Cisco’s Chief Authorized Officer shares her perspective on the ability of professional bono work.

Cisco’s objective is to energy a extra inclusive future for all.

This isn’t simply summary sentiment; our objective is ingrained in all the things 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 dwell and work. For 3 years working, Cisco has maintained greater than 80 % worker participation in neighborhood impression actions. When 4 out of each 5 Cisco staff, representing 95 international locations, are discovering alternatives to provide again in methods which are significant to them, it’s clear we’ve a purpose-driven tradition—one through which acts each massive and small add as much as create unimaginable outcomes.

Cisco’s professional bono work

Inside Cisco Authorized, we’re enthusiastic about dwelling this objective by way of professional bono. As authorized and compliance professionals, we’ve 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 will not be one dimension suits all. Simply as we encourage people throughout Cisco to provide again in alignment with their private passions and pursuits, Cisco Authorized colleagues can decide and select how they need to form their professional bono expertise. Our folks carry out conventional professional bono work, partnering with regulation corporations and nonprofits to handle quite a lot of points, together with immigration, contracting, and expungement. They supply operational assist for nonprofits targeted on entry to justice, creating higher impression for communities in want. They usually use our proprietary Cisco applied sciences to place justice inside attain of those that typically lack the assets or potential of the extra privileged.

Second, professional bono is for everybody. Greater than half of our Cisco Authorized staff in the USA, throughout all of our various disciplines and professions, participated in Professional Bono in our final fiscal yr. We’ve additionally made nice strides in participation throughout our international groups.  Once you open professional bono alternatives throughout the group, you’re not solely making a significant impression in the neighborhood at massive, however you’re constructing connections and strengthening your individual inside neighborhood.

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 staff– working hand in hand with regulation corporations, different in-house regulation departments, and nonprofits – have helped improve entry to justice. You’ll examine Cisco Authorized staff members who dedicate their free time to advocating for youngsters and refugees; who assist restore people’ potential to get locations they should go; who make the authorized system accessible to folks in making an attempt circumstances; and who use information to stage the enjoying area for many who lack equal entry to justice.

It’s a privilege to share their tales.  

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