Law for The Poor

2402 FORDHAMLAWREVIEW
[Vol. 78
respondents (n=25) reported efforts to evaluate the satisfaction of nonprofit
partner organizations, and these all involved informal conversations or
meetings with collaborating organizations. None used surveys or other
systematic methods to assess the organizations' views on the quality of pro
bono representation. The prevailing view was that informal channels were
generally sufficient:
* "I'm in touch with [groups] frequently; I get feedback on quality. So
I don't do it formally because I know it anecdotally." 206
* "We are in constant communication with many legal services
providers throughout the country. We have continual dialogue with
more than thirty such providers, discussing our joint efforts, our
relationship and our impact." 20 7
" "There isn't any formal process that I follow with clients or
nonprofits .... I talk to directors all the time, day in and day out.
They know me well enough, if they are concerned about a case, they
call me up." 20 8
* "On a personal level, I don't usually reach out to see how things are
going. If someone calls me, it is usually either to ask a question
about something specific or to get advice or to praise." 209
Some counsel spoke individually with staff at nonprofit groups to "go
over each case, any . .. improvements, and problem areas." 210 Others
received feedback through conversations at larger gatherings. One counsel
recounted how she met once a month with a local "delivery of legal services
committee," which was a "great way to get a heads up on brewing issues,
the best two and a half hours I spend all month. '211 Often, informal
communications with nonprofit groups involved troubleshooting
problematic cases or program procedures. 212 One counsel described "gripe
sessions" with nonprofit staff; after one conversation, the firm changed its
process for checking conflicts of interest. 213 Another counsel similarly
used critical comments about pro bono lawyers to change office policy. If
nonprofit staff say, "'Here is the thing that went wrong,' I bring it back to
our pro bono chairs ... to make sure that it won't happen again. '214
Although acknowledging that nonprofit feedback was ad hoc, many
respondents believed that their informal information channels were
sufficient. The following comments reflect this sentiment:
206. Survey Respondent 24.
207. Survey Respondent 27.
208. Interview 22, supra note 163.
209. Interview 25, supra note 170.
210. Interview 23, supra note 176.
211. Interview 19, supra note 199.
212. Interview 24, supra note 197.
213. Interview 21, supra note 154.
214. Interview 27, supra note 81.