Eight Models of Pro Bono: Outsourcing - HP

By Carol Guttery on November 30, 2010 7:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Over the next few months, Director of Programming Carol Guttery will be contributing a series based on Making Pro Bono Work: 8 Proven Models for Community and Business Impact, a white paper released by Taproot identifying multiple unique ways that organizations can adapt and deliver pro bono service to address a variety of social issues and business goals. She will be spotlighting organizations that successfully exemplify each of the eight models.
What does it mean to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and be considered 10 percent disabled? What about 30 percent disabled? For the claimants in the case of Sabo v. the United States, the higher rating means greater disability benefits and healthcare for life. In this class action, veterans sued and won the right to have a benefits review and a potential increase of these very valuable benefits. But winning the suit was just the first step; veterans needed additional legal support in order to join the class and instigate a case review.

This is where the in-house counsel of HP stepped in. HP's team joined the National Veterans Legal Services Program (NVLSP), Pfizer, and the law firm of Morgan Lewis to offer case support for members of the class action. They provided three level of support:

• Phone counseling was offered to all 4,300 veterans who were interested in pursuing their options. An HP attorney, paired with another staffer such as a paralegal, offered veterans information about the suit and gave guidance on next steps.
• HP attorneys represented a small number of active-duty service members who were in the process of a benefits appeal.
• Non-attorney staff supported the American Legion by reviewing and summarizing case files that were in appeal.

Hundreds of HP employees participated in the program, allowing NVLSP to offer support to 100 percent of the veterans affected by the class action.

In Taproot's white paper Making Pro Bono Work: 8 Proven Models for Community and Business Impact, this model of service would be considered Outsourcing. This model works when a company makes its services available to a specific number of nonprofit organizations on an ongoing, as-needed basis. In this instance, NVLSP acted as the nonprofit and coordinated services to the veterans. HP and their peers committed to providing a basic service to all members of the class and a deeper level of service to a limited number of cases. It is an ongoing program, and HP employees are engaged in service as needs arise from NVLSP.

This program is very strategic solution for HP. It feeds their need for a geographically neutral program that can build skills among all department employees, not just attorneys. And it allowed the department to commit to an issue area that all employees could rally around. It is impactful for NVLSP because of the breadth and depth of support being offered.

Other companies considering an Outsourcing solution would do well to model HPs strategic approach to both the way that they are engaging employees as well as the depth of long-term commitment to their nonprofit partner.

How does this apply to your corporate setting? Have a lunchtime brainstorm meeting with some peers from your department and visualize how you could apply your skills to this model of service and let us know what you come up with.

Carol Guttery is the Director of Programs at the Taproot Foundation.