Pro Bono Opportunities
At Hunton & Williams LLP, we recognize that the practice of law is a service to society and expect our lawyers to provide substantial pro bono services each year -- thus enhancing the quality of legal services for many who could not otherwise afford them. In fact, the firm has met or exceeded the Pro Bono Institute's 1993 challenge to the nation's 500 largest law firms each year since it was established by devoting more than three percent of our gross billable hours to pro bono work.
The commitment of firm leadership to our pro bono program is an important part of its success. Each of our offices has its own Pro Bono Committee, chaired by a partner, who works directly with local attorneys in the identification of pro bono opportunities and the encouragement of pro bono work. These regional committee chairs report monthly to a firmwide Community Service Committee, which oversees and coordinates the firm's pro bono commitments.
Every lawyer's pro bono efforts are considered during the firm's annual review to determine compensation and advancement. At the conclusion of our last fiscal year, our domestic offices contributed a combined total of more than 48,361 hours to deserving individuals and nonprofit organizations. And, over the past several years, we have increased pro bono activities in our five international offices, working within the communities where our offices are located and assisting third-world countries in Africa and the Middle East.
Our commitment to pro bono work also includes maintaining two Pro Bono Fellowship positions in Richmond and Atlanta for attorneys whose time is entirely committed to pro bono work. Each Fellowship is a two-year position and a valuable opportunity for young lawyers pursuing a career in public service. As a member of the Litigation team, each Fellow spends a great amount of time in the courtroom and serves as a useful resource for other attorneys seeking assistance on pro bono matters. The Fellowship programs were recently enhanced to provide additional funds each year to aid in law school debt repayment.
In addition to the two Fellowships above, the firm supports three neighborhood offices that provide pro bono services to low-income clients who fail to qualify for legal aid. The firm's Church Hill Office in Richmond, Virginia, was established in 1990, followed by the firm's Southside Legal Center in Atlanta, Georgia, five years later. In 2005, Hunton & Williams opened its third pro bono office in Charlottesville in partnership with the University of Virginia.
For more information about the firm's pro bono program, click here.
|
"Pro bono work is more than doing a good deed. It is the foundation of our societal guarantee of equal rights under the law for all people, without regard to social or financial status. It is fundamental to our role as citizens and as citizen-lawyers."
-- Wally Martinez, Firm Managing Partner
|