Events Archives - Pro Bono Institute

Spotlight on Educational Justice: Two Case Studies from the Pro Bono Institute Annual Conference

July 1, 2025

At the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) 2025 Annual Conference, two powerful case studies highlighted how pro bono and public interest lawyers are driving systemic reform to improve education for students with disabilities. These sessions offered attendees the opportunity to learn from groundbreaking litigation and advocacy and encouraged them to get involved in this important work. Recordings of these sessions are now available upon request by emailing PBI staff. Case Study #1: The Missing School Bus – Transportation and the Rights of Students with Disabilities In a compelling session, panelists discussed their recent class action lawsuit challenging the District of Columbia’s

5 Takeaways from the PBI 2025 Annual Conference

June 2, 2025

Earlier this year Pro Bono Institute (PBI) hosted its Annual Conference, bringing together pro bono leaders from law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest organizations to explore innovative strategies for expanding access to justice. From plenaries to candid discussions, the Conference was a dynamic space for reigniting our collective commitment to justice and preparing for the opportunities and challenges ahead. Select Conference sessions are available on-demand through Practising Law Institute (PLI). Pre-Conference and Conference attendees received an email from PBI with information on how to access these recordings for FREE through October 31, 2025, as part of their Conference

Justice on the Table: Pro Bono Legal Work Supports the Fight Against Hunger

February 19, 2025

Sherese Smikle, PBI Intern Food insecurity impacts millions of people worldwide, yet it remains misunderstood by many. Food insecurity is defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Economic Research Service as “a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food,” whereas hunger is “an individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity.” The USDA categorizes food insecurity into two levels: low food security, which refers to a reduced quality and variety of diet without significant disruption in food intake, and very low food security, where eating patterns are disrupted and food intake is

How 16 Youth Activists Held Montana Accountable for Climate Justice

February 17, 2025

Vanessa Muñoz, PBI Intern The growing demand for energy to power technology has environmental costs that impact vulnerable individuals and communities. Sixteen young activists in Montana dared to challenge the status quo, calling attention to the environmental impact of unchecked laws. Their passion for preserving the environment, with the support of public interest attorneys, exposed the dangers these policies posed to their future. Their landmark victory in Held v. Montana, 2024 MT 312 (Dec. 18, 2024) proves that even the most overlooked voices have the ability to hold state governments accountable for climate injustice. This PBEye blog builds on our

Why AI for Pro Bono: A PBI Pre-Conference Preview

February 3, 2025

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation technologies are revolutionizing industries around the globe. The legal profession is no different. While there are existing and developing ethical considerations around AI, it remains important for attorneys to invest in learning about emerging technologies and consider their ability to further the impact of their work. AI’s transformative potential is particularly relevant to pro bono legal services. From automating document review to deploying chatbots for client support, AI can empower pro bono programs to reach more people and provide faster, more efficient services, expanding access to justice. The PBI AI + Pro Bono Pre-Conference coming

Celebrating 30 Years of the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge Initiative

December 17, 2024

Sarah Lahlou-Amine, Director, Law Firm Pro Bono Project As we approach 2025, we are thrilled to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative! This milestone marks three decades of unwavering commitment by law firms to provide pro bono legal services to those in need. Background on the Challenge Launched in 1993, implemented in 1995, and administered by the Law Firm Pro Bono Project at PBI, the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge initiative is a unique, aspirational standard developed by law firm leaders and corporate general counsel. The Challenge encourages major law firms to dedicate a

Keeping Up Volunteer Motivation: PBI Annual Conference Preview

January 22, 2024

By Lindsay Haaker Raising pro bono participation can help lessen the barrier to access to justice for many unrepresented individuals. This makes finding the right approach to increase pro bono engagement critical. According to PBI’s 2023 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report, participation rates in 2022 were down for both partners and associates at Challenge signatory law firms, marking the second straight year of declines after a string of years with small upticks. In 2022, 63.1 percent of partners and 83.4 percent of associates participated in pro bono, compared to 66.7 percent and 86.8 percent, respectively, in 2021. Similarly, the

2023 PBI Annual Conference Takeaways

March 29, 2023

At the end of February, PBI hosted the 2023 Annual Conference in Washington, DC. For the first time since 2019, the Annual Conference was held entirely in-person in Washington, DC. With over 200 attendees from law firms, in-house departments, and public interest organizations, the 2023 Annual Conference sparked passionate and insightful discussions surrounding many pro bono topics. Here are a few takeaways from the Conference: The number of lawyers doing pro bono in the U.S. is increasing, but so is the number of individuals without access to justice. During their plenary presentation, Jim Sandman, Distinguished Lecturer and Director of the Future of

Looking Back While Looking Forward

June 8, 2021

Revisiting the PBI 2021 Annual Conference The cicadas are chirping and the humid, hot days have arrived here in D.C., yet it doesn’t feel so long ago that PBI hosted its springtime Annual Conference. From March 23 – 26, 2021, PBI virtually welcomed hundreds of pro bono leaders from the in-house, law firm, and public interest sectors. Here are a few takeaways that reflect back on the Conference while also speaking to the future of pro bono: Pro bono lawyers are innovating and collaborating to address the crises of our time. During a year that changed the way we practice

Get Ready to Celebrate a Virtual Pro Bono Week

October 13, 2020

This year marks the American Bar Association’s (ABA) 12th Annual Celebration of Pro Bono. This event is meant to encourage local communities to plan events that focus on pro bono work and celebrate the lawyers who have donated their time to provide legal services to those unfortunate. During these pressing times of COVID-19, it is even more important to highlight the pro bono work individuals and organizations are doing. This year’s theme, aligning with current events, is “Rising to Meet the Challenge: Pro Bono Response to COVID-19”. This event will last from October 21 – 31, 2020, with many bar associations, legal departments, law firms, and other groups hosting their own Pro Bono Week events throughout the country.

Category: Events