There are many indications that law firm pro bono has hit critical mass – law firm pro bono brochures and videos, questions about pro bono in RFPs from corporate clients, cocktail party talk about pro bono work – but one sure sign is the prevalence of pro bono in popular culture, including documentaries, books, and prime-time television. As we’ve reported previously, lawyers at Lockhart Gardner, the fictional law firm at the center of “The Good Wife,” a successful CBS series, do a lot of pro bono work.  During one of its first episodes, a firm managing partner emphasized that “like

What do 39 of the Law Firm Pro Bono Project’s Member Firms and/or Challenge Signatories have in common?  They rank among the top 50 Best Law Firms for Women according to the Working Mother and Flex-Time Lawyers 2013 list. These law firms are leaders not just in pro bono but in advancing women’s interests.  They frequently promote women to leadership positions, offer generous parental leave, and allow flexible schedules and telecommuting.  It turns out that family-friendly firms also tend to support successful pro bono programs and vice versa; the two go hand-in-hand.  Indeed, there are notable parallels between efforts to

PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project just released its annual Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report, which examines the pro bono activities of firms that are Signatories to the Challenge.  The Report includes a wealth of information, including good news!  One hundred thirty-three firms reported performing more than 4.3 million hours of pro bono service in 2012. A few additional highlights include: • Hours per Attorney Increase Average pro bono hours per attorney increased modestly in 2012 to 62.2 hours per attorney, from 61.24 hours per attorney in 2011. • Participation Remains Stable In 2012, the overall number of firm attorneys actively

Laundromats.  Barbershops.  Daycare centers.  Medical clinics.  Houses of worship.  Efforts to “go where the clients are” and to create programs to bring legal help directly to underserved communities to make pro bono services more easily accessible are taking off.  The PBEye previously highlighted examples of mobile pro bono assistance, such as OneJustice’s “Justice Bus” and food stamp clinics in schools.  Here are a few additional examples of innovative and accessible places where pro bono services are being delivered: • Starting in October, many libraries across Florida will be participating in “Lawyers in Libraries,” a new pro bono project designed to teach

PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project is currently updating What Counts? A Compilation of Questions and Answers, a guide of frequently asked questions and explanations of “what counts” as pro bono legal services for the purpose of the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge®.  Since its original publication in 2003 and its revision in 2008, we have continued to receive a steady flow of new inquiries. We will include answers to those questions in the upcoming version of What Counts to further fine-tune our guidance regarding the definition of pro bono legal services in a principled, clear, and consistent fashion. We

Recruiting season is once again in full swing! Many law students are looking to join firms where pro bono is an integral part of the firm’s culture. Every year we are honored to be able to promote our Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Signatories and their commitment to pro bono. Accordingly, the Law Firm Pro Bono Project is mailing its annual Challenge poster to the career services offices of all ABA-accredited law schools. The poster lists every Challenge Signatory and raises the visibility of these firms to make them more attractive to the very students they are trying to recruit. Challenge