Intellectual Property Law

What motivates lawyers to do pro bono work and should it become mandatory?

What do you think motivates lawyers to do pro bono work? Should pro bono work be mandatory for law students and/or lawyers?

Public Comments

1. They could have any number of reasons - they feel passionate about the case, they know the person, it's for a charity organization, it looks good on their resume. I think it should be mandatory for larger firms to commit to some level of pro bono work.
2. Things such as their beliefs, concern, but most likely media attention. As far as if it should be manditory....no.
3. I can't answer what motivates lawyers to do pro bono because I'm sure it varies from person to person. Should it be mandatory? No. Imagine you sink nearly $100,000 into a legal education only to be to told you have to work for free. There is a word for forcing people to work against their will for no compensation, slavery.
4. The motivation comes from the idea of 'giving back.' In some cases, depending where an atty. is employed, they are required to offer so many hours of pro bono work a year. So in a sense, for some, it already is mandatory. For those in private practice, they do so because they want to for any number of reasons.
5. Many lawyers have a keen sense of social justice. This leads them to want to give back to the most vulnerable members of society who cannot defend themselves without help. Some of the greatest professional satisfaction comes from helping someone who would have been taken advantage of without assistance. Many large firms now use a commitment to pro bono work as a recruiting point for getting the most talented young attorneys coming out of law school. There is already a goal for every California attorney to do 40 hours of pro bono work per year. Many attorneys take that goal very seriously and meet or surpass it. I personally do not believe that making pro bono mandatory would be helpful because an attorney who does not believe in what she is doing--and does not want to do it--will not do good work. If anything, the members of the legal community, attorneys and students, should be more open about their pro bono experiences and encourage others to enrich their own lives and the lives of the disadvantaged by doing pro bono work. The legal community and the public should also give more funding to legal aid organizations and clinics. At least that is one person's opinion. Hope it helps!
6. Some lawyers do it because they consider it their duty as "officers of the court", while others do it from a sense of charity. Many law firms encourage their partners and associates to do a certain number of hours of "pro bono" work each year. Some county bar associations, such as the Dauphin County [Harrisburg, PA] Bar association encourage their members to participate. Quoting from their website: "The By-Laws of the Dauphin County Bar Association include a commitment "to encourage the fulfillment of the obligations of the profession among its members to the courts and to society, [and] to promote programs to provide effective, affordable legal services to all segments of society . . ." In keeping with this responsibility, all members of the Bar Association are expected to participate, personally or financially, in the Pro Bono Program, which is administered in conjunction with MidPenn Legal Services." Should it be mandatory for lawyers in private practice? Yes, I think so. It should not be required for attorneys working for the government or corporations because those attorneys would not have professional liability insurance.