Pro Bono Institute (PBI), in conjunction with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr and the Pickering family, is proud to present its 2021 John H. Pickering Award to O’Melveny & Myers LLP in recognition of its outstanding institutional commitment to pro bono and the inspiring pro bono performance of its lawyers and staff.
Pro Bono at O’Melveny
From the beginnings of the firm, O’Melveny has channeled the creativity and passion of its lawyers into public interest efforts. Founder Henry O’Melveny, a prominent civic leader in Los Angeles at the turn of the twentieth century, played a leadership role in multiple institutions that served the public good. His example guided scion Jack O’Melveny, who in 1929 helped found the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, the oldest and largest provider of legal services in California.
The firm continues to build on that legacy.
O’Melveny’s robust and award-winning pro bono practice extends the firm’s commitment to exceptional client service to underrepresented members of society, tackling critical issues such as immigration, housing, women’s rights, foster care, education, veterans affairs, criminal justice reform, voting rights, and community building. O’Melveny’s pro bono clients—from military veterans to couples seeking marriage equality to nonprofits stitching together a social safety net—are as diverse as the communities the firm serves. And O’Melveny continues to challenge itself to do more.
Today the firm’s pro bono program operates under the leadership of a partner-in-charge of pro bono, a full-time managing counsel for public interest and pro bono services, and a full-time pro bono counsel, as well as designated pro bono partners in each office. To underscore O’Melveny’s commitment, all attorneys are encouraged to complete at least 50 hours of pro bono work annually, with a 20 hour minimum expectation, and all new lawyers are required to handle at least one pro bono engagement during their first year at the firm. Additionally, each pro bono hour is treated the same as “billable” hours for all purposes, including bonus consideration. In 2020, O’Melveny devoted approximately 99,062 hours to pro bono, with participation from over 94 percent of its attorneys.
Some of the firm’s recent achievements include:
The firm’s dedication to pro bono service and its willingness to pursue challenging, innovative, and ambitious matters make O’Melveny a most deserving recipient of the PBI 2021 John H. Pickering Award.
To learn more about O’Melveny’s award-winning pro bono program, visit its pro bono page or download their most recent pro bono program review.
About O’Melveny
Founded in 1885 as a two-person practice in Los Angeles, O’Melveny handled much of the seminal work supporting the city’s development into a major metropolis. In the years since, O’Melveny has emerged as an elite US firm with respect to pro bono and beyond. Its resources include approximately 750 lawyers in 17 offices around the world. The firm takes pride in its focus on culture, collaboration and community. More information on O’Melveny can be found on www.omm.com or learn more in their firm at-a-glance, and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
About the John H. Pickering Award
PBI’s award is given in honor of the late John H. Pickering, a distinguished appellate attorney and leader in the legal profession who was equally well known for his extraordinary commitment to pro bono and the public interest. PBI presents the award in conjunction with his law firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale), and the Pickering family to honor a law firm for its outstanding commitment to pro bono legal services. Read more about the award and view a list of previous recipients.
