WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Law Firm Pro Bono Project® initiative of Pro Bono Institute (PBI) has released its 2023 report on the 2022 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® data. One hundred twenty-four participating firms reported for 2022, performing a total of 4,950,520 hours of pro bono work, a 7.3 percent increase from last year.
- The 2023 Report on the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge Initiative examines the pro bono performance of Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge signatories during the 2022 calendar year. The Challenge is the industry standard for pro bono participation in law firms with 50 or more attorneys. Challenge signatory firms have committed to contribute 3 or 5 percent (or 60 or 100 hours per attorney) of their annual billable hours to pro bono activities as defined by the Challenge and report their performance to PBI each year.
This year’s results show that pro bono culture remains strong among Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge signatory law firms. Five million hours of free legal services to support access to justice is a significant contribution to our society, and PBI remains inspired and encouraged by the commitment of law firms to provide pro bono legal services to those most in need.
“We applaud law firms for their remarkable pro bono work. Yet we cannot afford to be complacent. While total hours have increased, the percentage of law firm attorneys engaging in pro bono and the number of pro bono hours per attorney at Challenge signatory firms are down for a second year in a row. Considering the immense need for legal services, it is imperative that firms continue to provide the support and space for lawyers and other legal staff to fully engage in pro bono,” said PBI President and CEO Eve Runyon.
Additional key information from the newly issued Report includes:
- On average, reporting law firms devoted 3.47 percent of their total billable hours to furnishing pro bono services – a slight increase from 2021 (3.32 percent).
- 93.9 percent of reporting firms indicated that they had either increased or maintained their efforts on behalf of racial justice.
- Attorneys spent an average of 52.6 hours each on pro bono matters in 2022, compared to 55.1 hours in 2021.
- About 73 percent of the attorneys at reporting firms worked on pro bono matters in 2022, which is also down slightly from 2021. However, the absolute number of attorneys engaged in pro bono at reporting firms set a new record in 2022 due to number of attorneys at reporting firms being larger.
- Pro bono hours for those of limited means represented 73.3 percent of all pro bono hours for firms that reported limited means pro bono hours in 2022, a slightly lower percentage compared to 2021 (which came in at 74.4 percent).
- The average charitable donation of reporting firms was $495,577 in 2022 – a 14 percent decrease over the average firm donation in 2021, but still the second highest year on record.
- PBI has recorded 98.2 million hours of pro bono service by reporting firms since 1995, and expects Challenge signatories will exceed 100 million hours in 2023.
View the full report, including the executive summary, data analysis, and future directions.
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Pro Bono Institute, PBI, and Law Firm Pro Bono Project are registered trademarks of Pro Bono Institute.
About Pro Bono Institute
Founded in 1996, Pro Bono Institute (PBI) is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization. With an unparalleled depth of knowledge, resources and expertise, PBI is the respected resource for all things pro bono. Through our 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 Law Firm Pro Bono Project
The Law Firm Pro Bono Project initiative is the only global effort designed to support and enhance the pro bono culture and performance of major law firms in the U.S. and around the world. The Project’s goal is to fully integrate pro bono into the practice, philosophy, and culture of firms so that large law firms provide the institutional support, infrastructure, and encouragement essential to fostering a climate supportive of pro bono service and promoting partner and associate participation.