The Association of the Bar of the City of New York

NEW YORK CITY BAR ASSOCIATION RELEASES STATEMENT OF PRO BONO PRINCIPLES AND LIST OF INAUGURAL LAW FIRM SIGNATORIES

In a newly released Statement of Pro Bono Principles, The New York City Bar Association has asked city law firms to commit to ambitious goals in providing pro bono legal services, particularly to the poor. Included in the Principles is a pledge that signatory firms perform an aggregate amount of pro bono legal work that equals or exceeds an average of 50 hours per lawyer per year.

The City Bar's initiative is consistent with and extends the aspirational goal of the profession's model code of conduct, which urges but does not require that all lawyers render at least 50 hours of pro bono services yearly. This is the first time that firms are being asked to sign their names in a pledge to reach that goal. According to City Bar President Betsy Plevan, “These Principles are more than a promise of a number of hours; they are a set of best practices to help ensure that these pro bono efforts receive the requisite recognition and support.”

Plevan adds, “Most lawyers and law firms have the best of intentions and do want to meet the model code’s goals, but often become absorbed in pending client deadlines and other commitments. The purpose of these Principles is to provide a framework for everyone to stay focused on reaching these goals. For firms to meet these goals, they must strive to encourage all attorneys to participate in pro bono activities.” This statement is a road map to achieving the goal of more involvement in and greater focus on pro bono. By signing the statement, signatory firms pledge, among other promises, that:

Pro bono hours will be counted the same way as billable hours and looked upon favorably when making personnel decisions

Awards or recognition will be provided to lawyers who perform outstanding pro bono work, and such work will be reported on in internal and external publications

In recognition that people lead by example, senior lawyers will be strongly encouraged to participate in pro bono activities
To ensure early involvement, newly hired lawyers will be asked to participate in at least one pro bono matter during their first year of employment
Lawyers undertaking pro bono work will have access to training materials, mentoring, manuals and other relevant support for their efforts.

The Principles, developed by the Association’s Committee on Pro Bono and Legal Services, chaired by William T. Russell, ask that a substantial majority of the pro bono work be devoted to persons of limited means or organizations committed to serving the needs of persons of limited means. In addition to the requisite fifty hours, firms also agree to offer both financial and substantive support to legal service organizations.

According to Plevan, “We understand that these Principles ask firms to commit to ambitious goals. But we also know that the need for civil legal services far outstrips the resources available and each year more and more New Yorkers facing loss of parental rights, benefits and housing or other crises are unable to obtain the legal advice and representation necessary to enable them to resolve these problems. It is every lawyer’s professional and ethical responsibility to do his or her part to address this crisis. These initial signatories will lead the way in working to assure equal access to justice and fairness under the law.”

Law firms interested in signing onto the Principles should contact Barbara Berger Opotowsky at (212) 382-6620. The list of initial signatories follows. The Statement of Pro Bono Principles and enrollment forms are available online.

INAUGURAL LAW FIRM SIGNATORIES
TO THE STATEMENT OF PRO BONO PRINCIPLES

ARNOLD & PORTER LLP
BRYAN CAVE LLP
CARTER LEDYARD & MILBURN LLP
CHADBOURNE & PARKE LLP
CLIFFORD CHANCE US LLP
DEBEVOISE & PLIMPTON LLP
DEWEY BALLANTINE LLP
FRIED FRANK HARRIS SHRIVER & JACOBSON LLP
GIBSON DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP
HELLER EHRMAN LLP
HOGAN & HARTSON LLP
HOLLAND & KNIGHT LLP
HUGHES HUBBARD & REED LLP
KAYE SCHOLER LLP
KELLEY DRYE & WARREN LLP
KIRKLAND & ELLIS LLP
LEBOEUF, LAMB, GREENE & MACRAE LLP
MAYER, BROWN, ROWE & MAW LLP
MILBANK, TWEED, HADLEY & MCCLOY LLP
MORGAN, LEWIS & BOCKIUS LLP
MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP
PATTERSON, BELKNAP, WEBB & TYLER LLP
PAUL, WEISS, RIFKIND, WHARTON & GARRISON LLP
PROSKAUER ROSE LLP
SIDLEY AUSTIN BROWN & WOOD LLP
SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP
SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP
STROOCK & STROOCK & LAVAN LLP
THELEN REID & PRIEST LLP
WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES LLP

About the Association
The Association of the Bar of the City of New York (www.nycbar.org) was founded in 1870, and since then has been dedicated to maintaining the high ethical standards of the profession, promoting reform of the law, and providing service to the profession and the public.