WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Pro Bono Institute Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) project released its 2026 Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® Report, benchmarking in-house pro bono performance in 2025. The Report coincides with the 20th Anniversary of the Corporate Pro Bono Challenge® initiative and highlights the evolution of in-house pro bono into a standardized component of legal department culture and practice.
The Report provides a nuanced view of in-house pro bono, including engagement trends. Overall participation increased in 2025 for both U.S. lawyers and legal staff at responding legal departments, with global pro bono engagement and collaboration with law firm partners also growing. Among the subset of legal departments that responded to the survey for both 2024 and 2025, participation trends varied, with participation among U.S. lawyers declining while U.S. legal staff participation increased. Many legal departments maintained strong participation levels or expanded their pro bono efforts, while others experienced year-to-year fluctuations. Taken together, the results reflect a field that remains committed to increasing access to justice while continuing to adapt, innovate, and engage volunteers in an evolving pro bono landscape.
BACKGROUND
- The 2026 Report examines the pro bono performance of CPBO Challenge signatories during the 2025 calendar year.
- The Challenge provides a snapshot of in-house pro bono participation with responses from 49 corporate legal departments (out of 190 legal departments eligible to complete the Challenge survey).
- The CPBO Challenge initiative is the standard for in-house pro bono, setting a clear, aspirational goal that at least 50 percent of the legal department will participate in pro bono annually.
“The 2026 Report reflects a field that is active and evolving, as legal departments continue to strengthen staff engagement, increase global involvement, and build collaborative partnerships with law firm and legal services partners,” said Eve Runyon, PBI President & CEO. “This milestone year is a unique opportunity for legal departments to join us in building and expanding in-house pro bono programs that deliver lasting impact to low-income and underserved communities.”
“The CPBO Challenge Report exhibits the dedication of the in-house pro bono community and the breadth of their pro bono contributions geographically and across subject matter,” said Alyssa Saunders, Director, Corporate Pro Bono project. “We are grateful for legal department pro bono leaders, lawyer and legal staff volunteers, and Chief Legal Officers and General Counsel for the distinct roles they play to encourage and sustain pro bono engagement at their companies.”
An Overview of All 2025 Responding Legal Departments
- 49% of U.S. lawyers participated in pro bono in 2025, compared to 46% in 2024.
- 38% of U.S. legal staff participated in pro bono in 2025, compared to 31% in 2024.
- 74% of global departments reported pro bono activity outside the U.S. in 2025, compared to 59% in 2024. In 2025, departments performed pro bono in 53 countries, up from 42 countries in 2024.
- Law firm collaboration increased to 82% in 2025, from 69% in 2024.
Beyond the numbers, CPBO Challenge signatories also shared their most impactful pro bono projects from 2025, which included:
- Representing survivors of domestic violence in protection order matters;
- Preparing wills, estate plans, and life-planning documents for veterans, service members, first responders, seniors, and low-income individuals;
- Supporting individuals in accessing employment, housing, and public benefits through expungement clinics;
- Assisting individuals experiencing homelessness with obtaining birth certificates and identification; and
- Advising parents of students with disabilities through special education rights intake clinics, helping families advocate for educational services and accommodations.
Comparative Trends Among Repeat Respondents
Thirty-four Challenge signatories were repeat respondents completing the Challenge survey in both 2024 and 2025, providing a year-over-year comparison.
- 45% of U.S. lawyers participated in pro bono in 2025, down from 48% in 2024. 38% of these legal departments met the Challenge benchmark of 50% participation by U.S. lawyers in 2025, down from 44% in 2024.
- 34% of U.S. legal staff participated in pro bono in 2025, up from 33% in 2024. 33% of these legal departments met the Challenge benchmark of 50% participation by U.S. legal staff in 2025, up from 21% in 2024.
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About Pro Bono Institute
Founded in 1996, Pro Bono Institute (PBI) is the respected resource for all things pro bono with an unparalleled depth of knowledge, resources and expertise. Through its work with law firms, in-house corporate legal departments, and public interest organizations, PBI is the global thought leader in exploring, identifying, evaluating, catalyzing, and taking to scale new approaches to and resources for the provision of legal services to the poor, disadvantaged, and other individuals or groups unable to secure legal assistance to address critical problems.
About the PBI Corporate Pro Bono project
The PBI Corporate Pro Bono (CPBO) project, launched in 2000, is an initiative that supports, enhances, and transforms the pro bono efforts of in-house corporate legal departments. Since its inception, the CPBO project has worked with hundreds of legal departments around the globe to strengthen in-house pro bono.