The ACC Foundation Pro Bono Jumpstart Fund provides grants for pro bono, pipeline, and diversity & inclusion activities that engage in-house counsel participants.
Washington - The Association of Corporate Counsel Foundation (ACCF) announced today the 2022 recipients of its yearly Pro Bono Jumpstart (PBJ) Fund. PBJ grant recipients are a select group of ACC chapters that will use the funds to launch new, innovative pro bono, pipeline or DEI efforts in their areas.
"ACC Foundation is proud to present the 2022 Pro Bono Jumpstart Fund awardees who have demonstrated the commitment and strategy necessary to provide service or improve diversity and inclusion in their local communities,” said Jennifer Chen, director of the ACC Foundation. “I am grateful to these chapter leaders for contributing their time and expertise to plan and implement these activities which are all critical to advancing the Foundation’s mission during these critical times.”
The ACC Foundation supports the mission of ACC, the global legal association representing more than 45,000 in-house counsel in 85 countries. This year the Fund will award a total of up to US$30,000 to ACC chapters with programs that “jump start” pro bono and diversity pipeline efforts in their areas. Winning applications provided clearly defined, tangible benefits to their targeted diverse groups, and went beyond awareness or funding-only initiatives and actively engaged in-house participants.
Below are descriptions of the selected grantees' projects:
ACC Georgia – Their Summer Law Internship and Mentoring Program will use the grant to connect diverse law students from the state of Georgia with internships in corporate legal departments. The program is open to diverse students from law schools in Georgia who have just completed their first year of law school. Selection criteria include strong academic credentials, community service experience, and an interest in corporate in-house practice. The selected interns will spend the summer working in two corporate law departments located in the Metro Atlanta area supporting in-house counsel with research, writing, and other legal work in various practice areas.
ACC Louisiana and DiversiTea’s Legal Tea Talk - Together, they established a mentoring event that matches high school and college students who are interested in law with attorney and judicial mentors. Additionally, the grant provides scholarships for attendees. This initiative has already seen previous success with last year’s program connecting 38 mentees with 18 mentors and awarding four participants $1,000 scholarships to New Orleans-based HBCU Dillard University.
ACC National Captial Region, Whitman Walker, StreetLaw – These groups host a legal clinic to aid the LGBTQ community with name change services, tools to navigate legal insurance issues, and provides financial assistance for court filings and transportation services. Additional financial support was provided to purchase supplies for graduating seniors of Potomac High School's Law Academy, that were then used by chapter members to compile collegiate “survival kits” and present them to the seniors prior to graduation.
Please contact Dan Weber (d.weber@acc.com) to assist in connecting you with representatives from the local chapters to discuss their initiatives in greater detail.
About the ACC Foundation: The ACC Foundation – a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – supports the efforts of the Association of Corporate Counsel, serving the needs of the in-house bar through research, leadership and professional development opportunities, and support of diversity and pro-bono initiatives. The ACC Foundation partners with corporations, law firms, legal service providers, and bar associations to assist in the furtherance of these goals. For more information, visit www.acc-foundation.com. .
About ACC: The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is a global legal association that promotes the common professional and business interests of in-house counsel who work for corporations, associations and other organizations through information, education, networking, and advocacy. With more than 45,000 members in 85 countries employed by over 10,000 organizations, ACC connects its members to the people and resources necessary for both personal and professional growth. By in-house counsel, for in-house counsel.® For more information, visit www.acc.com and follow ACC on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.