International Association of Defense Counsel Launches Social Justice Initiative
The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) has announced the formation of its Social Justice Pro Bono Committee to extend the organization’s social justice mission by helping to expand and support pro bono programs among IADC member attorneys.
A 2,500-member, invitation-only organization, the IADC serves its members and their clients, as well as the civil justice system and the legal profession. The organization maintains a leadership role in many areas of legal reform and professional development.
“The mission of the Social Justice Pro Bono Committee is to ensure that the IADC and its members continue to serve as guardians, caretakers, and advocates of and for social justice and to serve as role models for others in our profession,” said IADC President Joseph E. O’Neil, also a shareholder at Lavin O’Neil Cedrone & DiSipio in Philadelphia. “Many of our IADC member attorneys already provide pro bono legal services or participate in corporate pro bono programs, but we wanted to make additional resources and support available to help some of our members engage in pro bono work for the first time and to encourage those already engaged to do more in these challenging times.
“The IADC is a strong proponent of making sure that all people are represented and have access to legal services as one of the keys to ensuring the integrity of our justice system,” O’Neil added.
Robert F. Redmond, Jr., Chair of the Social Justice Pro Bono Committee and a partner with McGuireWoods LLP in Richmond, Va., said, “The Committee will focus on concrete opportunities to provide representation to the poor and disadvantaged in litigation. Our members are courtroom advocates and we intend to tap into that skill to provide in-court representation where it is lacking.
“Our ultimate objective is to bring the skill sets of IADC members to the poor and disadvantaged in the United States and around the world,” Redmond added.
The IADC’s Social Justice Pro Bono Committee will present a CLE program at the IADC’s 2016 Midyear Meeting, Feb. 20-25 in Pebble Beach, Calif., at which speakers will share their experiences in representing individual pro bono clients.
About the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
The International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) is the preeminent invitation-only global legal organization for attorneys who represent corporate and insurance interests. Founded in 1920, the IADC’s members hail from five continents, more than 40 countries, and all 50 U.S. states. The core purposes of the IADC are to enhance the development of skills, promote professionalism, and facilitate camaraderie among its members, their clients, as well as the broader civil justice community. For more information, visit www.iadclaw.org.
