Cisco’s Chief Legal Officer shares her perspective on the facility of professional bono work.
Cisco’s objective is to energy a extra inclusive future for all.
This isn’t just summary sentiment; our objective is ingrained in every thing we do. It guides the design of our know-how, the tradition we domesticate with our groups, and our efforts within the communities the place we reside and work. For three years working, Cisco has maintained greater than 80 p.c worker participation in neighborhood impression actions. When 4 out of each 5 Cisco staff, representing 95 international locations, are discovering alternatives to present again in methods which are significant to them, it’s clear we now have a purpose-driven tradition—one during which acts each massive and small add as much as create unbelievable outcomes.
Cisco’s professional bono work
The Seattle Clemency Project (SCP) and Perkins Coie for a Pro Bono Clinic earlier this yr.
Within Cisco Legal, we’re enthusiastic about residing this objective by means of professional bono. As authorized and compliance professionals, we now have a profound alternative and duty to lean into our distinctive strengths and areas of experience to extend entry to justice.
Our professional bono program relies on two core tenets. First, professional bono just isn’t one measurement suits all. Just as we encourage people throughout Cisco to present again in alignment with their private passions and pursuits, Cisco Legal colleagues can choose and select how they need to form their professional bono expertise. Our individuals carry out conventional professional bono work, partnering with legislation companies and nonprofits to handle a wide range of points, together with immigration, contracting, and expungement. They present operational help for nonprofits targeted on entry to justice, creating better impression for communities in want. And they use our proprietary Cisco applied sciences to place justice inside attain of those that usually lack the sources or capability of the extra privileged.
Second, professional bono is for everybody. More than half of our Cisco Legal workforce within the United States, throughout all of our numerous disciplines and professions, participated in Pro Bono in our final fiscal yr. We’ve additionally made nice strides in participation throughout our international groups. When you open professional bono alternatives throughout the group, you’re not solely making a significant impression locally at massive, however you’re constructing connections and strengthening your individual inside neighborhood.
Introducing the Cisco Pro Bono report
In our inaugural Cisco Pro Bono report, I’m happy to share simply a number of the methods during which our staff– working hand in hand with legislation companies, different in-house legislation departments, and nonprofits – have helped improve entry to justice. You’ll examine Cisco Legal workforce members who dedicate their free time to advocating for kids and refugees; who assist restore people’ capability to get locations they should go; who make the authorized system accessible to individuals in making an attempt circumstances; and who use knowledge to degree the enjoying discipline for many who lack equal entry to justice.
It’s a privilege to share their tales.
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