Report on 2024 Staffing Survey

Published on 5 December 2024 PBI has just released the 2024 Report on the Law Firm Pro Bono Project® Staffing Survey! This report provides valuable insights into the staffing methods, challenges, and opportunities within law firm pro bono programs.

We are pleased to share with you a copy of the PBI 2024 Report on the Law Firm Pro Bono Project^® Staffing Survey. This Report offers insights into law firm staffing methods and the challenges and opportunities associated with various means of constructing and implementing a law firm pro bono program. We thank all of those who responded to the survey and contributed to this important research for the benefit of the pro bono community and the communities in which we collectively strive to bridge the justice gap.

Key information from the newly issued Report includes:

• 92 percent of responding firms employ one or more pro bono professionals.
• 71 percent employ one or more pro bono professionals responsible for program oversight coupled with one or more professionals who provide administrative or operational support.
• 87 percent of firms have a firm-wide pro bono committee, with committee roles varying from policy development to supervision and oversight.
• Of these committees, 51 percent have overlapping membership with firm management or policy committees.
• 62 percent of professionals dedicate virtually all their time to pro bono program oversight.
• 30 percent split their time between oversight and substantive representation of pro bono clients.
• 30 percent have significant non-pro bono related responsibilities, which may include corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, sustainability projects, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.