# NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-01: Pro Bono Program > Federal · Agency guidance · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0101 ## Section - **Citation:** NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-01 - **Heading:** Pro Bono Program - **Jurisdiction:** Federal - **Kind:** Agency guidance - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** NLRB General Counsel Memoranda / Pro Bono Program ## Text OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL TO: All Field Personnel FROM: Leonard R. Page, General Counsel SUBJECT: Pro Bono Program Today I am announcing the extension and implementation of the National Labor Relations Board's Pro Bono Legal and Volunteer Program to include all Agency field employees. Our program has been in place at headquarters for more than three years and has enabled Agency employees to more fully participate in voluntary efforts to address the unmet needs of our communities. As stated more fully in our Policy Statement on Pro Bono Legal and Volunteer Services issued on April 24, 1997, it is the policy of this Agency to encourage and support efforts by Agency employees to provide pro bono legal and volunteer services within their communities that are consistent with applicable federal statutes and regulations governing conflicts-of-interest and outside activities and consistent with their responsibilities as National Labor Relations Board employees. While mindful that service in the Agency is itself one of the highest forms of public service, our Agency is now further striving to increase access to justice for all and to strengthen our communities. To this end, we encourage all Agency employees--support staff, attorneys, supervisors, and managers--to seriously consider participation in pro bono or volunteer service. On February 5, 1996, President Clinton issued Executive Order 12988 which provides that "all Federal agencies should develop appropriate programs to encourage and facilitate pro bono legal and other volunteer service by government employees to be performed on their own time, including attorneys, as permitted by statute, regulation, or other rule or guideline." In response to this presidential directive, we issued the April 24, 1997 statement that encourages all Agency employees to participate in pro bono legal and volunteer programs and sets forth a coherent and uniform set of guidelines for attorney participation, which is particularly important because of the need to overcome a l eys, as permitted by statute, regulation, or other rule or guideline." In response to this presidential directive, we issued the April 24, 1997 statement that encourages all Agency employees to participate in pro bono legal and volunteer programs and sets forth a coherent and uniform set of guidelines for attorney participation, which is particularly important because of the need to overcome a long- standing and widely-held assumption that federal government attorneys can generally not do pro bono legal work. Clearly, there is a substantial unmet need for legal and other volunteer services for low-and moderate-income people in our communities and throughout the country. Agency personnel represent a significant resource, and should be encouraged to contribute to this effort. Contempt Attorney Dan Collopy, Elizabeth Kilpatrick in Operations-Management and Cornele Overstreet, RD in Region 28 (Phoenix), have volunteered to help get our program in the field off the ground. Any questions regarding this initiative should be directed to Dan Collopy at (202) 273-3745 (dan.collopy@nlrb.gov) or to Elizabeth Kilpatrick at (202) 273-0058 (elizabeth.kilpatrick@nlrb.gov) or Cornele Overstreet at (602) 379-3265 (cornele.overstreet@nlrb.gov). In Arizona, the bar requires attorneys to perform a certain amount of pro bono work, so Cornele Overstreet has had more experience with this issue than many of our Regional managers. Please note that employees participating in volunteer programs must follow Agency regulations which require approval from the General Counsel prior to engaging in the outside practice of law and from the Regional Director prior to engaging in outside activities (5 C.R.F. Section 2635.803). Also, Agency employees may not engage in pro bono legal or volunteer services that create or appear to create a conflict of interest with their work for the Agency (See 5 C.F.R. Section 2635). Further, Agency employees may not represent individuals before any other Federal government agency f law and from the Regional Director prior to engaging in outside activities (5 C.R.F. Section 2635.803). Also, Agency employees may not engage in pro bono legal or volunteer services that create or appear to create a conflict of interest with their work for the Agency (See 5 C.F.R. Section 2635). Further, Agency employees may not represent individuals before any other Federal government agency. For a full explanation of the parameters of the Agency's program, please review the Agency's Revised Policy Statement on Pro Bono Legal and Volunteer Services, as well as volunteer opportunities, which is attached and also can be found at the Agency's Pro Bonol/Volunteer Program electronic bulletin board, and will be available in the near future on the Agency's intranet web page. /s/ L. R. P. Attachment cc: NLRBU MEMORANDUM GC 01-01 MEMORANDUM GC 01-01 December 15, 2000 Page 1 of 1 GC Memo 01-01 - Pro Bono Program 4/11/2011 file://D:\Program Files\Documentum\CTS\docbases\NLRB\config\temp_sessions\6058686965321486119\gc01-0... ## Nearby sections - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-01 Guideline Memorandum Concerning Frontpay](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0001.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-02 Investigative Subpoenas](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0002.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-03 Realignment of Responsibilities](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0003.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-04 Continuation of the Requirement For the Submission of Section 10(j)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0004.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-05 Daily Compounding of Interest on Backpay and other Monetary Awards](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0005.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-06 Impact Analysis Program Modifications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0006.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 00-07 Reimbursement for Excess Federal and State Income Taxes which Discriminatees owe as a result of receiving a lump-sum backpay award](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0007.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-01 Pro Bono Program](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0101.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-02 "Casehandling in light of Fleming Cos., 332 NLRB No. 99 (October 31, 2000)"](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0102.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-03 "Report on Utilization of Section 10(j) Injunction Proceedings March 3, 1998 through January 15, 2001"](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0103.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-04 Guidelines for Response to Beck-Related Public Inquiries](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0104.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-05 "Unfair Labor Practice Complaints Issued December 19, 2000 – April 20, 2001"](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0105.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 01-06 Fundraising Following Recent Tragedy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0106.md) - [NLRB General Counsel Memorandum GC 02-01 Guidelines Memorandum Concerning Levitz](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0201.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/NLRB_GCGC0101. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.