Pro bono programs are rare in U.S. law departments, but even more so in their European counterparts. Yet General Electric Company decided two years ago that if its American lawyers can volunteer their time, so can their colleagues across the Atlantic. However, local country restrictions have meant that GE’s European attorneys have had to be creative about the kinds of services and advice that they offer to their pro bono clients.
“We recognized that if we narrowed our definition of pro bono to free legal advice, that would cut out a lot of our lawyers,” says Alexandra Turton, a London-based senior counsel for labor and employment who’s been leading the GE program in Europe. As a result, Turton says, the company has taken part in several projects that make use of its lawyers’ business skills and background, rather than their technical legal qualifications.
