From yesterday’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch comes this report of a unique Missouri Bar program to encourage pro bono work by corporate lawyers. Called the Corporate Pro Bono Project, its aims are to encourage company lawyers to donate their time and make it easier for them to find projects and insurance coverage. The association believes it is the only state bar program of its kind.

And it works. Here is an excerpt:

“Stephanie Saur, a real estate lawyer with U.S. Title Guaranty Co. in Clayton, … had not used her law degree for volunteer activities until she started to do intake work for the pro bono project. She now interviews Legal Services of Eastern Missouri clients at the Women’s Support and Community Services in St. Louis.”

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Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.