Building for Good has launched a national platform for pro bono construction law services in four pilot states: Massachusetts, Florida, Minnesota, and New Jersey
As charitable organizations work to improve inadequate facilities or build new ones, legal bills may hold them back from their mission. Building for Good, Inc. (B4G), a national, web-based platform linking nonprofits and charities with skilled, volunteer construction lawyers, launched this month in Massachusetts, Florida, New Jersey, and Minnesota. B4G will help organizations in need of construction law assistance find qualified, local attorneys to provide pro bono construction law services.
A group of attorneys from the American Bar Association (ABA) Forum on Construction Law recognized the untapped potential of expertise among the Forum attorneys who wanted to give back to their communities. Prior to the launch of B4G, there was no channel linking lawyers to nonprofit organizations in need of pro bono construction law services.
“We noticed there was no easy way for volunteer lawyers to find nonprofit organizations in need of construction law help. B4G will help to bridge that gap,” said Boston construction attorney William M. Hill. Mr. Hill, a Member at Mintz, is a Founder and Chair of B4G, serves on the organization’s Board of Directors, and previously served as Chair of the ABA’s 6,000-member Forum on Construction Law.
“By providing the platform through which lawyers and organizations can connect, B4G will help the nonprofits and charities achieve their goals by focusing funds on mission delivery, not legal services,” said Mr. Hill.
Charitable organizations with construction-related legal issues and a financial need can contact B4G for more information and eligibility requirements. Examples of eligible organizations include foodbanks; domestic violence and homeless shelters; organizations helping citizens with physical, emotional, or mental disabilities; schools serving underserved populations; conservation and art organizations promoting access to the arts and outdoors by people of all backgrounds; and animal protection organizations. Volunteer construction attorneys, who are members of American Bar Association Forum on Construction Law, may provide legal services ranging from transactional work such as drafting and negotiating construction and design agreements, to assisting clients in construction litigation, mediation, or arbitration relating to design or construction defects.
B4G launches with a goal to help worthy community organizations save resources and focus on their mission and encourages skilled construction lawyers to join the B4G Network to give back.
Law firms that are currently part of the B4G national network include:
- Anderson & Kreiger
- Becker
- Carlton Fields
- Clark Partington
- Commonsense Construction Law LLC
- Fabyanske, Westra, Hart & Thomson
- Foley & Lardner LLP
- Gibbons
- Gray Robinson
- Heley Duncan & Melander
- Hill Ward Henderson
- Hinckley Allen
- Holland & Knight
- Kubes Law Offices, PLLC
- Lane McNamara LLP
- Larson King
- Lewis DiBiasi Zaita & Higgins
- Mintz
- Murtha Cullina
- Peckar & Abramson
- Pierce Atwood LLP
- Preti Flaherty
- Ruberto Israel & Weiner
- Siegfried Rivera
- Stevens & Lee, P.C.
- Stinson LLP
- TTLO Law
- Watt Tieder
Building for Good is actively looking for projects in its pilot states. To submit a project for consideration, volunteer or donate, please visit http://www.building4good.org.
Building for Good is Racing for Good at the Forum’s Midwinter Meeting in Tucson, AZ! Join B4G for a fun 1.2 mile walk/run in the rising desert sun Friday, January 24, 2020. Help the Forum raise financial support for B4G while having a great time with your Forum friends in matching t-shirts. When you register, join your Division "racing" team, or choose a new Division team, and use your personalized fundraising link to spread the word to your network for additional fundraising support. Prizes will be given for the winners and the Division team with the highest fundraising amount. (Not that it's a competition, or anything.) Whether you plan to race and win the whole thing, whether you plan to walk briskly and enjoy the sunrise, or whether you plan to saunter down the sidewalk with a cup of coffee (because no one should be without coffee at 6 am), there's a spot for everyone while we Race for Good. Help us celebrate B4G's beginnings and kick off a new year of giving back to our communities. We hope to see you on the racecourse! Register for the walk/run at https://runsignup.com/Race/AZ/Tucson/Racing4Good.
About us: B4G is a national web-based platform that links nonprofits and charities with volunteer construction lawyers to provide pro bono legal services. B4G's mission is to help other nonprofits fulfill their missions. By helping organizations find volunteer lawyers to provide pro bono construction services, the organizations can save on legal bills and use those funds to help their clients.
Your generous donation will help give B4G the financial support to help other nonprofits. Your dollars will help pair worthy organizations with volunteer lawyers. And your contributions will help B4G reach more deserving nonprofits and charities—and those they serve—in more states.
Thank you for your support! You make everything we do possible, and we are beyond grateful to have you on our Racing for Good team.
Contact:
Kristen McDonough
Program Director
Building for Good, Inc.
877-253-4433
kmcdonough@building4good.org
http://www.building4good.org
Lily Bowen
Senior Public Relations Specialist
Mintz
617-348-4421
LKBowen@mintz.com