Every year, The American Lawyer releases a scorecard ranking law firms by the number of hours they dedicate to pro bono work. The 2024 list is a testament to the deep and growing commitment of the legal profession to advancing justice. Leading the way are firms like Jenner & Block, Covington & Burling, and WilmerHale – whose lawyers collectively donated over 400,000 hours last year to causes ranging from LGBTQ+ rights and asylum support to voting access and housing justice.
This kind of contribution is not just impressive in scale: it’s transformational in impact.
Pro bono work has powered some of the most consequential legal victories of recent decades. From Obergefell v. Hodges, which affirmed the right to marriage equality, to cases defending the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, unpaid legal services have helped define the legal landscape and protect those who might otherwise have no access to representation.
Every year, lawyers contribute over 35 million hours of free legal counsel. That includes defending survivors of domestic violence, preventing unlawful evictions, reuniting families separated by migration policies, and more. Much of this work is quietly led by lawyers in the country’s largest firms — where pro bono is woven into professional culture, talent development, and firm identity.
Francesco, Managing Director of Pro Publico, comments:
“Pro bono work is one of the purest expressions of legal professionalism. It embodies the idea that the law is a public trust – and that those with the skills and resources to practice it have a duty to ensure it serves everyone, not just those who can afford it.”
It’s worth noting that pro bono is more than altruism. It’s also smart lawyering. Firms that lead on pro bono often cite it as a key factor in attracting top talent, training young lawyers, and building relationships with mission-driven clients. The business case and the public-interest case aren’t mutually exclusive — they reinforce one another.
At Pro Publico, we see this every day. Our platform connects NGOs working on the frontlines of social justice with law firms offering their expertise pro bono. When a lawyer’s skills meet a social need, things change: A refugee family reunites. A tenant keeps their home. A child gets to stay in school.
This is the quiet power of pro bono… and it deserves to be celebrated, protected, and expanded.