Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
e-mail: communications@probonoinst.org
website: www.probonoinst.org

PBI to Honor Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP with the 2024 John H. Pickering Award

Pro Bono Institute (PBI), is proud to present its 2024 John H. Pickering Award to Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP (MTO). This prestigious award, presented in conjunction with Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale) and the Pickering family, recognizes MTO’s outstanding institutional commitment to pro bono work and the inspiring performance of its attorneys and staff. The award will be presented at the PBI 2024 Annual Dinner on Wednesday, October 9, at Gotham Hall in New York. Find out more about the PBI 2024 Annual Dinner.

A Legacy of Consequential Pro Bono Work

From its founding, MTO has endeavored to set an example for the legal community with its dedication of resources to pro bono efforts that address critical issues such as voting rights, civil liberties, racial and criminal justice, housing, women’s rights and LGBTQIA+ rights. MTO was a charter signatory to the PBI Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® initiative, and its attorneys have consistently devoted more than 6 percent of their billable time to pro bono work.

“It is an honor to present the 2024 John H. Pickering Award to Munger, Tolles & Olson,” said PBI President and CEO Eve Runyon. “MTO’s unwavering commitment to pro bono exemplifies the highest ideals of our profession. Their dedication to addressing some of society’s most pressing issues sets a remarkable standard. This award not only honors MTO’s exceptional legal work but also their impact on the communities they serve. We are inspired by their pro bono leadership and the powerful legacy they continue to build.”

MTO’s commitment to pro bono work includes significant time and resources dedicated to the firm’s MTO Police Reform Initiative, an offshoot of its Combatting Systemic Racism Task Force. Through this initiative, the firm partners with ACLU California affiliates to obtain records of police misconduct via California’s Public Records Act. The initiative has resulted in the release of thousands of pages of records from law enforcement agencies related to police misconduct, including officer-involved deaths, which will be made available to the public at large.

“Contributing to the community through meaningful pro bono work is a core tenet of MTO’s culture, and we thank the Pro Bono Institute for honoring our firm with the 2024 John H. Pickering Award,” said Hailyn Chen, the firm’s Co-Managing Partner. “Whether helping overturn a single wrongful conviction or bringing about policy changes that benefit thousands in marginalized communities nationwide, our lawyers and professional staff strive to uphold the model of pro bono advocacy set by Mr. Pickering and PBI.”

Commitment to Pro Bono Excellence

Since 2020, MTO has devoted more than 182,000 hours to pro bono matters, including police reform; protecting immigrants from deceptive ICE practices; challenging Los Angeles County’s cash bail policies; defending the rights of Native American children in underfunded schools and foster care systems that did not meet their needs; and defending veterans’ rights.

In 2023, MTO lawyers and professional staff worked on 198 pro bono matters, devoting 41,897 hours to pro bono work, with partners and associates averaging 136.8 hours of pro bono work per lawyer. As a result, the firm has been ranked multiple times in the top ten on The American Lawyer’s Pro Bono Scorecard.

Learn more about Munger, Tolles & Olson’s ongoing pro bono work by visiting the firm’s website.

 

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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 John H. Pickering Award

PBI’s award is given in honor of the late John H. Pickering, a distinguished appellate attorney and leader in the legal profession who was equally well known for his extraordinary commitment to pro bono and the public interest. PBI presents the award in conjunction with his law firm, Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (WilmerHale), and the Pickering family to honor a law firm for its outstanding commitment to pro bono legal services. Read more about the award and view a list of previous recipients.