The board of directors of Pro Bono Partnership announced today that Rick Hobish, the organization's co-founder and executive director, has decided to leave the organization. Under his leadership, the Partnership has become one of the nation’s preeminent providers of pro bono legal services to nonprofits serving the disadvantaged and providing important social services in our communities.
The Partnership, founded in 1997, has offices in White Plains, NY, Hartford, CT and Parsippany, NJ. It has created affiliate organizations in Atlanta, GA and Cincinnati, OH. The Partnership annually addresses the legal needs of more than 600 charities in the New York tri-state area, while engaging more than 900 in-house and law firm volunteers to take on pro bono projects for these clients.
According to Partnership board chairman Mark Nordstrom, senior counsel-Labor and employment law, GE, “Rick has been a tireless champion for the provision of pro bono legal services, and has helped change the landscape of the legal community by creating a vehicle to harness the wealth of legal talent in the region's corporate legal departments. His shoes will be tough to fill.”
Mr. Hobish said, “It has been an honor to work with the Partnership's incredibly committed board, staff, volunteers and the leaders of the nonprofits that do so much to enrich our communities. I remain in awe of their commitment to making sure that nonprofits flourish in the tri-state area, and to improving the quality of life for individuals and families in need.”
The board has engaged the services of Stephen Bradford, a leading executive search firm, to recruit the Partnership’s next executive director. Mr. Hobish is committed to working closely with all involved to ensure a smooth transition and will remain at the Partnership until his successor is in place.