As The PBEye previously reported, criminal justice debt is a persistently troubling part of our nation’s criminal justice system, as there are substantial expenses incurred by offenders throughout the entire incarceration process. As states, cities, and counties face increasingly tight budget constraints, many have turned to the offenders themselves to offset some of those costs.  Fees and surcharges are now imposed at nearly every stage of criminal processing, such as fees for public defenders, jail fees, court administrative fees, prosecution fees, probation fees, and more.  Offenders are often saddled with overwhelming costs which they struggle to pay, resulting in additional

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