Merck's pro bono work includes the areas of bankruptcy, family law, domestic violence and military veteran benefits.
BERLIN (TrustLaw) – To build a strong pro bono programme, you have to start small and go slow.
So goes the advice of Mark Daniel, the chair of pro bono at global healthcare group Merck, whose 150-strong pro bono team consisted of just 10 people when it started out in 1994.
“The key thing in pro bono is to start small,” said Daniel.
“I have seen many companies who have created very large pro bono programmes right from the outset, overreached, tried to deal with too many issues too quickly,” he said, speaking to TrustLaw ahead of non-profit organisation PILnet’s annual pro bono conference, held in Berlin this year.
“Most of those programmes are no longer in existence.”
Merck’s pro bono work includes the areas of bankruptcy, family law, domestic violence and military veteran benefits.
Working with non-profit group Street Law, it helps teach inner-city high school students about practical aspects of law. And with partners including Lowenstein Sandler, it formed the Veterans Justice Initiative, which helps war veterans with matters such as disability claims and credit issues.
The key to successful pro bono programmes is not just starting small, but pacing growth, Daniel added.
“Gradually expand…That way you’ll always make sure your foundation is good,” he said.
“If you overreach too quickly what you’re going to find is people are going to become disinterested, they won’t have success, the programme just won’t be vibrant as you need it to be and as a result you’re going to have problems moving forward.”
WALK THEN RUN
Two years ago, Merck started expanding its pro bono work outside of the United States. Counsel Hal Glasser, Merck’s coordinator of international pro bono, also emphasises the importance of building programmes slowly.
“We try to walk before we run,” he told TrustLaw.
Merck’s pro bono contributors have now focused their attention on global water and health matters, such as working with U.S.-based non-profit group Project WET which promotes education on topics such as hygiene and water conservation.
U.S.-based firms doing pro bono abroad can face obstacles, as some countries have no tradition of voluntary legal assistance or have regulatory hurdles in place that limit pro bono work.
“Don’t let the obstacles overcome your desire to get involved in things globally because the need is huge. You can easily convince yourself it’s not worth the trouble. But if you choose things that are really doable you can accomplish things,” Glasser said.
“In Europe, PILnet’s annual forum has been steadily raising the profile of pro bono, certainly in Europe, but bit by bit that’s expanding outside Europe as well.”
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