
As organizations struggle to balance themselves on the tight rope during an economic recession, building goodwill usually becomes less of a priority. It’s easy to just focus on the money, but great organizations realize that doing good work for free can have long-term implications and benefits.
Free public interest legal work for the needy is a much-needed service in our society. While criminal cases afford the people the right to an attorney, civil cases (barring custody cases) don’t. Affordability plays a role in this outcome, as legal fees can add up significantly. So how do you tackle the issue?
The American Bar Association encourages every lawyer, as part of their professional responsibility, to provide legal services to those unable to pay. It reflects a pervasive spirit of benevolence and a healthy respect for the rule of law. Legal firms like Skadden are building a strong tradition of pro bono work by pledging to commit attorney time equivalent to at least 3% of the firm’s billable hours. As of last year, the Skadden contribution was at 8%, roughly 200K hours or $100M of work for the public good!

Lawyers tend to work on related cases routinely and may take a while to shift gears. The pro bono work and legal experience gained, especially for first-year attorneys, afford lawyers the opportunity to try cases they might otherwise wait years to obtain. Some other great benefits include one-on-one mentoring and the chance to see more immediate and direct results of their own efforts. For Skadden Associate Brenna K. DeVaney, it is her passion. Brenna has worked with White-Collar cases, Family Law, and helped create a mechanism for pro bono work at Skadden. You can click here to view the Skadden Pro Bono Report (2010).
It’s important for lawyers to contribute to the legal community to increase equal access to justice and sets a great example for us aspiring lawyers. The Skadden Scholars were inspired by the goodwill and commitment of Skadden, doing good while doing well.
How should aspiring law students jump on the pro bono band wagon?
Additional Resources
Making the Business Case for Pro Bono