The Bank of America Legal department in New York today launched a local pro bono initiative, partnering with Sanctuary for Families, Neighborhood Entrepreneur Law Project, Volunteers of Legal Service, New York Family Court, and Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts as well as several major law firms to help ensure the legal needs of the city's underserved and vulnerable are met. This initiative expands the company-wide pro bono effort begun in 2005.

In an effort to support volunteerism, Bank of America evaluated pro bono programs and surveyed members of its New York legal department to learn which issues and causes were important to them, as well as to understand areas of potential concern such as time constraints and professional insurance. By designing a program that takes into account all of those factors, Bank of America anticipates that a majority of associates in its New York legal department will participate in pro bono service this year.

"The private, public and non-profit sectors are becoming more creative in finding ways to provide legal services to those with the greatest needs," said Tim Mayopoulos, Bank of America general counsel. "In developing our New York pro bono initiative, we took a new approach designed to drive volunteerism at all levels of the department, and facilitate our associates' ability to give something back to the community."

As part of the of the initiative kick-off, bank associates met with partner agencies to discuss specific pro bono opportunities and how bank associates would be able to help address the legal needs of individuals associated with the agencies.

"We are delighted that Bank of America will be participating in the Self- Represented Legal Services Project at Brooklyn Family Court, said Joseph M. Lauria, Administrative Judge of the New York City Family Court. "This innovative private-public partnership will provide a sorely needed service by offering valuable legal services to our most needy litigants."

Since launching the enterprise-wide pro bono program in 2005, Bank of America has:

* Became a Charter Signatory of Corporate Pro Bono Challenge, which has a goal of having at least 50 percent of legal associates participate in pro bono projects; * Created pro bono opportunities for its paralegals and administrative staff support, broadening the volunteers beyond lawyers; * Eliminated a major hurdle for associates interested in pro bono by obtaining insurance coverage; * Launched an internal website that links to pro bono opportunities in 17 cities where the company's Legal department has offices; * Devoted more than 1,200 volunteer hours to provide legal services to a variety of pro bono and public interest cases; and * Made financial contributions to local pro bono organizations in Boston, Charlotte, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Tampa and national pro bono organizations including the Pro Bono Institute, the New York City Bar, and Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk-management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 55 million consumer and small business relationships with more than 5,700 retail banking offices, through more than 17,000 ATMs and award-winning online banking with more than 21 million active users. Bank of America is the No. 1 overall Small Business Administration (SBA) lender in the United States and the No. 1 SBA lender to minority-owned small businesses. The company serves clients in 175 countries and has relationships with 98 percent of the US Fortune 500 companies and 80 percent of the Global Fortune 500. Bank of America Corporation stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Bank of America is an equal housing lender.