is prohibitive, so our work is conducted primarily by conference call and e-mail.
The Committee set three priorities from the list of activities recommended by the Pro Bono Working Group:
- Encouraging law societies and their insurers to cover insurance-exempt lawyers who act on a pro bono basis
- Developing model pro bono policies and checklists for law firms
- Communication to build a pro bono culture.
The May 2004 EPIIgram featured model pro bono policies. The EPIIgram and other pro bono tools and links are available to members on CBA PracticeLink. We plan to develop other specialized pro bono materials and links, making CBA PracticeLink a valuable resource for members and pro bono service providers. To the greatest extent possible, links will be made to existing resources.
The Committee has started to forge cooperative relationships with other pro bono organizations such as Pro Bono Law of BC, Pro Bono Law Ontario, Pro Bono Law Alberta, Pro Bono Law Saskatchewan and Pro Bono Quebec.
Our work has just begun. Watch this space in coming months as we strive to foster a pro bono culture in the legal profession.
Committee Contacts
Committee Bylaws
(a) The Pro Bono Committee shall promote and facilitate pro bono service in the
legal profession on an ongoing basis.
(b) the Chair of the Committee shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee
and elected by Council in accordance with the CBA By-Laws;
(c) each Branch shall name a member to the Committee; and
(d) the Chair of the Legal Aid Liaison Committee shall be an ex officio member of
the Pro Bono Standing Committee, and vice versa. (Resolution 03-04-M)
Background
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