1st ANNUAL NEW JERSEY PRO BONO CONFERENCE

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

New Jersey Law Center

New Brunswick, New Jersey

Cosponsors:

New Jersey State Bar Association’s Pro Bono Committee

New Jersey State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division

New Jersey State Bar Association’s General Practice Section

New Jersey Corporate Counsel Association

New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education

The Pro Bono Conference is funded by generous grants provided by

McCarter & English, LLP, Merck & Co., Inc., and Pfizer Inc.

8:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.

Introductory Remarks

Lynn Fontaine Newsome, Esq.

President, New Jersey State Bar Association

Welcome Address

Peter G. Verniero, Esq.

Sills Cummis & Gross, P.C.

Former New Jersey Supreme Court Justice

9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.

Why Pro Bono?

This session, geared to both law firm and in-house legal department management and their attorneys, discusses the benefits to such organizations in having staff engage in pro bono work and in devising a formalized, pro bono program in law firms and companies. Panelists will discuss the benefits of pro bono work to the program volunteers who handle pro bono matters as well as the client and the community at large.

Panelists:

Robert Boneberg, Esq., Lowenstein Sandler P.C.

Karen Forman, Esq., Saul Ewing, LLP

Jane A. Herchenroder, Esq., Law Office of Jane A. Herchenroder

Kathryn Steinbugler, Esq., Merck & Co., Inc.

Lisa Wolmart, Esq., Schering-Plough

Moderator:

Elise Collins, Esq., McCarter & English, LLP

10:30 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.

BREAK AND NETWORKING

10:45 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

NUTS AND BOLTS OF CREATING AND RUNNING A PRO BONO PROGRAM

This session is geared to law firm and in-house legal department management. Panelists will discuss different program models, how to decide which programs to work with, and the staffing and management of an internal pro bono program.

ROOM A

LAW FIRMS - Panelists:

Susan A. Feeney, Esq., McCarter & English, LLP

Lawrence S. Lustberg, Esq., Gibbons P.C.

Arnold L. Natali Jr., Esq., McCarter & English, LLP

Donna Schwartz, Esq., Cuyler Burk, P.C.

Moderator:

Paul Nittoly, Esq., Drinker Biddle & Reath, LLP

ROOM B

IN-HOUSE - Panelists:

Susan Anderson, Esq., CBS Corporation

Larry Miller, Esq., Pfizer Inc.

Kevin Stepanuk, Esq., Exelon Corporation

Moderator:

Mark Daniel, Esq., Merck & Co., Inc.

ROOM C - BREAKING INTO THE WORLD OF PRO BONO

This session is geared toward individual attorneys interested in doing pro bono work. Panelists will discuss how to approach employers about pro bono work, how to identify pro bono opportunities, and how to manage pro bono work.

Panelists:

Todd Baskin, Esq., Bank of America

Bill Johnson, Esq., Quest Diagnostics Inc.

Delia Murphy, Esq., Law Office of Delia Murphy

Alix Rubin, Esq., Entwistle & Cappucci, LLP

Moderator:

Melissa Geist, Esq., Reed Smith, LLP

12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

LUNCHEON AND NETWORKING

1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

THE STATE OF PRO BONO AROUND THE NATION

Esther Lardent, Esq., President, The Pro Bono Institute at Georgetown Law Center

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

PROMOTING PRO BONO WITHIN YOUR ORGANIZATION AND IN THE MEDIA; RECOGNITION FOR YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION

Panelists:

Caryl Bixon-Gordon, President, Caryl Communications Inc.

Mark Daniel, Esq., Merck & Co., Inc.

Bob Pladek, Esq., Publisher, New Jersey Lawyer

Robert Steinbaum, Esq., Publisher, New Jersey Law Journal

Moderator:

Esther Lardent, Esq., President, The Pro Bono Institute at Georgetown Law Center