Legal Checkup Strengthens 4 Paws for Ability & 6 Other Nonprofits

Our Nonprofit Legal Checkup is a great example of our mission in action.

This multi-faceted, hands-on program benefits both nonprofits and attorneys through targeted legal training and focused small group issue-spotting legal work.

In February, we teamed up with the Association of Corporate Counsel – Southwest Ohio Chapter and Thompson Hine LLP to lead our Nonprofit Legal Checkup program for seven nonprofit client and 40 attorney volunteers.

After the attorneys attended a traditional CLE on the legal needs faced by nonprofits, seven PBPO nonprofit clients met with PBPO attorney volunteers who walked through their questions on nonprofit governance, compliance, employment, and intellectual property. 40 attorneys earned CLE through this unique program, which blends practical legal training with a meaningful service opportunity.

One of the participating nonprofits was 4 Paws for Ability, an organization that breeds, raises, trains, and places service dogs with children and veterans who have disabilities.

4 Paws for Ability annually places more than 120 service dogs, all trained with specific tasks and skills, to mitigate the impacts of their partners’ disabilities. While the nonprofit has been a PBPO client for 5+ years, the Nonprofit Legal Checkup provided a unique opportunity to dig deeper.

“It was really insightful to consider additional areas that we could receive legal support and benefit from the experienced perspective of PBPO and the volunteer attorneys.”
-Jennifer Lutes, Executive Director, 4 Paws for Ability.

Attorneys who attended the Legal Checkup felt its positive impact, too. Post-event feedback included comments such as: “[I am] well prepared now to better serve both nonprofits on which I am a board member,” and “Appreciated the preparation to help us assist the 501(c)(3) and the group approach.”

David Owens, Corporate Counsel – Labor & Employment, The Kroger Co., also attended the Nonprofit Legal Checkup – and it wasn’t his first time. As a member of our Grow PBPO Advisory Council, Owens is a strong proponent for other attorneys to take part in the program.

“My first time interacting with Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio was in attending their 2017 ‘Legal Checkup’ CLE in partnership with the Southwest Ohio Chapter of the ACC. The CLE portion of the event served as a great refresher on the various legal issues commonly facing the region’s non-profit community. However, it was in the direct issue spotting session with a local non-profit that I truly gained a sense of the immense impact and potential of the event. From that initial meeting I partnered with a local attorney, and we were able to successfully address each of the non-profit’s legal concerns.”
– David Owens, Corporate Counsel – Labor & Employment, The Kroger Co.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the Association of Corporate Counsel – Southwest Ohio Chapter and Thompson Hine LLP for helping bring PBPO’s mission to life through this recent impactful program.