PBI Honors Wells Fargo and Ellen Patterson with the 2026 Laurie D. Zelon Pro Bono Award

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pro Bono Institute (PBI) honored Wells Fargo and Ellen Patterson, Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel, with the 2026 Laurie D. Zelon Pro Bono Award. PBI presented the Award at a Reception on Thursday, March 5 during the PBI Annual Conference. This annual award recognizes an individual’s or organization’s exceptional commitment to pro bono as demonstrated by exemplary engagement in pro bono legal services.

“The Wells Fargo Pro Bono Program stands out for its commitment and responsiveness to the most urgent legal needs,” said Eve Runyon, PBI President and CEO. “The Program’s long-term partnerships with law firms and legal services organizations makes a profound, lasting impact on increasing access to justice for those who need it most. PBI applauds Ellen and Wells Fargo for their continued commitment to pro bono legal services.

Wells Fargo formally launched its Pro Bono Program in 2014. Since then, pro bono has become an integral part of Wells Fargo’s commitment to volunteerism, community service, and charitable giving. The Pro Bono Program’s efforts are part of Wells Fargo’s Philanthropy and Community Impact, which focuses on housing access and affordability, small business growth and financial opportunities. Employees in the company’s legal department engage in pro bono matters related to these community needs.  In 2025, Wells Fargo employees across the U.S. volunteered more than 900,000 hours across a range of volunteer efforts.

The Pro Bono Program is a testament to the Wells Fargo Legal Department’s dedication to making a difference in the communities it serves by providing access to justice for those who cannot afford legal services.

The Program is led by the Pro Bono Steering Team with local coordinators covering 16 offices around the globe. Pro bono is available to all members of the legal department, including paralegals, business support professionals, and administrative staff members. Since 2022, Wells Fargo legal professionals have contributed more than 16,000 pro bono hours. 

In partnership with law firms and local legal services providers and nonprofits, Wells Fargo’s volunteer legal professionals participate in a variety of projects. Recent clients include tenants facing eviction, survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking, and veterans. The Program also expanded recently to respond to urgent needs for disaster relief legal services, most notably assisting those affected by hurricanes in North Carolina and wildfires in California.

About Ellen Patterson
Ellen Patterson is Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Wells Fargo & Company. As General Counsel, Ellen leads the company’s global legal affairs by providing strategic legal counsel to the company’s business lines and functions, overseeing litigation and regulatory enforcement matters, and advising on corporate governance. Ellen serves on the Wells Fargo Operating Committee and as co-executive sponsor of Wells Fargo’s Women’s Connection. Before joining Wells Fargo as General Counsel in March 2020, Ellen served as general counsel of another major financial institution and was a partner at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.

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.