Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- establishing_and_running_a_pro_bono_clearinghouse [2013/10/16 16:41]
marieanne_mckeown [Screening and Vetting Clients]
+++ establishing_and_running_a_pro_bono_clearinghouse [2013/10/17 09:28] (current)
marieanne_mckeown [Agreements Between Parties]
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 The key to running a successful clearinghouse is ensuring lawyers and clients know about it! That may sound obvious, but it will not happen automatically. How the lawyers and clients are selected will make a big difference to the nature of the clearinghouse.
-==== Who a Clearinghouse Helps ====
+==== Whom a Clearinghouse Helps ====
 Some clearinghouses help organizations such as charities and other NGOs. Others also help individuals, either directly or through their client NGOs. It is important to be clear about who can receive a clearinghouse’s help ﬁnding lawyers and to set guidelines for deciding whether a particular individual or organization falls within the clearinghouse’s scope.
@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 |
-//**The Pro Bono Alliance (PBA)**, formerly the Public Interest Lawyer’s Association (PILA), in the Czech Republic uses several forms. It uses an initial form to be ﬁlled out by the NGOs that have expressed interest in pro bono services and it asks about speciﬁc services they may need help with. PBA also has a second form for NGOs to ﬁll out when an NGO has a particular matter about which to make a request. See Appendix 1, Form for NGOs Interested in Pro Bono; Appendix 2, Pro Bono Request Form for NGOs.//
+//**The Pro Bono Alliance (PBA)** in the Czech Republic uses several forms. It uses an initial form to be ﬁlled out by the NGOs that have expressed interest in pro bono services and it asks about speciﬁc services they may need help with. PBA also has a second form for NGOs to ﬁll out when an NGO has a particular matter about which to make a request. See Appendix 1, Form for NGOs Interested in Pro Bono; Appendix 2, Pro Bono Request Form for NGOs.//
 //**PILnet’s** Global Clearinghouse carefully considers each NGO that wants to receive pro bono services through its clearinghouses.  It screens  potential clients for infrastructure,  good business  practices, open communication, and professionalism. Generally, when a new client is being considered, PILnet will conduct  basic background  research  on the NGO by checking its website, its donors,  annual reports, active projects and partners. Vetting is done on a case by case basis.//
@@ Line 64: / Line 64: @@
 <box 80% blue>
-//**PBA** (Czech Republic) requires individuals to complete a declaration of means  and ﬁnancial status in order to obtain pro bono legal services. After the individual has been approved, PBA then has the individual complete the speciﬁc request form for pro bono services, similar to the form NGOs ﬁll out for their own needs. PBA has also developed a relationship with the Association of Citizen Advice Bureaus in the Czech Republic. The Advice Bureaus often obtain pro bono assistance  for individuals through PBA. As a result, PBA has created a special intake form just for the Advice Bureaus because they cannot use the standard PBA form. PBA has recognized that the Advice Bureaus are an important resource for obtaining clients, so it was ﬂexible and accommodating to this Association.//</box>
+//**PBA** (Czech Republic) requires individuals to complete a declaration of means  and ﬁnancial status in order to obtain pro bono legal services. After the individual has been approved, PBA then has the individual complete the speciﬁc request form for pro bono services, similar to the form NGOs ﬁll out for their own needs. PBA has also developed a relationship with the Association of Citizen Advice Bureaus in the Czech Republic. The advice bureaus often obtain pro bono assistance  for individuals through PBA. As a result, PBA has created a special intake form just for the advice bureaus because they cannot use the standard PBA form. PBA has recognized that the advice bureaus are an important resource for obtaining clients, so it was ﬂexible and accommodating to the association.//</box>
 Some clearinghouses provide services to both individuals and NGOs.
@@ Line 105: / Line 105: @@
 Additionally, some clearinghouses not only provide access to lawyers willing to take on cases, but they also arrange for lawyers to deliver legal training sessions or workshops for NGOs.
-<box 80% blue> //**PBA** only takes clients that cannot otherwise access legal services due to their income and property situation. Evidence needs to be provided through a declaration from the client. Any false information
+<box 80% blue> //**PILnet** partnered with UNICEF, the law firm Kinstellar, and the Pontis Foundation to offer private lawyers the professional training they need to serve as pro bono advocates for minors. The collaboration culminated in a series of workshops in Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest.  These workshops brought real-world expertise to working attorneys and increased the pool of pro bono lawyers available to UNICEF.//</box>
-would lead to an obligation to pay for the legal services provided.//</box>
 ==== How Will Potential Clients Be Contacted? ====
@@ Line 114: / Line 113: @@
 A clearinghouse may wish to identify NGOs that it believes are doing good professional work in their respective ﬁelds. Once you have researched these NGOs, you can arrange to meet with them individually and discuss their legal needs with them.
-**Best practice in making ﬁrst contact with NGOs:**
+<box 80% round red|**Best practice in making first contact with NGOs:**>
+The purpose of the initial email or letter sent by the clearinghouse is to establish contact with a non-proﬁt organization and to offer pro bono services to it.  You might consider including the following ﬁve elements:
-**The purpose of the initial email or letter sent by the clearinghouse is to establish contact with a non-proﬁt organization and to offer pro bono services to it.**
-**You might consider including the following ﬁve elements:**
+  * personal introduction of the writer of the letter;
+  * introduction of the organization (clearinghouse);
+  * introduction  of  the  clearinghouse’s  pro  bono  program:  this  could  include success stories, number of matters placed, and examples of the types of matters NGOs have been helped with;
+  * recognition of the NGO and the importance of its activities; and
+  * request for a conference call to discuss possible ways of cooperation.
-  * **personal introduction of the writer of the letter;**
+If the NGO does not respond to the email within ﬁve business days, you may wish to resend the email or telephone the organization directly.</box>
-  * **introduction of the organization (clearinghouse);**
-  * **introduction  of  the  clearinghouse’s  pro  bono  program:  this  could  include success stories, number of matters placed, and examples of the types of matters NGOs have been helped with;**
-  * **recognition of the NGO and the importance of its activities; and**
-  * **request for a conference call to discuss possible ways of cooperation.**
-**If the NGO does not respond to the email within ﬁve business days, you may wish to resend the email or telephone the organization directly.**
-<box 80% blue> //**PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse** ﬁnds it is helpful to start any email communication with the name of the person who recommended/referred the NGO to PILnet, if applicable. This helps gain trust and attention.//</box>
 Speaking at conferences, attending NGO events to disseminate information, and distributing newsletters are some ways to promote your clearinghouse. By networking with leaders of the non-proﬁt sector, a clearinghouse should be able to locate and target NGOs that could beneﬁt from lawyers’ pro bono help. However it is done, the task of making contact with those who most need  legal assistance is very important and will demonstrate to the community your commitment and legitimacy.
-<box 80% blue>
+<box 80% blue> //When **The Peace Institute** in Slovenia initially started, it held group meetings with NGOs to present the clearinghouse,  explain its purpose,  and  invite them  to think of legal matters  they could use legal advice on. At these meetings,  the clearinghouse  presented  the NGOs with examples of legal matters  from other countries’ NGOs and explained how free legal advice could be used in different contexts,  e.g.,  training,  advocacy. The  meetings   were  organized  as  roundtables,   allowing for interactive participation. Subsequently, the clearinghouse also held individual meetings with NGOs that expressed interest in obtaining legal counsel on speciﬁc matters.  These meetings  led to legal matters being successfully placed with law ﬁrms and lawyers.//
-|
-//When **The Peace Institute** in Slovenia initially started, it held group meetings with NGOs to present the clearinghouse,  explain its purpose,  and  invite them  to think of legal matters  they could use legal advice on. At these meetings,  the clearinghouse  presented  the NGOs with examples of legal matters  from other countries’ NGOs and explained how free legal advice could be used in different contexts,  e.g.,  training,  advocacy. The  meetings   were  organized  as  roundtables,   allowing for interactive participation. Subsequently, the clearinghouse also held individual meetings with NGOs that expressed interest in obtaining legal counsel on speciﬁc matters.  These meetings  led to legal matters being successfully placed with law ﬁrms and lawyers.//
 //**PILnet-Moscow’s Clearinghouse** also had a strategic approach to initial NGO outreach://
@@ Line 153: / Line 144: @@
 The legal community plays a critical role in achieving the clearinghouse’s objectives. First, lawyers provide the actual pro bono service—voluntarily agreeing to provide free professional services to  NGOs  and individuals. Second, they provide essential ﬁnancial, educational and promotional support to the pro bono community.
-A clearinghouse may consider the following when reaching out to law ﬁrms:
+A clearinghouse may consider the following when reaching out to law ﬁrms
-  * Identify lawyers and law ﬁrms in your city that are most likely to take pro bono matters, such as:
+  * **Identify lawyers and law ﬁrms in your city that are most likely to take pro bono matters,** such as:
     * international law ﬁrms,
     * in-house lawyers at international corporations, or
     * large domestic law ﬁrms.
-  * Research each individual law ﬁrm to determine the most appropriate person to contact for a meeting. This may include:
+  * **Research each individual law ﬁrm to determine the most appropriate person to contact for a meeting.** This may include:
     * pro bono coordinator
     * director of corporate social responsibility
-      * If there is no person in either of these roles, then consider looking at the law ﬁrm’s different programs, events, training, or practice areas. Identify any lawyers that have been involved in any possible public interest or similar areas.
+    * If there is no person in either of these roles, then consider looking at the law ﬁrm’s different programs, events, training, or practice areas. Identify any lawyers that have been involved in any possible public interest or similar areas.
-  * Contact the most appropriate person to arrange a meeting.
-  * Meet with representatives from the ﬁrms in order to:
+  * **Contact the most appropriate person to arrange a meeting.**
+  * **Meet with representatives from the ﬁrms in order to:**
     * introduce the clearinghouse and its mission;
     * discuss the beneﬁts of a law ﬁrm’s support of pro bono practice:
-      * This is a chance to give back to society by helping people who cannot otherwise obtain a lawyer.
+        * This is a chance to give back to society by helping people who cannot otherwise obtain a lawyer.
-      * It is personally rewarding to those involved.
+        * It is personally rewarding to those involved.
-      * It contributes to the lawyer/law ﬁrm’s positive image and reputation in the community.
+        * It contributes to the lawyer/law ﬁrm’s positive image and reputation in the community.
-      * It is an opportunity to develop skills, gain experience and enhance training of the ﬁrm’s lawyers.
+        * It is an opportunity to develop skills, gain experience and enhance training of the ﬁrm’s lawyers.
-      * It can help recruit new, talented lawyers.
+        * It can help recruit new, talented lawyers.
-      * It can bring an issue to court that may not otherwise be heard.
+        * It can bring an issue to court that may not otherwise be heard.
-      * Many clients value a ﬁrm’s pro bono efforts and may consider a ﬁrm’s dedication to pro bono when looking to hire a law ﬁrm.
+        * Many clients value a ﬁrm’s pro bono efforts and may consider a ﬁrm’s dedication to pro bono when looking to hire a law ﬁrm.
-      * A ﬁrm that participates in pro bono may be seen as a desirable strategic partner in a potential client’s charitable activities. A strategic partnership with a potential client in a corporate social responsibility project may strengthen the client/ﬁrm relationship and lead to billable work for a ﬁrm.
+        * A ﬁrm that participates in pro bono may be seen as a desirable strategic partner in a potential client’s charitable activities. A strategic partnership with a potential client in a corporate social responsibility project may strengthen the client/ﬁrm relationship and lead to billable work for a ﬁrm.
-      * It can be an enjoyable challenge that would not otherwise be available.
+        * It can be an enjoyable challenge that would not otherwise be available.
-      * It helps to build public conﬁdence in lawyers and the justice system generally.
+        * It helps to build public conﬁdence in lawyers and the justice system generally.
-    * Encourage them to identify a pro bono coordinator or one key person who will be the contact person for the clearinghouse, explaining that this is essential for effective communication with the clearinghouse as well as for developing a pro bono program at the ﬁrm. If possible, suggest an individual by identifying that person in advance (e.g., people that used to work for NGOs or who have shown a clear interest in this area through networking opportunities).
+    * Encourage them to identify a pro bono coordinator or one key person who will be the contact person for the clearinghouse. This is essential for effective communication with the clearinghouse as well as for developing a pro bono program at the ﬁrm. If possible, suggest an individual by identifying that person in advance (e.g., people that used to work for NGOs or who have shown a clear interest in this area through networking opportunities).
-<box 80% blue>
-|
+<box 80% blue> //**PILnet's Hungarian and Russian Clearinghouses** each organize  a pro bono coordinators committee meeting several times a year where the pro bono coordinators of law ﬁrms and a select number of NGOs meet for a breakfast or lunch. The meetings serve as an opportunity for NGOs to meet and network with law ﬁrms, give presentations, obtain feedback on the clearinghouse and generally raise issues.//
-//**PILnet-Budapest’s and  PILnet-Moscow’s Clearinghouses** each organize  a pro bono  coordinators committee  meeting several times a year where the pro bono coordinators  of law ﬁrms and a select number  of NGOs meet for a breakfast or lunch. The meetings  serve as an opportunity for NGOs to meet and network with law ﬁrms, give presentations, obtain feedback on the clearinghouse  and generally raise issues.//
+//**The Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo)** in the United States is dedicated to the support and professional development of full time pro bono counsel and coordinators at commercial law ﬁrms. APBCo currently has more than 120 members from more than 85 law ﬁrms. ABPCo does not provide pro bono legal services or references to pro bono legal service agencies.//</box>
-//**The Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo)** in the United States is dedicated to the support  and professional development of full time pro bono counsel and coordinators  at commercial law ﬁrms. APBCo currently has more than 100 members from more than 75 law ﬁrms. ABPCo does not provide pro bono legal services or references to pro bono legal service agencies.//</box>
 Use the legal network that the clearinghouse has already established as your advocates and encourage them to promote to their contacts the value of being involved in the clearinghouse. Personal contacts are crucial. Many large law ﬁrms have pro bono coordinators, or directors of corporate social responsibility who are responsible for screening and disseminating the pro bono matters to the  appropriate lawyers in their ﬁrm. Relationships with these individuals should be properly maintained and carefully managed.
-A clearinghouse can get lawyers and law ﬁrms involved in other ways. Several clearinghouses have   drafted  **“Pro  Bono  Declarations,”**  afﬁrmations  of  the  ethical  and  professional commitment to advancing the public good through pro bono legal services. A clearinghouse can then use a declaration to reach out to law ﬁrms and encourage them to sign it, as well as a means of promoting the clearinghouse.
+A clearinghouse can get lawyers and law ﬁrms involved in other ways:
+**Pro Bono Declaration**
+Several clearinghouses have   drafted  “Pro  Bono  Declarations,”  afﬁrmations  of  the  ethical  and  professional commitment to advancing the public good through pro bono legal services. A clearinghouse can then use a declaration to reach out to law ﬁrms and encourage them to sign it, as well as a means of promoting the clearinghouse.
 <box 80% blue>
+//**Centrum Pro Bono** in Poland organized a meeting at the Polish Constitutional Tribunal hosted  by the Tribunal president.  There were approximately thirty high-proﬁle guests from the Warsaw ofﬁces of international law ﬁrms, domestic law ﬁrms, bar association  representatives  and PILnet. Meeting participants  signed  the Pro Bono Publico Declaration,  afﬁrming their commitment to pro bono principles.  This was a great way to get members of the legal community involved with committing to pro bono, and as a way to promote the clearinghouse generally.//</box>
-|
+**Pro Bono Survey**
-//**PBA**, in the Czech Republic, invited members  of the pro bono community, including law ﬁrms and the bar association,  to an event to sign the declaration and ofﬁcially “open” the clearinghouse  for business. This was a great way to get members  of the legal community involved with committing to pro bono, and as a way to promote the clearinghouse generally.//
+A pro bono survey is another way to reach out to law ﬁrms and assess their interest in pro bono. It is important to make sure the survey is quick and easy to complete. A carefully constructed and narrowly tailored survey allows a clearinghouse to see the kinds of pro bono work in which law ﬁrms are interested. Conclude the survey by asking whether the lawyer would like to take part in pro bono services provided by the clearinghouse. Surveys may be conducted via direct mail, email or online through surveying services like [[http://surveymonkey.com|Survey Monkey]].
-//**Centrum Pro Bono** in Poland organized a meeting at the Polish Constitutional Tribunal hosted  by the Tribunal president.  There were approximately thirty high-proﬁle guests from the Warsaw ofﬁces of international law ﬁrms, domestic law ﬁrms, bar association  representatives  and PILnet. Meeting participants  signed  the Pro Bono Publico Declaration,  afﬁrming their commitment to pro bono principles.//</box>
+**Advisory Council**
-A **pro bono survey** is another way to reach out to law ﬁrms and assess their interest in pro bono. It is important to make sure the survey is quick and easy to complete. A carefully constructed and narrowly tailored survey allows a clearinghouse to see the kinds of pro bono work in which law ﬁrms are interested. Conclude the survey by asking whether the lawyer would like to take part in pro bono services provided by the clearinghouse. Surveys may be conducted via direct mail, email or online through surveying services like [[http://surveymonkey.com|Survey Monkey]].
+Another approach is to create a pro bono advisory council for your clearinghouse. The advisory council can be drawn from pro bono coordinators or prominent partners of law ﬁrms, who can help guide your future efforts in maintaining and developing your links with local ﬁrms and funders. For example, PILnet’s Pro Bono Advisory Council meets once a year and has an honorary president, co-chairs and members from prominent law ﬁrms. In addition to lawyers, an advisory council could also include judges, academics and senior level representatives from the organizations that the clearinghouse helps.
-Another approach is to create a pro bono **advisory council** for your clearinghouse. The advisory council can be drawn from pro bono coordinators or prominent partners of law ﬁrms, who can help guide your future efforts in maintaining and developing your links with local ﬁrms and funders. For example, PILnet’s Pro Bono Advisory Council meets once a year and has an honorary president, co-chairs and members from prominent law ﬁrms. In addition to lawyers, an advisory council could also include judges, academics and senior level representatives from the organizations that the clearinghouse helps.
+**Each jurisdiction has different rules about how lawyers can operate.** For example, in some jurisdictions, lawyers can only give advice as part of their law ﬁrm due to insurance and practice requirements. In other jurisdictions, lawyers are allowed to give pro bono advice in their personal capacity (that is, not through their ﬁrm). The rules in a particular jurisdiction can help a clearinghouse decide whether it will only work through law ﬁrms or also with individual lawyers. Whatever is decided, a clearinghouse should ensure that the lawyers have appropriate expertise, insurance and, if applicable, supervision, to guarantee the pro bono work is done to the same professional standards as fee-earning work and meets all local regulatory standards. Lawyers become involved in pro bono work for many different reasons. Later chapters of this manual offer suggestions for how to promote a pro bono culture within your area.
-Each jurisdiction has different rules about how lawyers can operate. For example, in some jurisdictions, lawyers can only give advice as part of their law ﬁrm due to insurance and practice requirements. In other jurisdictions, lawyers are allowed to give pro bono advice in their personal capacity (that is, not through their ﬁrm). The rules in a particular jurisdiction can help a clearinghouse decide whether it will only work through law ﬁrms or also with individual lawyers. Whatever is decided, a clearinghouse should ensure that the lawyers have appropriate expertise, insurance and, if applicable, supervision, to guarantee the pro bono work is done to the same professional standards as fee-earning work and meets all local regulatory standards. Lawyers become involved in pro bono work for many different reasons. Later chapters of this manual offer suggestions for how to promote a pro bono culture within your area.
 ==== Agreements Between Parties ====
@@ Line 213: / Line 208: @@
 |
-//**The Slovenian Clearinghouse** asks that all three parties—the  clearinghouse,  the pro bono lawyers and pro bono clients—sign a “General Conditions on Cooperation Contract.” This contract outlines the conditions under which the clearinghouse will operate, how the NGO will request pro bono legal services, communication between the parties, etc. See Appendix 10, General Conditions on Cooperation between Pro Bono Clearinghouse, Pro Bono Attorneys and Pro Bono Clients in the Pro Bono System.//
-//**A4ID** asks  all its  lawyers and  clients  to  sign  a  letter  conﬁrming  agreement  to  its  “Governing Code” before ﬁnalizing the allocation of any project. See Appendix 11, Governing  Code for Legal and Development Partners.//
+//**A4ID** asks  all its  lawyers and  clients  to  sign  a  letter  conﬁrming  agreement  to  its  “Governing Code” before ﬁnalizing the allocation of any project.//
 //Law ﬁrms that access **Centrum Pro Bono’s** program in Poland sign a general agreement  that does not commit them to a set number  of hours or projects, but allows them to adapt  their pro bono commitments to their current workloads. Centrum Pro Bono does not require law ﬁrms or NGOs to sign any additional agreements.
-Other clearinghouses,  like PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse,  do not require parties to sign contracts or agreements.  However, PILnet-Budapest’s Clearinghouse  asks lawyers to complete  a one-page registration form which ascertains  contact information, conﬁrms the lawyer’s interest in taking pro bono cases and assesses the lawyer’s availability for those cases. See Appendix 12, Lawyers Registration Form (Budapest). Where agreements are used it is important  that they are kept short, simple and easy to understand.// </box>
+Other clearinghouses,  like PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse,  do not require parties to sign contracts or agreements.  // </box>
 ===== Preparing Requests =====
@@ Line 261: / Line 256: @@
   * avoid attachments; they are ignored because they take longer to open and/or are difﬁcult to read on a Blackberry or other smart phone.
-See Appendix 14, Global Pro Bono Clearinghouse Sample Pro Bono Matters List.
 A possible advantage of communicating requests on the same day each week/month is that, over time, lawyers may start to anticipate receiving the emails and it may become a part of their schedules in some way.
@@ Line 275: / Line 270: @@
 //**Centrum Pro Bono**, in Poland, posts a list of current matters on its website in order to enable lawyers to review and select matters according to their own schedule.//
-//**PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse** distributes its matters via email approximately once a month. As you can see, different approaches  suit different clearinghouses.//</box>
+//**PILnet’s Global Clearinghouse** distributes its matters via email every two weeks. As you can see, different approaches suit different clearinghouses.//</box>
 In many instances, only one lawyer will volunteer for a matter, and if it is a good match the lawyer gets the case. However, sometimes more than one lawyer will volunteer for a matter and the clearinghouse then has to choose which lawyer or ﬁrm will get the matter. It is important to have a clear policy on how requests are allocated (that is, which lawyers or law ﬁrms are chosen) so that lawyers know what they can expect and to avoid any perception of bias. Different criteria include:
@@ Line 288: / Line 283: @@
     * the languages required for the matter. This is an issue that may make one law ﬁrm better equipped than another.
-<box 80% blue> **PILnet** closely tracks each law ﬁrm and how many times they have requested  a matter,  how many times they have actually gotten the matter,  and how many times their assistance  has been turned
+<box 80% blue> //**PILnet** allocates matters according to the best interests of the client.  If more than one lawyer or firm can offer comparable expertise and experience then PILnet will consider how many times the law firm has requested  a matter,  how many times they have actually gotten the matter,  and how many times their assistance  has been turned down. This helps to keep the allocation process equitable. // </box>
-down. This helps keep the allocation process equitable. See Appendix 15, Chart  of Lawyer Involvement. </box>
 After the clearinghouse has chosen the appropriate lawyer or law ﬁrm to handle the matter, several important communications must take place. First, you must inform the selected lawyer or law ﬁrm that it is getting the case for which it volunteered. It is also important to ask the lawyer or law ﬁrm to conﬁrm that there is no conﬂict of interest that prevents it advising the client. Rules about the implementation of this principle may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, but it is important to understand this well and any other professional standards that apply to the provision of legal services. A clearinghouse should never consider a matter assigned until after the lawyer or law ﬁrm conﬁrms that there are no conﬂicts and conﬁrms that it can take the matter.
@@ Line 317: / Line 311: @@
 After the pro bono work has been allocated, the level of involvement by the clearinghouse depends on the nature of the matter and the parties involved. Generally, a clearinghouse has limited involvement.
-<box 80% blue> Unlike in many clearinghouses,  in France the **Alliance des Avocats pour les Droits de l’Homme** continues  to stay involved. In fact, the Alliance acts as the intermediary between the NGO and the law ﬁrm. The NGO and law ﬁrm actually have no direct contact, unless the issue is very complex, or there are conﬁdentiality concerns.</box>
+<box 80% blue> //Unlike in many clearinghouses,  in France the **Alliance des Avocats pour les Droits de l’Homme** continues  to stay involved. In fact, the Alliance acts as the intermediary between the NGO and the law ﬁrm. The NGO and law ﬁrm actually have no direct contact, unless the issue is very complex, or there are conﬁdentiality concerns.//</box>
 For those clearinghouses that choose to limit their involvement after the referral, it may still be beneﬁcial to contact the NGO a month or two after the matter has begun to follow-up and ﬁnd out how the matter is progressing, as problems sometimes arise well after the matter was ﬁrst assigned. It is important to have proper systems, e.g., a “tickler” system that provides calendar reminders for this purpose. Often, as a result of the meeting between the NGO and the law ﬁrm, the content of the original pro bono request changes. For example, previously unknown issues may be discovered, or the NGO and law ﬁrm may sign a long-term cooperation agreement. In this event, the clearinghouse should be kept apprised of the terms of the new relationship and update its database accordingly. Also, a follow-up correspondence allows a clearinghouse to ask whether the NGO has other, new matters for the clearinghouse.
-This type of communication serves two purposes. First, it allows the clearinghouse to determine whether the cases it is placing are successfully progressing. Occasionally, an NGO might report
+This type of communication serves two purposes. First, it allows the clearinghouse to determine whether the cases it is placing are successfully progressing. Occasionally, an NGO might report a problem such as miscommunication, lack of communication, failure to receive a ﬁnal product, etc. Second, this type of follow-up promotes the maintenance of this relationship and serves as an opportunity to obtain more matters from the NGO.
-a problem—miscommunication, lack of communication, failure to receive a ﬁnal product, etc. Second, this type of follow-up promotes the maintenance of this relationship and serves as an opportunity to obtain more matters from the NGO.
 In the event a problem is reported by the NGO or by the law ﬁrm, it is recommended to communicate with both parties to ﬁx the problem. Do not assume that one side has reported the problem accurately. Clearinghouses have an interest and obligation to ensure that the problem is resolved fairly,  there is a good relationship between the parties, the matter is completed in a reasonable time frame  and the NGO is satisﬁed. This may not always be possible, but the  clearinghouse  should  always  remain  professional and ensure that high standards are consistently met by all participants in the clearinghouse.
@@ Line 343: / Line 335: @@
 <box 80% blue>
-//**PBA** (formerly known as PILA) sent a “Thank You Certiﬁcate for Cooperation in PILA’s First Year” to law ﬁrms. Gestures like this encourage lawyers to take pro bono matters in the future.//
+//**Pro Bono Aliance** sent a “Thank You Certiﬁcate for Cooperation in PBA's First Year” to law ﬁrms. Gestures like this encourage lawyers to take pro bono matters in the future.//
 </box>

Pro Bono Clearinghouse Manual

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