Cisco’s Chief Authorized Officer shares her perspective on the facility of professional bono work.
Cisco’s goal is to energy a extra inclusive future for all.
This isn’t simply summary sentiment; our goal is ingrained in all the pieces we do. It guides the design of our know-how, the tradition we domesticate with our groups, and our efforts within the communities the place we reside and work. For 3 years operating, Cisco has maintained greater than 80 % worker participation in group affect actions. When 4 out of each 5 Cisco workers, representing 95 international locations, are discovering alternatives to offer again in methods which might be significant to them, it’s clear now we have a purpose-driven tradition—one through which acts each giant and small add as much as create unbelievable outcomes.
Cisco’s professional bono work

The Seattle Clemency Venture (SCP) and Perkins Coie for a Professional Bono Clinic earlier this 12 months.
Inside Cisco Authorized, we’re keen about dwelling this goal by professional bono. As authorized and compliance professionals, now we have a profound alternative and accountability to lean into our distinctive strengths and areas of experience to extend entry to justice.
Our professional bono program relies on two core tenets. First, professional bono just isn’t one dimension suits all. Simply as we encourage people throughout Cisco to offer again in alignment with their private passions and pursuits, Cisco Authorized colleagues can choose and select how they wish to form their professional bono expertise. Our folks carry out conventional professional bono work, partnering with regulation companies and nonprofits to deal with quite a lot of points, together with immigration, contracting, and expungement. They supply operational assist for nonprofits centered on entry to justice, creating larger affect for communities in want. And so they use our proprietary Cisco applied sciences to place justice inside attain of those that usually lack the sources or means of the extra privileged.
Second, professional bono is for everybody. Greater than half of our Cisco Authorized group in america, throughout all of our various disciplines and professions, participated in Professional Bono in our final fiscal 12 months. We’ve additionally made nice strides in participation throughout our world groups. If you open professional bono alternatives throughout the group, you’re not solely making a significant affect locally at giant, however you’re constructing connections and strengthening your individual inner group.
Introducing the Cisco Professional Bono report
In our inaugural Cisco Professional Bono report, I’m happy to share simply a number of the methods through which our workers– working hand in hand with regulation companies, different in-house regulation departments, and nonprofits – have helped enhance entry to justice. You’ll examine Cisco Authorized group members who commit their free time to advocating for youngsters and refugees; who assist restore people’ means to get locations they should go; who make the authorized system accessible to folks in attempting circumstances; and who use knowledge to degree the taking part in area for many who lack equal entry to justice.
It’s a privilege to share their tales.
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