Asia & Pacific
The analysis in this section relates to Asia and the Pacific excluding Australia
Across Asia and the Pacific (excluding Australia), 151 law firms with offices in 20 jurisdictions participated in the 2020 Index of Pro Bono. This is an increase in comparison with the 50 law firms with offices in 15 jurisdictions recorded in the 2016 Index.
This Index however saw a drop in the average number of pro bono hours per fee earner over the self-selected 12-month reporting period, from 24.2 hours in 2016 to 20.02 in 2020. The percentage of fee earners doing 10 or more hours of pro bono was 31 percent in 2016 and 32 percent in 2020, an indication of sustained interest in the sector. The region saw consistency in partner engagement with the percentage of partners doing any pro bono work increasing marginally from 39 percent in 2016 to 40 percent. Individual partners undertook an average of 17.42 hours, up from 13.4 hours in 2016.
The practice of pro bono in Asia and the Pacific continues to gain momentum within both local and international law firms. Pro bono clearinghouses such as The Global Network for Public Interest Law (PILnet) have an established presence in the region, while the presence of several international firms with entrenched pro bono infrastructure supports pro bono engagement. Due to the diverse legal landscape and legal requirements in the region, the range of pro bono activity is varied, with pro bono being nascent or at its inception in some countries, while mature and thriving in others. There have also been important pro bono initiatives in the region, with the annual Asia Pro Bono Conference (APBC) and Asia Pacific Pro Bono Summit bringing together key stakeholders to strengthen access to justice in Asia and the Pacific.
Firm Name |
Country |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
A.S & Associates |
Bangladesh |
18.46 |
30.8% |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP |
China |
4.38 |
12.5% |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP |
Hong Kong |
16.09 |
31.8% |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP |
Singapore |
13.25 |
12.5% |
Allen & Overy LLP |
China |
12.27 |
25.0% |
Allen & Overy LLP |
Hong Kong |
22.67 |
31.9% |
Allen & Overy LLP |
Singapore |
6.85 |
15.1% |
ALN Mauritius -BLC Robert & Associates |
Mauritius |
1.80 |
16.0% |
Altacit Global |
India |
83.33 |
41.7% |
Amica Law LLC |
Singapore |
1.42 |
8.3% |
Anglo-Thai Legal |
Thailand |
7.69 |
0.0% |
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP |
China |
0.50 |
0.0% |
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP |
South Korea |
6.57 |
14.3% |
Ashurst LLP |
China |
8.96 |
23.1% |
Ashurst LLP |
Hong Kong |
5.51 |
13.0% |
Ashurst LLP |
Indonesia |
20.09 |
45.5% |
Ashurst LLP |
Japan |
1.54 |
3.8% |
Ashurst LLP |
Papua New Guinea |
5.78 |
11.1% |
Ashurst LLP |
Singapore |
2.81 |
3.2% |
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners |
Indonesia |
1.99 |
6.1% |
Bae, Kim & Lee LLC |
South Korea |
23.26 |
36.9% |
BTG Legal |
India |
3.33 |
22.2% |
Christopher & Lee Ong |
Malaysia |
1.00 |
2.8% |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP |
China |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP |
Hong Kong |
0.69 |
3.2% |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP |
South Korea |
1.02 |
6.7% |
D.L. & F. De Saram |
Sri Lanka |
38.33 |
33.3% |
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP |
Hong Kong |
4.28 |
10.3% |
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP |
Japan |
34.07 |
33.3% |
Dechert LLP |
China |
76.00 |
83.3% |
Dechert LLP |
Hong Kong |
69.11 |
100.0% |
Dechert LLP |
Kazakhstan |
25.00 |
100.0% |
Dechert LLP |
Singapore |
51.29 |
82.4% |
Dentons |
Singapore |
2.76 |
5.0% |
DLA Piper |
China |
5.41 |
13.6% |
DLA Piper |
Hong Kong |
31.45 |
38.2% |
DLA Piper |
Japan |
18.90 |
40.0% |
DLA Piper |
New Zealand |
23.90 |
52.3% |
DLA Piper |
Singapore |
21.13 |
50.0% |
DLA Piper |
South Korea |
0.12 |
0.0% |
DLA Piper |
Thailand |
35.07 |
23.3% |
Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates |
Bangladesh |
87.95 |
118.2% |
Duane Morris LLP |
China |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Duane Morris LLP |
Myanmar |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Duane Morris LLP |
Singapore |
8.23 |
15.4% |
Duane Morris LLP |
Taiwan |
1.00 |
0.0% |
Duane Morris LLP |
Vietnam |
17.25 |
50.0% |
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP |
Singapore |
43.75 |
87.5% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
China |
12.78 |
22.7% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Hong Kong |
20.74 |
29.5% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Japan |
23.78 |
38.5% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Singapore |
21.51 |
21.7% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
Vietnam |
6.29 |
26.7% |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
China |
8.29 |
28.6% |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
Hong Kong |
24.07 |
46.3% |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
Singapore |
62.71 |
41.2% |
Goodwin Procter LLP |
Hong Kong |
2.83 |
16.7% |
Grays Chambers |
Bangladesh |
3.00 |
100.0% |
Hogan Lovells |
China |
6.18 |
24.2% |
Hogan Lovells |
Hong Kong |
15.82 |
47.6% |
Hogan Lovells |
Indonesia |
7.36 |
20.0% |
Hogan Lovells |
Japan |
7.26 |
13.5% |
Hogan Lovells |
Singapore |
13.91 |
41.0% |
Hogan Lovells |
Vietnam |
11.10 |
30.8% |
I Know,Right (IKR) |
Bangladesh |
48.00 |
100.0% |
J. Sagar Associates |
India |
5.24 |
6.6% |
K&L Gates LLP |
China |
0.14 |
0.0% |
K&L Gates LLP |
Hong Kong |
2.97 |
10.3% |
K&L Gates LLP |
Singapore |
16.33 |
22.2% |
K&L Gates LLP |
South Korea |
1.00 |
0.0% |
K&L Gates LLP |
Taiwan |
0.38 |
0.0% |
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP |
China |
0.00 |
0.0% |
King & Wood Mallesons (Hong Kong office) |
Hong Kong |
5.76 |
11.7% |
King & Wood Mallesons |
Singapore |
8.86 |
0.0% |
Kinstellar |
Kazakhstan |
2.47 |
15.8% |
Kirkland & Ellis LLP |
China |
25.32 |
68.4% |
Kirkland & Ellis LLP |
Hong Kong |
28.01 |
71.3% |
Knowledge Information Acess Associates( KIAA,LLP) |
India |
5.00 |
16.7% |
Lanna Lawyers |
Thailand |
222.22 |
100.0% |
Latham & Watkins |
Hong Kong |
25.72 |
46.0% |
Latham & Watkins |
Japan |
15.86 |
21.4% |
Latham & Watkins |
Singapore |
57.02 |
65.1% |
LawQuest |
India |
4.00 |
0.0% |
Linklaters |
China |
0.84 |
1.4% |
Linklaters |
Hong Kong |
4.92 |
14.2% |
Linklaters |
Japan |
6.41 |
24.3% |
Linklaters |
Singapore |
11.33 |
28.4% |
Linklaters |
Thailand |
9.46 |
17.9% |
MahWengKwai & Associates |
Malaysia |
9.32 |
10.5% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
China |
25.93 |
53.3% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
Hong Kong |
12.01 |
32.9% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
Japan |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
Singapore |
1.59 |
5.9% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
Thailand |
35.67 |
66.7% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
Vietnam |
2.25 |
0.0% |
MIN YUNG HUI & PARTNERS LAW OFFICE |
Cambodia |
0.20 |
120.0% |
Morrison & Foerster |
China |
16.50 |
41.7% |
Morrison & Foerster |
Hong Kong |
12.60 |
27.7% |
Morrison & Foerster |
Singapore |
23.00 |
40.0% |
Nakoorsha Law Corporation |
Singapore |
100.00 |
100.0% |
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP |
China |
43.11 |
76.7% |
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP |
Japan |
133.93 |
99.6% |
Paul Hastings LLP |
China |
27.01 |
46.2% |
Paul Hastings LLP |
Japan |
112.69 |
125.0% |
Paul Hastings LLP |
South Korea |
81.13 |
100.0% |
Pioneer Law Associates |
Nepal |
0.00 |
8.8% |
Pradhan & Associates |
Nepal |
0.00 |
40.0% |
Reed Smith |
China |
8.41 |
17.6% |
Reed Smith |
Hong Kong |
2.26 |
3.7% |
Reed Smith |
Singapore |
15.30 |
30.0% |
RNA Technology & IP Attorneys |
India |
1.50 |
50.0% |
Ropes & Gray |
China |
44.15 |
96.2% |
Ropes & Gray |
Hong Kong |
35.63 |
75.0% |
Ropes & Gray |
Japan |
30.27 |
27.3% |
Ropes & Gray |
South Korea |
15.67 |
33.3% |
Saikrishna & Associates |
India |
0.00 |
15.4% |
Seyfarth Shaw |
China |
0.06 |
0.0% |
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co. |
India |
0.57 |
1.0% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
China |
2.47 |
5.6% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
Hong Kong |
6.73 |
18.8% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
Japan |
0.49 |
0.0% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
Singapore |
31.53 |
39.3% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
South Korea |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Simmons & Simmons LLP |
China |
9.50 |
15.4% |
Simmons & Simmons LLP |
Hong Kong |
13.02 |
22.2% |
Simmons & Simmons LLP |
Singapore |
11.33 |
20.8% |
Simpson Grierson |
New Zealand |
9.38 |
27.9% |
Sinha Verma Law Concern |
Nepal |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
China |
3.16 |
6.3% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
Hong Kong |
36.80 |
48.3% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
Japan |
11.89 |
30.0% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
Singapore |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
South Korea |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Steptoe and Johnson |
China |
8.67 |
33.3% |
Sudath Perera Associates |
Sri Lanka |
1.58 |
7.9% |
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan |
Philippines |
3.05 |
5.8% |
Thanathip & Partners Legal Counsellors Limited |
Thailand |
8.39 |
17.9% |
UKCA and Partners |
India |
6.67 |
66.7% |
Vivien Teu & Co LLP |
Hong Kong |
54.29 |
57.1% |
Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP |
China |
2.00 |
12.5% |
Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP |
Hong Kong |
3.29 |
28.6% |
White & Case |
China |
13.39 |
34.8% |
White & Case |
Hong Kong |
21.04 |
63.6% |
White & Case |
Indonesia |
20.36 |
63.6% |
White & Case |
Japan |
19.05 |
54.5% |
White & Case |
Kazakhstan |
111.43 |
114.3% |
White & Case |
Singapore |
38.50 |
111.5% |
White & Case |
South Korea |
10.75 |
50.0% |
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP |
China |
121.18 |
75.0% |
Bangladesh
We received data from four law firms with offices in Bangladesh for the self-selected 12-month reporting period for this Index. Efforts to increase provision of pro bono have occurred in this jurisdiction, including the setting up of organisations such as BLAST (Bangladesh Legal Aid & Services Trust) as an attempt to systematise pro bono provision, which has until now been informally dispensed by members of the Bangladesh Bar. BLAST emerged from a resolution of the Bangladesh Bar Council, and brings together a network of 2,500 panel lawyers across the country.
As 2020 was the first year in which multiple Bangladeshi offices submitted Index data, the data sets cannot be compared to identify chronological trends. However, 2020 findings showed that fee earners performed an average of 39.4 hours of pro bono work over the self-selected 12-month reporting period, and, impressively, 87 percent of fee earners contributed 10 or more hours. Partner involvement is very strong in Bangladesh, with 67 percent of firm partners engaging in some pro bono work over the self-selected 12-month reporting period. On average partners in Bangladesh spent more time doing pro bono than partners in any other country that provided data for the 2020 Index, with an average 92.92 hours per partner dedicated to pro bono in the reporting period.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
A.S & Associates |
18.46 |
30.8% |
Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates |
87.95 |
118.2% |
Grays Chambers |
3.00 |
100.0% |
I Know,Right (IKR) |
48.00 |
100.0% |
Country average |
39.35 |
87.24% |
China
Pro bono is still in its infancy in China, where there are no requirements to carry out pro bono legal work. The notion of pro bono is broadly gaining recognition in the country but appears directly connected to corporate social responsibility initiatives and is driven by the non-legal business community looking to provide in-kind, skill-based support. Apart from lawyers providing pro bono support for personal and social causes that are dear to them, there are also a small number of independent and legal aid organisations that offer free legal services to socially disadvantaged groups and individuals in need.
Although some district and municipal-level initiatives have encouraged lawyers to provide legal aid support (but not pro bono yet), the Chinese government has yet to implement any guidance or regulation that would both protect the practice and recognise the firms and lawyers who are doing pro bono legal work in the country. A regulatory change would be beneficial to help move the needle and build a culture of pro bono legal work in traditional Chinese law firms.
Twenty-seven law firms submitted data on their pro bono practices in China, our highest number of responses from this jurisdiction since 2014. All respondents were international firms with offices in China, with no submissions received from domestic Chinese firms. Findings indicated a dip in the activity of law firms over the past four years, with average pro bono hours per fee earner decreasing from 37.3 hours in the 2016 Index to 15.99 hours. The percentage of fee earners doing 10 or more hours of pro bono in China stood at 27 percent.
Our findings showed that partner engagement increased, with the percentage of partners devoting any time to pro bono projects rising from 17.8 percent in 2016 to 45 percent in 2020. Similarly, the average hours of pro bono work performed by partners based in China increased from 4.4 hours reported in 2016 to 17.76 hours in 2020.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP |
4.38 |
12.5% |
Allen & Overy LLP |
12.27 |
25.0% |
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP |
0.50 |
0.0% |
Ashurst LLP |
8.96 |
23.1% |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Dechert LLP |
76.00 |
83.3% |
DLA Piper |
5.41 |
13.6% |
Duane Morris LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
12.78 |
22.7% |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
8.29 |
28.6% |
Hogan Lovells |
6.18 |
24.2% |
K&L Gates LLP |
0.14 |
0.0% |
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Kirkland & Ellis LLP |
25.32 |
68.4% |
Linklaters |
0.84 |
1.4% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
25.93 |
53.3% |
Morrison & Foerster |
16.50 |
41.7% |
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP |
43.11 |
76.7% |
Paul Hastings LLP |
27.01 |
46.2% |
Reed Smith |
8.41 |
17.6% |
Ropes & Gray |
44.15 |
96.2% |
Seyfarth Shaw |
0.06 |
0.0% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
2.47 |
5.6% |
Simmons & Simmons LLP |
9.50 |
15.4% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
3.16 |
6.3% |
Steptoe and Johnson |
8.67 |
33.3% |
Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP |
2.00 |
12.5% |
White & Case |
13.39 |
34.8% |
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP |
121.18 |
75.0% |
Country average |
15.99 |
27.11% |
Hong Kong
Though a culture of pro bono has existed in Hong Kong for years, developments such as the establishment of PILnet’s office in 2013 have helped support further growth. Hong Kong lawyers are prevented from providing free advice in certain situations, including for profit-making organisations (such as social enterprises) that have not been approved by the Bar Association. With an increasing awareness of legal needs that are neglected by the traditional legal aid system, various organisations have also started pro bono models, such as Justice Centre Hong Kong for refugees and Pro Bono HK, which runs legal clinics and legal literacy programmes for marginalised communities. When pro-democracy protests broke out in Hong Kong in 2019, 200 Hong Kong lawyers provided pro bono legal assistance to arrested protesters.
For the 2020 Index, 26 Hong Kong firms contributed data on their fee earners pro bono contributions, up from 21 firms in the 2016 Index. As in previous Indexes, submissions from Hong Kong continue to come predominantly from local branches of international law firms, with a single Index submission from a domestic Hong Kong firm received in 2020.
Respondent law firms indicated that pro bono in Hong Kong increased between 2016 and 2020, with fee earners carrying out 18.40 hours on average compared to 8.50 hours in 2016. Lawyers undertaking 10 or more hours of pro bono also increased in 2020; in 2016 only 15 percent met this minimum, while in this reporting period 35 percent of lawyers contributed 10 or more hours.
The 2020 Index findings show that individual partners increased the hours spent on pro bono matters to 10.72 from the 3.8 hours recorded in 2016. The percentage of partners who spent any time working for pro bono clients rose in Hong Kong rose from 18 percent to 50 percent.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP |
16.09 |
31.8% |
Allen & Overy LLP |
22.67 |
31.9% |
Ashurst LLP |
5.51 |
13.0% |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP |
0.69 |
3.2% |
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP |
4.28 |
10.3% |
Dechert LLP |
69.11 |
100.0% |
DLA Piper |
31.45 |
38.2% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
20.74 |
29.5% |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
24.07 |
46.3% |
Goodwin Procter LLP |
2.83 |
16.7% |
Hogan Lovells |
15.82 |
47.6% |
K&L Gates LLP |
2.97 |
10.3% |
King & Wood Mallesons (Hong Kong office) |
5.76 |
11.7% |
Kirkland & Ellis LLP |
28.01 |
71.3% |
Latham & Watkins |
25.72 |
46.0% |
Linklaters |
4.92 |
14.2% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
12.01 |
32.9% |
Morrison & Foerster |
12.60 |
27.7% |
Reed Smith |
2.26 |
3.7% |
Ropes & Gray |
35.63 |
75.0% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
6.73 |
18.8% |
Simmons & Simmons LLP |
13.02 |
22.2% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
36.80 |
48.3% |
Vivien Teu & Co LLP |
54.29 |
57.1% |
Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP |
3.29 |
28.6% |
White & Case |
21.04 |
63.6% |
Country average |
18.40 |
34.61% |
India
Although providing legal aid and pro bono are not mandatory in India, there has been a long-standing custom of providing free legal assistance. The practice of pro bono in law firms is becoming more organised, with firms developing pro bono cells and centres. Some firms also have pro bono policies and coordinators. Regular transactional services for non-profit organisations and social enterprises continue to be the preferred mode of providing pro bono support, particularly by corporate legal teams. Our observation of pro bono in India also reveals that there is enthusiasm from in-house counsel teams and companies to involve their legal teams in legal pro bono advisory services.
The National Legal Services Authority of India (NALSA) has had a robust scheme of legal aid in place for many years. To compliment NALSA, in 2019 the Department of Justice launched a new pro bono legal service, a tele-law mobile application, ‘Nyaya Bandhu’. The initiative aims to accelerate and facilitate connections between practising advocates and eligible beneficiaries. The services include criminal as well as civil litigation.
A comparative analysis between 2016 and 2020 has not been carried out for this Index due to the samples in each year being significantly distinct. In 2020, we received submissions from eight local law firms. The average number of pro bono hours performed by fee earners was 12.18 hours in the 12-month reporting period. The percentage of fee earners doing 10 or more hours of pro bono work stood at 24 percent. On average, partners in India contributed 4.39 average hours of pro bono work. The percentage of partners devoting any time to pro bono work was 21 percent, with 7 percent of the partners conducting 10 or more hours of pro bono.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Altacit Global |
83.33 |
41.7% |
BTG Legal |
3.33 |
22.2% |
J. Sagar Associates |
5.24 |
6.6% |
Knowledge Information Acess Associates( KIAA,LLP) |
5.00 |
16.7% |
LawQuest |
4.00 |
0.0% |
RNA Technology & IP Attorneys |
1.50 |
50.0% |
Saikrishna & Associates |
0.00 |
15.4% |
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co. |
0.57 |
1.0% |
UKCA and Partners |
6.67 |
66.7% |
Country average |
12.18 |
24.47% |
Indonesia
A tradition of pro bono is engrained in the legal culture of Indonesia because Indonesian law students typically start engaging in pro bono activity during their two-year internship when training to become a licensed lawyer. The Indonesian Advocate Association (PERADI) recommends that all domestic lawyers contribute at least 50 hours of pro bono work annually. Through Rule No.1/2020 enacted by PERADI, this recommendation has become a requirement for Indonesian lawyers in order to renew or obtain their advocate identity card. Foreign lawyers who work in Indonesia must show a consistent track record of providing 10 hours of pro bono support per month in legal research, government legal services or legal education.
This is the first in-depth analysis that is being carried out on pro bono trends in Indonesia for the Index. We received submissions from four firms in Indonesia, with three coming from international law firms and one from a local firm. On average, fee earners performed 12.45 hours of pro bono in the 12-month reporting period, with 34 percent performing 10 or more hours of pro bono. At respondent firms, 13 percent of partners took part in pro bono activities in the 12-month reporting period, performing an average of 2.37 hours each. In future years, it will be interesting to track the impact of PERADI’s 2020 mandate for lawyers to perform at least 50 hours of pro bono.
Pro bono legal practice in Indonesia can be observed across a wide spectrum of sectors, from assisting in criminal and human rights matters to teaching law. Indonesia hosts an estimated 4.5 million migrant workers sending back annual remittances worth nearly $9 billion USD, and many of these workers face challenges that call for enhanced pro bono support. A study by the Pro Bono Institute and Latham & Watkins in 2019 noted that major unmet needs include discrimination, industrial relations, labour issues and employment law.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Ashurst LLP |
20.09 |
45.5% |
Assegaf Hamzah & Partners |
1.99 |
6.1% |
Hogan Lovells |
7.36 |
20.0% |
White & Case |
20.36 |
63.6% |
Country average |
12.45 |
33.80% |
Japan
In Japan, lawyers providing free services are mostly engaged in criminal representation or government-subsidised work for low-income families. There are other governmental and non-governmental organisations that provide access to justice at a free or low cost, including the Japan Legal Support Center, the Duty Attorney Systems, and other legal counselling centres established by the bar associations. Large commercial firms have established the Business Lawyers Pro Bono Network to work on pro bono matters to support NGOs in Japan.
Index participation from law firms with offices in Japan has decreased, with 13 data submissions received for the 2020 Index compared to 16 submissions for the 2016 Index. All submissions were provided by the local branches of international firms, with none received from domestic Japanese law firms.
Findings for 2020 indicate growth in Japan’s pro bono sector. On average, fee earners from respondent firms performed 29.72 hours of pro bono work compared to 11.9 hours reported the previous Index. The percentage of fee earners contributing 10 or more hours of pro bono work also saw an increase, up to 37 percent from 14 percent reported in the 2016 Index. This may be as a result of a greater culture of non-legal pro bono, particularly among young people who use their professional skills and experience to contribute to society.
Partner engagement in pro bono in Japan also grew, the data suggests. In 2016 partners in law firms performed an average of 8.2 hours, but this grew to an average 26.15 hours in the reporting period for the 2020 Index. Similarly, the percentage of partners that performed pro bono hours rose to 58 percent in 2020, compared to 20.8 percent in 2016.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Ashurst LLP |
1.54 |
3.8% |
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP |
34.07 |
33.3% |
DLA Piper |
18.90 |
40.0% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
23.78 |
38.5% |
Hogan Lovells |
7.26 |
13.5% |
Latham & Watkins |
15.86 |
21.4% |
Linklaters |
6.41 |
24.3% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP |
133.93 |
99.6% |
Paul Hastings LLP |
112.69 |
125.0% |
Ropes & Gray |
30.27 |
27.3% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
0.49 |
0.0% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
11.89 |
30.0% |
White & Case |
19.05 |
54.5% |
Country average |
29.72 |
36.52% |
Singapore
Singapore’s pro bono practice is one of the most advanced and progressive in the region, benefiting from a commitment from the Law Society of Singapore and mandatory reporting on the number of pro bono hours completed each year. Since the 2016 Index, the biggest development has been the incorporation of the Law Society Pro Bono Services (LSPBS), a registered charity that is also an Institution of a Public Character. Though the LSPBS has been in existence since 2007, its formal registration as a separate corporate entity ‘marked a grand coming of age’ of the pro bono department in the Law Society, with a 30-strong team responsible for pro bono matters.
Since 2007, the LSPBS reports that it has assisted 10,000 underserved individuals and benefited from 2,000 volunteer lawyers. LSPBS provides assistance to NGOs and social enterprises through legal clinics and transactional assistance. Pro bono in Singapore is also provided by numerous specialist non-profit and legal entities. The culture of pro bono is also prevalent within the law student community, with organisations such as the National University of Singapore Pro Bono group promoting pro bono within their Faculty of Law.
A comparative analysis between 2016 and 2020 has not been carried out for this Index due to the samples in each year being significantly distinct. The 2020 Index of Pro Bono received 24 submissions from law firms. Though a majority of the law firms submitting data in Singapore are the offices of international firms, three submissions were received from local firms – a first for the Index when it comes to data from this jurisdiction. In 2020 the data suggests that mandatory reporting requirements and formalised pro bono infrastructure at the Law Society level have been influential on practitioners in the jurisdiction. Fee earners from respondent firms based in Singapore carried out an average of 22.69 hours of pro bono each. The percentage of lawyers doing 10 or more hours of pro bono work was 34 percent in 2020.
Partners at respondent law firms in Singapore were also involved in pro bono activities, averaging 12 hours each. Thirty-two percent of partners gave back legal skills and knowledge by performing some pro bono.
In 2020, Singapore’s Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon emphasised the importance of pro bono and access to justice, stating that, “There is an important relationship between unequal access to justice and socio-economic inequality, which is one of the great challenges of our times and indeed one that the pandemic has brutally exposed in many societies.” He went on, “Now more than ever, pro bono services will be critical in supporting access to justice for those who cannot afford it... In the giving of your time, efforts, and skills to the most vulnerable members of society, you will not only find your lawyering skills sharpened, but also enjoy some of the most memorable and meaningful engagements in your professional lives.”
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP |
13.25 |
12.5% |
Allen & Overy LLP |
6.85 |
15.1% |
Amica Law LLC |
1.42 |
8.3% |
Ashurst LLP |
2.81 |
3.2% |
Dechert LLP |
51.29 |
82.4% |
Dentons |
2.76 |
5.0% |
DLA Piper |
21.13 |
50.0% |
Duane Morris LLP |
8.23 |
15.4% |
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP |
43.75 |
87.5% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
21.51 |
21.7% |
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP |
62.71 |
41.2% |
Hogan Lovells |
13.91 |
41.0% |
K&L Gates LLP |
16.33 |
22.2% |
King & Wood Mallesons |
8.86 |
0.0% |
Latham & Watkins |
57.02 |
65.1% |
Linklaters |
11.33 |
28.4% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
1.59 |
5.9% |
Morrison & Foerster |
23.00 |
40.0% |
Nakoorsha Law Corporation |
100.00 |
100.0% |
Reed Smith |
15.30 |
30.0% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
31.53 |
39.3% |
Simmons & Simmons LLP |
11.33 |
20.8% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
White & Case |
38.50 |
111.5% |
Country average |
22.69 |
34.01% |
South Korea
With a strong tradition of human rights advocacy during its democracy movement in the 1970s and 1980s, the South Korean pro bono landscape has evolved to be more structured. The pro bono culture has been reinforced by the existence of legislation that explicitly formalises a duty to perform designated services, such as public interest activities (which can include pro bono), for a minimum of 30 hours per year – although local bar associations have the authority to decrease the requirement to 20 hours.
Since 2016, there have been several developments that indicate an increase in the uptake of pro bono in the country. Apart from the formation of the Law Firm Public Interest Network that includes 12 major law firms, the Dongcheon Legal Center for Non-profit Organisations and the Seoul Bar Association Pro Bono Support Center were also established, the latter by the Seoul Bar Association as South Korea’s first full-fledged pro bono clearinghouse. In addition, the Korean Bar Association set up a Pro Bono Support Center in 2020.
A comparative analysis between 2016 and 2020 has not been carried out for this Index due to the samples in each year being significantly distinct. Submissions were received from eight law firms, one of which was local, for the 2020 Index. The average hours performed per fee earner in South Korea stood at 13.95 hours. The percentage of fee earners who performed 10 or more hours of pro bono work over the self-selected 12-month reporting period was 24 percent. Levels of partner engagement indicate that this category of fee earners performed 37.65 hours of pro bono. The percentage of partners who engaged in any pro bono work stood at 71 percent.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer LLP |
6.57 |
14.3% |
Bae, Kim & Lee LLC |
23.26 |
36.9% |
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP |
1.02 |
6.7% |
DLA Piper |
0.12 |
0.0% |
K&L Gates LLP |
1.00 |
0.0% |
Paul Hastings LLP |
81.13 |
100.0% |
Ropes & Gray |
15.67 |
33.3% |
Shearman & Sterling LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP |
0.00 |
0.0% |
White & Case |
10.75 |
50.0% |
Country average |
13.95 |
24.12% |
Thailand
Traditionally, lawyers in Thailand support communities through legal aid for individuals, but a justice gap remains. Examples of organisations providing legal assistance and litigation support for individuals on human rights cases include the Human Rights Lawyers Association in strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPP) cases, Asylum Access and Refugee Rights Litigation Project in refugee cases, and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights in martial law cases.
In June 2016, the National Reform Steering Assembly Commission on Law and Justice System submitted a report specifying the limitations of pro bono schemes in Thailand to the National Reform Steering Assembly. Furthermore, pro bono has been pushed forward at the university level. In 2016, Thammasat University’s Pro Bono Society was established to promote pro bono at the law school, coupled with ongoing efforts by Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Clinical Legal Education (BABSEACLE) based in Chiang Mai, Thailand that runs CLE programmes across ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
In 2018, PILnet also launched an anti-trafficking project establishing a network of pro bono lawyers to support anti-trafficking cases in Southeast Asia, pioneering the project in Thailand. Private law firms active in pro bono are also increasing, albeit slowly, nurturing the pro bono culture in Thailand.
Findings from law firms with offices in Thailand indicate growth in the legal community’s pro bono contributions over the four years since the 2016 Index. Submissions were received from six firms, half domestic, half international, an increase on the five received in 2016. The average number of hours that individual fee earners contributed to pro bono work increased from 17.2 hours reported in the 2016 Index to 53.08 hours reported for the 2020 Index. The percentage of fee earners carrying out at least 10 hours of pro bono also saw an increase, from 35 percent in the 2016 findings to 38 percent in this reporting period. Partner engagement grew, with 63 percent performing pro bono and, on average, each partner performing 46.72 hours of pro bono.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Anglo-Thai Legal |
7.69 |
0.0% |
DLA Piper |
35.07 |
23.3% |
Lanna Lawyers |
222.22 |
100.0% |
Linklaters |
9.46 |
17.9% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
35.67 |
66.7% |
Thanathip & Partners Legal Counsellors Limited |
8.39 |
17.9% |
Country average |
53.08 |
37.62% |
Vietnam
Vietnam introduced a mandatory obligation for lawyers to do pro bono work in 2017 and has dedicated Oct. 10 each year to the provision of pro bono services. Whether private law firms engage in pro bono matters largely depends on their firm culture. Recent efforts to institutionalise a culture of legal aid and pro bono in the legal sector include the passing of the Law on Legal Aid (11/2017/QH14) in 2017 and Decision 112/QD-BTV. Under Decision 112, every lawyer is mandated to dedicate a minimum of four hours to pro bono and legal aid each year.
A comparative analysis between 2016 and 2020 has not been carried out due to the samples in each year being significantly distinct. For the 2020 Index, four international law firms submitted responses on pro bono practices in Vietnam. They indicate that fee earners averaged 9.22 hours. The percentage of fee earners performing 10 or more hours of pro bono work over the self-selected 12-month reporting period stood at 27 percent.
Exactly 50 percent of partners in Vietnam’s respondent firms engaged in some pro bono, contributing an average of 3.9 hours each.
Firm Name |
Average Hours per Fee-Earner |
Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono |
Duane Morris LLP |
17.25 |
50.0% |
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer |
6.29 |
26.7% |
Hogan Lovells |
11.10 |
30.8% |
Mayer Brown LLP |
2.25 |
0.0% |
Country average |
9.22 |
26.86% |