Cisco’s Chief Authorized Officer shares her perspective on the facility 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 every thing we do. It guides the design of our expertise, 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 p.c worker participation in group influence actions. When 4 out of each 5 Cisco staff, representing 95 nations, are discovering alternatives to present again in methods which are significant to them, it’s clear we now have a purpose-driven tradition—one by which acts each massive and small add as much as create unimaginable outcomes.
Cisco’s professional bono work

The Seattle Clemency Undertaking (SCP) and Perkins Coie for a Professional Bono Clinic earlier this 12 months.
Inside Cisco Authorized, we’re enthusiastic about dwelling this objective by professional bono. As authorized and compliance professionals, we now 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 isn’t one dimension suits all. Simply as we encourage people throughout Cisco to present again in alignment with their private passions and pursuits, Cisco Authorized colleagues can choose and select how they need to form their professional bono expertise. Our folks carry out conventional professional bono work, partnering with legislation companies and nonprofits to deal with a wide range of points, together with immigration, contracting, and expungement. They supply operational assist for nonprofits targeted on entry to justice, creating better influence 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 potential of the extra privileged.
Second, professional bono is for everybody. Greater than half of our Cisco Authorized workforce in the USA, 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 international groups. Whenever you open professional bono alternatives throughout the group, you’re not solely making a significant influence in the neighborhood at massive, 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 among the methods by which our staff– working hand in hand with legislation companies, different in-house legislation departments, and nonprofits – have helped improve entry to justice. You’ll examine Cisco Authorized workforce members who commit 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 attempting circumstances; and who use knowledge to stage the enjoying discipline for many who lack equal entry to justice.
It’s a privilege to share their tales.
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