Just Released: 2011 Challenge Report
PBI’s Law Firm Pro Bono Project recently released its annual report on the 2011 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® data. The Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge® Report examines the 2011 pro bono activities of firms that are Signatories to the Challenge. In 2011, 134 firms completed more than 4.47 million hours of pro bono service — the third highest year on record!
A few highlights include:
- Overall Challenge Performance
Reporting firms reported performed an aggregated 4,476,866 hours of pro bono work, the third highest year since the inception of the Challenge in 1995. - Service to Persons of Limited Means
Challenge firms donated 2,578,958 hours of service to persons of limited means or to charitable, religious, civic, community, governmental, and educational organizations in matters which are designed primarily to address the needs of persons of limited means. This, however, represents a decrease of 9.7% from 2010. - Participation
In 2011, a total of 50,795 attorneys participated in pro bono compared to a total of 50,730 attorneys who participated in pro bono in 2010. - Financial Donations
Challenge firms increased the amount they donated to legal services organizations to $28,654,304—the largest amount given since 2007
PBI President and CEO Esther F. Lardent weighed in on the report saying:
We are pleased to see that law firm pro bono has remained steady, even as the economy has been slow to recover. This doesn’t give us license to be complacent, as there are still significant challenges and more people in greater need of pro bono assistance than ever before.
You can read the complete report here, which includes regional analysis, and the press release here. If your firm of 50 or more lawyers would like to join the Challenge please contact Law Firm Pro Bono Project Director Tammy Taylor.
