Pro Bono Work: Study Reveals What’s In It for Lawyers

May 12th, 2011. By BrendaC

Read more about Lawyers who give back

Across the US, there are thousands of lawyers who offer up their personal time to do Pro Bono Publico, from the Latin, meaning ‘for the public good’—usually shortened to ‘Pro Bono’. Many law firms now put a high value on giving back to their communities, or donating millions of hours every year to low-income people who cannot afford to pay for legal representation. 

According to a survey by the American Bar Association, “at least 40 percent of low and moderate-income households experience a legal problem each year”. There is unfortunately a dearth of help available and legal aid is able to cover only about 20 percent of those who need help. 

In March 2011, a survey of 200 lawyers from small and large firms commissioned by Lexis Nexis and Pro Bono Net, an organization that puts lawyers together with good causes, offers a glimpse into the motives of lawyers who pitch in to help Americans who are struggling to get through the legal system. 

According to the study, “Why Lawyers Give Back: A Window into the Drivers and Barriers of Engagement in Pro Bono Work” (March 2011), an overwhelming number (75%) share their legal skills and time with deserving clients for reasons of personal fulfillment. The second largest group (43%) takes pro bono work because they believe in a particular cause and the third largest number (37%) because of an ethical obligation. 

So, a profession that is often maligned as self-interested and more motivated by financial incentive than moral code, is in fact, one in which many frequently step forward because they believe it is the right thing to do. 

“There are other reasons people do pro bono, but yes, I think that is accurate,” says Cristin Zeisler, who heads the pro bono department at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. “Most of our work is commercial, but 3 to 5 percent of our work focuses on the needs of low income people and [those who are] disenfranchised.” 

“We do not have mandatory pro bono,” says Zeisler. “Our lawyers do it because they want to do it. A lot of it really does come from their passion.” 

Among the lawyers who are not doing pro bono work, according to the “Why Lawyers Give Back” Survey, the majority said they simply did not have time (67%) to participate in pro bono projects. The next largest group (30%) said their workload at their firms didn’t allow them to donate hours for free. 

Only a quarter (26%) of the lawyers who are not doing pro bono work said they “had no interest in pro bono matters”. 

In firms with pro bono departments, a great deal of effort goes into allowing lawyers to bring forward their own pro bono areas and issues of interest because that leads to the most successful efforts. At Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, Zeisler tries to match donated hours and heartfelt desires. “That’s why managing pro bono at a law firm is a full time job and I take it very seriously. You want people to help lawyers channel their passions towards an issue in a community that is really going to make a difference,” Zeisler says. 

ProBono.net is an online resource for lawyers and legal aid advocates working to make a difference for low-income and disadvantaged Americans. Lexis Nexis is the world’s largest data research company that provides electronic access to legal and public records.

This was posted on Thursday, May 12th, 2011 at 12:46 pm and is filed under Emerging Issues, Lawyers Giving Back . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.