Geneva Campbell Brown

Meet January’s Volunteer of the Month

Geneva Campbell Brown boasts a dedication to VIP that few can match. These days, Geneva balances volunteering with her role as Associate Senior Counsel at Cigna. But before even attending law school, she worked at VIP as a Development and Communications Fellow. The result is that Geneva knows our mission inside and out, and her pro bono clients are better for it.

As a VIP volunteer, Geneva has dabbled in pro bono guardianships, estate planning matters, name changes, and more. “I find it uniquely brave that VIP handles such a variety of legal problems, and does it so well,” Geneva says. “There is nothing wrong with tackling the hot pro bono topic of the day, but VIP helps clients who are about to lose their homes or sleep on the street. Their problems stem from poverty, which we have to attack from all angles.”

When Geneva made the jump from a large law firm to the corporate world, she brought her commitment to pro bono with her. “I consider pro bono a part of my practice,” she says. “When I came to Cigna, I communicated to leaders in the legal department the value of pro bono to our organization as well as the community in which we work. I presented a plan for the type of work and resources pro bono would entail, why it’s important to me, why it matters for Philadelphians, and how it would strengthen my practice.” Years later, Geneva’s work is proof positive that VIP volunteers can thrive at law firms and corporations alike.

Perhaps informed by her time on VIP’s staff, or by her years of volunteering, Geneva knows what a difference VIP volunteers can make. In her own words:

When clients come to VIP for help, it is their last stop. Without a volunteer attorney, these individuals and families might not have anyone else to turn to for help. These are people who are really in need, and by volunteering with VIP, we make a tangible impact on their lives. In this line of work, we don’t get to change people’s lives that often. But the work you do with VIP clients can be life-changing.