Data

Explore the results by region and country.

Africa & Middle East

There is significant diversity in approaches to pro bono across Africa and the Middle East. For the 2022 Index, we received submissions from 98 firms in 26 countries in Africa and the Middle East. This is the first year we are including an in-depth analysis for Qatar, having received seven responses for the country.

The region reported a total of 73,656 hours of pro bono. On average, 31.5 percent of fee earners offered pro bono services at an average of 21.9 hours of pro bono, with 20.7 percent recording ten or more hours of pro bono. 33.7 percent of partners offered pro bono services, at an average of 14.7 hours.

The legal and pro bono systems of these regions are, of course, highly varied. In some countries, the practice of pro bono is much less formal and documented, and in others it is more established. However, our data shows some formalisation of pro bono across Africa and the Middle East, with 35 percent of responding firms reporting an element of pro bono infrastructure. The presence of infrastructure is not limited to larger firms, as 73 percent of Small Firms reported the presence of some pro bono infrastructure, and 86 percent in Medium-sized Firms. Firms within the regions that had elements of pro bono infrastructure reported 26.5 hours of pro bono on average compared to an average of 3.9 hours in firms with no pro bono infrastructure.

The responding law firms obtained their pro bono briefs mostly directly from individual clients (70 percent), followed by local law societies or bar associations (44 percent), then through legal clinics (33 percent). There were some elements of a collaborative approach to pro bono, with 28 percent of firms sourcing for pro bono clients in partnership with other firms.

In terms of the reasons for engaging in pro bono, 42 of the responding firms in the region selected the desire to support the community, with 97 percent of the firms ranking it as a reason for pro bono. This is followed by training and skill development, with 28 firms ranking it as first, with 65 percent of the responding firms indicating it as a reason for engaging in pro bono. The firms’ alignment with interests of clients was third, with 15 firms ranking it first and 35 percent of the firms ranking it as a leading reason for pro bono.

The top three most selected areas of pro bono work are access to justice at 60 percent, employment at 46 percent, and education, training and employment at 40 percent.

We continue to see growing interest in working with social enterprises, with 63 percent of firms reporting that they offered advice and/or legal representation to social enterprises, alongside registered charities/non-profits (88 percent), and individuals (74 percent). The proliferation of social impact ventures and impact investors in the region, may be raising law firms’ interest in legal pro bono for the social enterprise and social impact sector.
Firm Name Country Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Al Tamimi & Company Bahrain 2.5 0%
DLA Piper Bahrain 60.2 60%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Bahrain 5 0%
CHILUME AND COMPANY Botswana - -
Nyoh Law Chambers Cameroon 12.5 50%
ZANGUE & PARTNERS Cameroon - -
Al Tamimi & Company Egypt 1.54 6.7%
Sharkawy & Sarhan Law Firm Egypt 2.86 8.6%
White & Case Egypt 2.18 10.7%
Mesfin Tafesse and Associates (MTA) Ethiopia 33.33 50%
Al Tamimi & Company Iraq 1.07 0%
Al Tamimi & Company Jordan 5.51 20.8%
Dentons Jordan 3.74 20%
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP and ALN Tanzania | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP Kenya 46.38 51.1%
Bowmans Kenya - -
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Kenya 7.18 17.7%
Denis SEKO Advocates Kenya 36 100%
KIMITI & ASSOCIATES, ADVOCATES Kenya 5 100%
Meru and Njagi Advocates Kenya - -
Muri Mwaniki Thige & Kageni LLP Advocates Kenya 10 100%
NZAMBA KITONGA ADVOCATES Kenya 0.38 37.5%
Njoroge Regeru & Co. Advocates Kenya - -
WACHENJE & MARIGA LLP Kenya 22.5 100%
janet Jackson Susan Llp Advocates Kenya 1.67 100%
Al Tamimi & Company Kuwait 0.16 0%
Badri and Salim El Meouchi Law Firm Lebanon 142.86 100%
Cabinet HHH AVOCATS Law firm Morocco - -
DLA Piper Morocco 2.54 15.4%
Dentons Morocco 1.2 6.7%
MORSAD LAW FIRM Morocco - -
Vieira de Almeida & Associados Mozambique 36.78 -
Aluko & Oyebode Nigeria 7.63 42.9%
Dean Solicitors Nigeria 11.67 100%
Fortis LP Nigeria 16.67 100%
Matrix-Solicitors Nigeria 11.54 38.5%
Paul - G. Elias Nigeria 10 11.1%
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie Nigeria 3.37 12.3%
Al Tamimi & Company Oman 0.15 0%
Dentons Oman 10.31 30%
Al Tamimi & Company Qatar 0.71 4.2%
Crowell & Moring LLP Qatar 25 44.4%
DLA Piper Qatar 6.89 0%
Dentons Qatar 0.68 0%
K&L Gates LLP Qatar 10 12.5%
Simmons & Simmons LLP Qatar 3.74 20%
White & Case Qatar 25.29 42.9%
Better Legal Services Law Firm Rwanda 26 80%
Accenture Saudi Arabia - -
Al Tamimi & Company Saudi Arabia 0.4 1.5%
Dentons Saudi Arabia 11.36 7.7%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Saudi Arabia 0 0%
White & Case Saudi Arabia 25.25 75%
Allen & Overy South Africa 19.37 30.2%
BNM Advocates South Africa - -
Bowmans South Africa 18.7 -
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr South Africa 37.37 15.4%
DLA Piper South Africa 14.8 3.3%
Fasken ( South Africa) South Africa 58 53.8%
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc South Africa 39.63 64%
Webber Wentzel South Africa 45.45 -
White & Case South Africa 20.36 45.5%
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP and ALN Tanzania | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP Tanzania 4.39 50%
Asyla Attorneys Tanzania 1.36 9.1%
Bowmans Tanzania - -
Dentons Tanzania 0.91 22.7%
MAXISERVE ATTORNEYS Tanzania 21 75%
Bowmans Uganda - -
CR. Amanya Advocates & Solicitors Uganda 125 100%
MMAKS ADVOCATES Uganda 15.44 29.6%
Accenture United Arab Emirates - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP United Arab Emirates 37.69 53.9%
Al Tamimi & Company United Arab Emirates 3.19 15.5%
Allen & Overy United Arab Emirates 2.56 9.3%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP United Arab Emirates 19.97 33.3%
DLA Piper United Arab Emirates 9.77 5.1%
Dechert LLP United Arab Emirates 68.86 100%
Dentons United Arab Emirates 1.72 9.8%
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP United Arab Emirates 1.85 2.8%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer United Arab Emirates 15.46 23.9%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP United Arab Emirates 18.08 41.7%
K&L Gates LLP United Arab Emirates 2.22 11.1%
Latham & Watkins United Arab Emirates 34.7 75%
Linklaters LLP United Arab Emirates - -
Mayer Brown LLP United Arab Emirates 11.71 28.6%
Reed Smith United Arab Emirates 37.26 51.1%
Shearman & Sterling LLP United Arab Emirates 10.36 34.4%
Simmons & Simmons LLP United Arab Emirates 7.97 31.8%
White & Case United Arab Emirates 18.58 66.7%
Bowmans Zambia - -
Mweshi Banda and Associates Zambia 16.67 100%
KANOKANGA & PARTNERS Zimbabwe 12 -

Kenya

Kenya has a robust pro bono and legal aid culture. The Law Society of Kenya, including through its Public Interest, Legal Aid and Human Rights Committee, promotes pro bono in private practice and advocates for greater acceptance of pro bono work among its membership. The Law Society also helps more directly to enable pro bono—for example, its Nairobi branch accepts requests for pro bono support from people in need and matches them from a consolidated list of lawyers willing to provide pro bono services.

Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and tough economic situation, the average hours reported for fee earners were higher than the regional average. More than half of fee earners from responding firms engaged in pro bono.

The Index received submissions from 11 law firms in Kenya, with 58 percent of the fee earners recording any pro bono hours at an average of 36.4 hours, and 56 percent of them recording ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners demonstrate a commitment to the practice of pro bono, with 57 percent of them offering pro bono services at an average of 15.8 hours, and 33 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono.

More than 75 percent of responding law firms reported having at least one element of pro bono infrastructure, indicating a strong commitment to pro bono in the Kenyan legal market.

The most common types of pro bono clients among responding firms were registered charities/non-profits and social enterprises at 78 percent and 67 percent respectively.

The most selected areas of pro bono focus were access to justice at 78 percent, data and digital rights at 56 percent and employment at 44 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP and ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP 46.38 51.1%
Bowmans - -
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr 7.18 17.7%
Denis SEKO Advocates 36 100%
KIMITI & ASSOCIATES, ADVOCATES 5 100%
Meru and Njagi Advocates - -
Muri Mwaniki Thige & Kageni LLP Advocates 10 100%
NZAMBA KITONGA ADVOCATES 0.38 37.5%
Njoroge Regeru & Co. Advocates - -
WACHENJE & MARIGA LLP 22.5 100%
janet Jackson Susan Llp Advocates 1.67 100%

Nigeria

Pro bono practice in Nigeria enjoys the institutional support of the Nigerian Bar Association which proactively encourages its members to engage in pro bono. This commitment is documented in its Pro Bono Declaration which encourages law firms and individual lawyers to provide, on a pro bono basis, legal representation and advice to at least five indigent individuals, group of persons or communities each year. Moreover, the bar commits to strengthen the profession’s commitment to the provision and expansion of pro bono legal services by emphasising its importance and practice in legal education, and advocate and promote within the profession, the recognition and promotion of pro bono legal services as part of lawyers´ ethical standards and obligations.

Lawyers who wish to apply to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria must demonstrate they are engaged in pro bono legal service, which motivates many senior lawyers to get involved with pro bono and helps to make sense of the high average pro bono hours reported by partners compared with other fee earners (below).

This year we received submissions from six firms. The data shows that 37 percent of fee earners offered pro bono services at an average of 7.3 hours with 30 percent of fee earners offering ten or more hours of pro bono. Meanwhile, 37 percent of partners rendered pro bono services at an average of 32.3 hours.

Pro bono infrastructure is relatively widespread in Nigeria, with 67 percent of firms reporting the presence of at least one element of pro bono infrastructure.

The most selected thematic areas of pro bono focus were access to justice, anti-corruption and good governance, economic development, microfinance and social finance, and human rights, all at 33.3 percent. All responding firms (100 percent) reported that they offer pro bono support to individuals in need and registered charities/non-profit organisations, while 83 percent engage public interest litigation and advise social enterprises.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Aluko & Oyebode 7.63 42.9%
Dean Solicitors 11.67 100%
Fortis LP 16.67 100%
Matrix-Solicitors 11.54 38.5%
Paul - G. Elias 10 11.1%
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie 3.37 12.3%

Qatar

This is Qatar’s first in-depth analysis in the Index. We received submissions from seven firms.

There are recent positive developments that signal increasing interest in pro bono in Qatar. In 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre launched a Pro Bono Service to support eligible individuals who cannot afford legal services to access pro bono legal assistance, advice, and representation. Local lawyers or firms can volunteer their time and expertise in providing pro bono services.

Among the seven firms that responded to the Index, 23 percent of fee earners rendered pro bono services and spent an average of eight hours on pro bono matters, with 13.7 percent spending ten or more hours. Meanwhile, 53 percent of the partners engaged in pro bono at an average of 15 hours of pro bono with 22 percent of them rendering ten or more hours of pro bono support.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Al Tamimi & Company 0.71 4.2%
Crowell & Moring LLP 25 44.4%
DLA Piper 6.89 0%
Dentons 0.68 0%
K&L Gates LLP 10 12.5%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 3.74 20%
White & Case 25.29 42.9%

South Africa

There is significant diversity in approaches to pro bono across Africa and the Middle East. For the 2022 Index, we received submissions from 98 firms in 26 countries in Africa and the Middle East. This is the first year we are including an in-depth analysis for Qatar, having received seven responses for the country.

The region reported a total of 73,656 hours of pro bono. On average, 31.5 percent of fee earners offered pro bono services at an average of 21.9 hours of pro bono, with 20.7 percent recording ten or more hours of pro bono. 33.7 percent of partners offered pro bono services, at an average of 14.7 hours.

The legal and pro bono systems of these regions are, of course, highly varied. In some countries, the practice of pro bono is much less formal and documented, and in others it is more established. However, our data shows some formalisation of pro bono across Africa and the Middle East, with 35 percent of responding firms reporting an element of pro bono infrastructure. The presence of infrastructure is not limited to larger firms, as 73 percent of Small Firms reported the presence of some pro bono infrastructure, and 86 percent in Medium-sized Firms. Firms within the regions that had elements of pro bono infrastructure reported 26.5 hours of pro bono on average compared to an average of 3.9 hours in firms with no pro bono infrastructure.

The responding law firms obtained their pro bono briefs mostly directly from individual clients (70 percent), followed by local law societies or bar associations (44 percent), then through legal clinics (33 percent). There were some elements of a collaborative approach to pro bono, with 28 percent of firms sourcing for pro bono clients in partnership with other firms.

In terms of the reasons for engaging in pro bono, 42 of the responding firms in the region selected the desire to support the community, with 97 percent of the firms ranking it as a reason for pro bono. This is followed by training and skill development, with 28 firms ranking it as first, with 65 percent of the responding firms indicating it as a reason for engaging in pro bono. The firms’ alignment with interests of clients was third, with 15 firms ranking it first and 35 percent of the firms ranking it as a leading reason for pro bono.

The top three most selected areas of pro bono work are access to justice at 60 percent, employment at 46 percent, and education, training and employment at 40 percent.

We continue to see growing interest in working with social enterprises, with 63 percent of firms reporting that they offered advice and/or legal representation to social enterprises, alongside registered charities/non-profits (88 percent), and individuals (74 percent). The proliferation of social impact ventures and impact investors in the region, may be raising law firms’ interest in legal pro bono for the social enterprise and social impact sector.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Al Tamimi & Company Bahrain 2.5 0%
DLA Piper Bahrain 60.2 60%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Bahrain 5 0%
CHILUME AND COMPANY Botswana - -
Nyoh Law Chambers Cameroon 12.5 50%
ZANGUE & PARTNERS Cameroon - -
Al Tamimi & Company Egypt 1.54 6.7%
Sharkawy & Sarhan Law Firm Egypt 2.86 8.6%
White & Case Egypt 2.18 10.7%
Mesfin Tafesse and Associates (MTA) Ethiopia 33.33 50%
Al Tamimi & Company Iraq 1.07 0%
Al Tamimi & Company Jordan 5.51 20.8%
Dentons Jordan 3.74 20%
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP and ALN Tanzania | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP Kenya 46.38 51.1%
Bowmans Kenya - -
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr Kenya 7.18 17.7%
Denis SEKO Advocates Kenya 36 100%
KIMITI & ASSOCIATES, ADVOCATES Kenya 5 100%
Meru and Njagi Advocates Kenya - -
Muri Mwaniki Thige & Kageni LLP Advocates Kenya 10 100%
NZAMBA KITONGA ADVOCATES Kenya 0.38 37.5%
Njoroge Regeru & Co. Advocates Kenya - -
WACHENJE & MARIGA LLP Kenya 22.5 100%
janet Jackson Susan Llp Advocates Kenya 1.67 100%
Al Tamimi & Company Kuwait 0.16 0%
Badri and Salim El Meouchi Law Firm Lebanon 142.86 100%
Cabinet HHH AVOCATS Law firm Morocco - -
DLA Piper Morocco 2.54 15.4%
Dentons Morocco 1.2 6.7%
MORSAD LAW FIRM Morocco - -
Vieira de Almeida & Associados Mozambique 36.78 -
Aluko & Oyebode Nigeria 7.63 42.9%
Dean Solicitors Nigeria 11.67 100%
Fortis LP Nigeria 16.67 100%
Matrix-Solicitors Nigeria 11.54 38.5%
Paul - G. Elias Nigeria 10 11.1%
Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie Nigeria 3.37 12.3%
Al Tamimi & Company Oman 0.15 0%
Dentons Oman 10.31 30%
Al Tamimi & Company Qatar 0.71 4.2%
Crowell & Moring LLP Qatar 25 44.4%
DLA Piper Qatar 6.89 0%
Dentons Qatar 0.68 0%
K&L Gates LLP Qatar 10 12.5%
Simmons & Simmons LLP Qatar 3.74 20%
White & Case Qatar 25.29 42.9%
Better Legal Services Law Firm Rwanda 26 80%
Accenture Saudi Arabia - -
Al Tamimi & Company Saudi Arabia 0.4 1.5%
Dentons Saudi Arabia 11.36 7.7%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Saudi Arabia 0 0%
White & Case Saudi Arabia 25.25 75%
Allen & Overy South Africa 19.37 30.2%
BNM Advocates South Africa - -
Bowmans South Africa 18.7 -
Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr South Africa 37.37 15.4%
DLA Piper South Africa 14.8 3.3%
Fasken ( South Africa) South Africa 58 53.8%
Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc South Africa 39.63 64%
Webber Wentzel South Africa 45.45 -
White & Case South Africa 20.36 45.5%
ALN Kenya | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP and ALN Tanzania | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP Tanzania 4.39 50%
Asyla Attorneys Tanzania 1.36 9.1%
Bowmans Tanzania - -
Dentons Tanzania 0.91 22.7%
MAXISERVE ATTORNEYS Tanzania 21 75%
Bowmans Uganda - -
CR. Amanya Advocates & Solicitors Uganda 125 100%
MMAKS ADVOCATES Uganda 15.44 29.6%
Accenture United Arab Emirates - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP United Arab Emirates 37.69 53.9%
Al Tamimi & Company United Arab Emirates 3.19 15.5%
Allen & Overy United Arab Emirates 2.56 9.3%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP United Arab Emirates 19.97 33.3%
DLA Piper United Arab Emirates 9.77 5.1%
Dechert LLP United Arab Emirates 68.86 100%
Dentons United Arab Emirates 1.72 9.8%
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP United Arab Emirates 1.85 2.8%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer United Arab Emirates 15.46 23.9%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP United Arab Emirates 18.08 41.7%
K&L Gates LLP United Arab Emirates 2.22 11.1%
Latham & Watkins United Arab Emirates 34.7 75%
Linklaters LLP United Arab Emirates - -
Mayer Brown LLP United Arab Emirates 11.71 28.6%
Reed Smith United Arab Emirates 37.26 51.1%
Shearman & Sterling LLP United Arab Emirates 10.36 34.4%
Simmons & Simmons LLP United Arab Emirates 7.97 31.8%
White & Case United Arab Emirates 18.58 66.7%
Bowmans Zambia - -
Mweshi Banda and Associates Zambia 16.67 100%
KANOKANGA & PARTNERS Zimbabwe 12 -

Tanzania

Legal aid is well-established and regulated in Tanzania under the Legal Aid Act, while pro bono is unregulated and less prevalent, but growing.

Among responding firms in Tanzania, 22 percent of fee earners performed pro bono services and recorded an average of 3.7 hours of pro bono. 29 percent of fee earners that performed pro bono were engaged in ten or more hours of pro bono. Partner participation in pro bono is relatively strong with a participation rate of 39 percent and an average of 8.3 hours of pro bono, with 40 percent of partners offering pro bono recording ten or more hours of pro bono.

There may be an opportunity to grow pro bono within firms through broader use of pro bono infrastructure to support such efforts.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP and ALN | Anjarwalla & Khanna LLP 4.39 50%
Asyla Attorneys 1.36 9.1%
Bowmans - -
Dentons 0.91 22.7%
MAXISERVE ATTORNEYS 21 75%

United Arab Emirates

Private law firms are the main providers of pro bono legal services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and there is opportunity for growth in local initiatives to shape a stronger pro bono and legal aid culture in the future. A Voluntary Legal Services Smart Portal, hosted by the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, was launched in 2018 to allow advocacy and legal consultancy firms to register to provide pro bono legal services to support financially disadvantaged members of the public.

The 20 responding firms for this Index were all international firms, whose fee earners recorded an average of 8.3 hours. The percentage of fee earners that provided any pro bono stood at 32 percent, and 20 percent of fee earners that engaged in pro bono provided ten or more hours of pro bono. 36 percent of partners spent an average of 12.1 hours on pro bono matters and 18 percent of partners who engaged in pro bono offered ten or more hours of pro bono.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 37.69 53.85%
Al Tamimi & Company 3.19 15.53%
Allen & Overy 2.56 9.28%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 19.97 33.33%
DLA Piper 9.77 5.06%
Dechert LLP 68.86 100%
Dentons 1.72 9.76%
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP 1.85 2.8%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 15.46 23.91%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 18.08 41.67%
K&L Gates LLP 2.22 11.11%
Latham & Watkins 34.7 75%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 11.71 28.57%
Reed Smith 37.26 51.09%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 10.36 34.38%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 7.97 31.82%
White & Case 18.58 66.67%

Americas

The pro bono landscape in the Americas is strong and growing, including through the work of organisations at regional and country level that champion the practice of pro bono. These organisations provide institutional frameworks, collaborative approaches, and a rich environment for law firms to grow and sustain their pro bono practices and are steadily producing results. The Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas, launched in 2008, continues to serve as an important touchstone for pro bono in the region, with signatories agreeing to advance the practice of pro bono and to provide an average of 20 hours or more per lawyer per annum.

Local organisations and initiatives also champion pro bono, including: Alianza Pro Bono in Peru, CIDSEP UC in Paraguay; Red Federal Pro Bono Internacional in Argentina, Fundación Pro Bono de Guatemala in Guatemala, the Pro Bono Commission in Costa Rica, among others. The practice of incorporating law students into the pro bono ecosystem through legal clinics at universities, is also on the rise. The presence of pro bono institutions and a robust pro bono ecosystem, helps to engage, attract, and retain more lawyers in the practice of pro bono and promotes the sustainability of pro bono practice in the long term.

A total of 80 firms from the Americas contributed data to the 2022 Pro Bono Index, up from 64 firms in 2020. However, the geographic spread was smaller, with participants from 13 countries, down from 18 countries in 2020. This year, Peru and Ecuador debut with an in-depth analysis.

Overall, responding firms in the region spent 126,886 hours on pro bono. 42 percent of fee earners spent an average of 11.6 hours on pro bono, with 24 percent of them offering ten or more hours of pro bono work. For partners, 32 percent offered pro bono services at an average of seven hours, with 15 percent performing ten or more hours of pro bono.

An overwhelming 93 percent of firms in the Americas reported at least one element of pro bono infrastructure, relatively evenly distributed across Large, Medium-sized and Small Firms. 80 percent of firms reported having a pro bono policy and 41 percent reported having a formal diversity commitment for pro bono work.

The top five most selected areas of pro bono focus in the region were: access to justice at 58 percent; education, training and employment at 38 percent; economic development, microfinance and social finance at 37 percent; human rights at 37 percent; and immigration, refugees and asylum at 34 percent. Registered charities and non-profits were leading recipients of pro bono assistance, with 93 percent of firms providing pro bono to this group, followed by social enterprises at 67 percent, and individuals in need at 61 percent.

Pro bono clients were sourced directly from individual clients (71 percent), through clearinghouses (62 percent), and through local law societies or bar associations (43 percent). Collaborative approaches to pro bono are also evident, with 33 percent of the firms obtaining pro bono work in partnership with other law firms.
Firm Name Country Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
AVOA ABOGADOS S.A. Argentina 2.27 18.2%
Accenture Argentina - -
BULLÓ ABOGADOS Argentina 15.71 -
Beccar Varela Argentina 32.35 33.6%
Bomchil Argentina - -
Brons & Salas Argentina 20 100%
Bruchou, Fernandez Madero & Lombardi Argentina 13.41 37%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP Argentina 2.61 14.3%
Dentons Argentina 1.52 3.8%
Gonzalo Javier Argentina 17.99 25%
Grispo Abogados Argentina - -
Keidos Impacto Legal Argentina 76.67 100%
Perez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arnsten Argentina 27.72 34.8%
Richards Cardinal Tutzer Zabala & Zaefferer Argentina 30 50%
Zang, Bergel & Viñes Argentina 13.5 27.5%
Dentons Bolivia - -
Dentons Guevara & Gutierrez Bolivia 15 40%
Accenture Brazil - -
Cescon, Barrieu, Flesch & Barreto Advogados Brazil 17.88 61%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP Brazil 7.48 20%
Demarest Brazil 1.76 6.1%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Brazil 7 50%
K&L Gates LLP Brazil - 0%
KLA Advogados Brazil 0.93 2.3%
Linklaters LLP Brazil - -
MOSSE IP, Fashion & Social Media Law Brazil 1.88 12.5%
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados Brazil 7.91 20.3%
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados Brazil 0.03 21%
Mayer Brown LLP Brazil 6.86 18.2%
Paul Hastings LLP Brazil 37.83 100%
Pinheiro Neto Advogados Brazil 10 24%
Shearman & Sterling LLP Brazil 7 20%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Brazil 0.04 0%
TozziniFreire Advogados Brazil 0.01 10.5%
White & Case Brazil 16 27.3%
BNM Advocates Canada - -
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Canada 17.06 32.2%
DLA Piper Canada 7.36 18.6%
Dentons Canada 8.01 16.6%
Integral North Canada 200 100%
McCarthy Tétrault LLP Canada 12.11 21.8%
McInnes Cooper Canada 5.22 34.8%
McMillan LLP Canada - -
Shearman & Sterling LLP Canada 18.2 70%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Canada 1.58 0%
Accenture Colombia - -
Brigard & Urrutia Colombia 22.07 -
Dentons Colombia 4.21 14.3%
Gómez-Pinzón Colombia 41.75 100%
Lloreda Camacho Colombia 6 20%
Muñoz Tamayo & Asociados Colombia 35.29 21.4%
PHILIPPI PRIETOCARRIZOSA FERRERO DU & URÍA Colombia 17.65 22%
Posse Herrera Ruiz Colombia 23.45 48.8%
SLLM Sánchez-Labrador y López Martínez, S.C. Colombia - -
Alta Batalla Costa Rica 34.29 71.4%
CENTRAL LAW Costa Rica 250 100%
Consortium Legal Costa Rica 2.67 8.8%
Consortium Legal El Salvador 5.22 17.1%
MORGAN & MORGAN Panama 12.97 39.4%
Ferrere Abogados Paraguay - -
Pablo Paraguay 3 20%
Dentons Peru 3.98 16.7%
Estudio Osterling Peru - -
GARCIA SAYAN ABOGADOS Peru 8.91 25%
LEON E IPARRAGUIRRE ABOGADOS Peru - -
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría Peru 5.41 18.4%
Rodrigo, Elias y Medrano Abogados Peru 7.35 6%
Dentons Venezuela 21.68 20%
LEĜA Venezuela 16.67 22.2%

Argentina

The Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas continues to support the steady growth of pro bono in Argentina. Generally, pro bono is seen as an impactful way of practicing the law and driving change. Large law firms in Buenos Aires tend to have the most institutionalized pro bono practices, but small and medium-sized law firms and legal teams throughout the country are also committing to and engaging in more pro bono work.

Pro bono work in Argentina entails not only supporting with advisory cases and litigation, but also sharing knowledge and developing legal resources of all kinds. Pro bono culture is promoted to new generation of law students through contests to identify social issues and potential legal solutions. Initiatives from bar associations like the Federal Pro Bono Network by Pro Bono Commission of Lawyers of the City of Buenos Aires are committed to promoting the practice of pro bono in Argentina and continue to create a robust ecosystem for the sustained growth of pro bono in Argentina.

Fifteen law firms with offices in Argentina participated in the 2022 Index, a marked increase from the previous Index. All but one are local law firms, with a single regional law firm providing data about their work in Argentina.

Fee earners performed 14.5 hours of pro bono on average, with 20 percent performing ten or more hours of pro bono. Fee earners performed an average 14.7 hours of pro bono with 20 percent of them recording ten or more hours. Among partners, 34 percent offered pro bono services, at an average of 9.3 hours—higher than the regional average, with 16 percent of fee earners offering ten or more hours of pro bono.

92 percent of firms had the presence of pro bono infrastructure, pointing to a well-established practice of pro bono. The most selected areas of pro bono focus among Argentinian firms were access to justice, data and digital rights, and disability rights all at 42 percent, followed by immigration, refugees and asylum at 33 percent, and anti-corruption and good governance at 25 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
AVOA ABOGADOS S.A. 2.27 18.2%
Accenture - -
BULLÓ ABOGADOS 15.71 -
Beccar Varela 32.35 33.6%
Bomchil - -
Brons & Salas 20 100%
Bruchou, Fernandez Madero & Lombardi 13.41 37%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 2.61 14.3%
Dentons 1.52 3.8%
Gonzalo Javier 17.99 25%
Grispo Abogados - -
Keidos Impacto Legal 76.67 100%
Perez Alati, Grondona, Benites & Arnsten 27.72 34.8%
Richards Cardinal Tutzer Zabala & Zaefferer 30 50%
Zang, Bergel & Viñes 13.5 27.5%

Brazil

After regulatory restrictions limiting the practice of pro bono in Brazil were lifted in 2015, most large law firms in Brazil scaled up their pro bono work as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes. Today large law firms lead the pro bono movement in the country, alongside a growing number of small and medium-sized firms to contribute to social impact.

Seventeen law firms participated in the 2022 Index, up from 14 in 2020, comprising mostly of local firms of varying sizes, ranging from those with established pro bono practices and those that are growing. The average number of hours of pro bono per fee earner was 3.9 hours with 34 percent of the fee earners in the responding firms performing pro bono. 17 percent of the fee earners offering pro bono offered ten or more hours of pro bono. 34 percent of partners in responding firms performed pro bono, at an average of 5.3 hours, with 9 percent of partners offering ten or more hours of pro bono.

Pro bono in Brazil is increasingly formalised, with 96 percent of responding firms reporting at least one element of pro bono infrastructure. These factors, combined with a rich, enabling pro bono ecosystem, including local clearing houses and annual pro bono conferences, will ensure that pro bono continues to grow in Brazil.

The most selected areas of pro bono focus in Brazil were access to justice and human rights at 57.1 percent, followed by immigration, refugees and asylum and LGBT+ rights at 42.8 percent and women’s rights at 39 percent. The most selected pro bono clients were non-profit organisations at 96 percent, followed by individuals in need at 71 percent, then social enterprises at 64 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Cescon, Barrieu, Flesch & Barreto Advogados 17.88 61%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 7.48 20%
Demarest 1.76 6.1%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 7 50%
K&L Gates LLP - 0%
KLA Advogados 0.93 2.3%
Linklaters LLP - -
MOSSE IP, Fashion & Social Media Law 1.88 12.5%
Machado, Meyer, Sendacz e Opice Advogados 7.91 20.3%
Mattos Filho, Veiga Filho, Marrey Jr e Quiroga Advogados 0.03 21%
Mayer Brown LLP 6.86 18.2%
Paul Hastings LLP 37.83 100%
Pinheiro Neto Advogados 10 24%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 7 20%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 0.04 0%
TozziniFreire Advogados 0.01 10.5%
White & Case 16 27.3%

Canada

The pro bono landscape in Canada continues to evolve. The pro bono market is robust, with many firms continuing to grow their practices and an enriching, supportive and enabling pro bono environment created by the legal professional bodies and the state.

Federal and provincial bar associations and pro bono organisations (e.g., Pro Bono Canada, Pro Bono Law Ontario, Access Pro Bono in British Columbia, and Justice Pro Bono in Québec) raise awareness of pro bono practices within the profession by providing lawyers in various provinces with access to pro bono resources and programming. As in other jurisdictions, Canada has seen an increase in demand for pro bono services resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the Index received submissions from ten Canadian firms. The average number of hours spent by the 46 percent of the fee earners who spent any time on pro bono work in the reporting firms was 11.5 hours, with 24 percent of them spending ten hours or more on pro bono. 24 percent of partners recorded pro bono hours at an average of 5.2 hours, with 12 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono.

67 percent of participating firms reported having at least one element of pro bono infrastructure. Access to justice was the most selected area of pro bono focus among Canadian firms at 100 percent, followed by immigration, refugees and asylum at 67 percent, then anti-corruption and good governance, disability rights, economic development, microfinance and social finance, employment, human rights and land and water rights all at 33 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
BNM Advocates - -
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP 17.06 32.2%
DLA Piper 7.36 18.6%
Dentons 8.01 16.6%
Integral North 200 100%
McCarthy Tétrault LLP 12.11 21.8%
McInnes Cooper 5.22 34.8%
McMillan LLP - -
Shearman & Sterling LLP 18.2 70%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 1.58 0%

Chile

Chile has a broad network of law firms offering pro bono services with a strong presence spreading the practice of pro bono in the region. The Chilean Pro Bono Foundation is a key player that provides a wide variety of pro bono assistance on different legal matters and works in partnership with regional pro bono networks.

Law students are encouraged to engage in pro bono by means of a contest to identify social issues that could be addressed through the law and propose solutions, and states of emergency are tackled through a pro bono legal advice programme developed in 2010.

For this 2022 Index of Pro Bono, we received responses from six firms, and we saw that fee earners recorded an average of 16.5 hours of pro bono with 45 percent recording ten or more hours of pro bono, from the 56 percent who recorded any pro bono hours. 36 percent of partners recorded an average of 2.7 hours of pro bono, with 22 percent of them recording ten or more hours of pro bono. The percentage of partners that performed any pro bono stood at 22 percent with 36 percent of them recording ten or more hours. 60 percent of firms reported the presence of pro bono infrastructure.

The most selected areas of pro bono focus among Chilean firms were access to justice and data and digital rights at 67 percent, followed by aid and development, COVID-19, disability rights, economic development, microfinance and social finance, education, training and employment, freedom of the media and expression, human rights, immigration, refugees and asylum and LGBT+ rights all at 33 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Albagli Zaliasnik 37.36 85.1%
Cariola Díez Pérez-Cotapos and Sargent & Krahn (associated IP firm) 14.93 37.3%
Dentons 5.5 16.7%
ObradorDigital.Legal 0.6 40%
SokSiphana&associates - 100%

Colombia

Pro bono in Colombia has been growing in recent years. Most large local law firms have institutionalized pro bono practice as part of their corporate social responsibility programmes and implemented internal policies and structures to improve their pro bono work. Today there is a robust network of law firms and Fundación Pro Bono Colombia, the strongest local clearinghouse, working in partnership with regional and global pro bono networks.

We had nine firms participate in the 2022 Index, up from four firms in 2020. The percentage of fee earners who performed any pro bono stood at 56 percent, each giving an average of 23 hours of pro bono work, with 35 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners performed an average of 6 hours of pro bono. 35 percent of partners performed any pro bono work, while 17 percent offered more than 10 hours of pro bono. All the responding firms in Colombia reported at least one element of pro bono infrastructure, which indicates that the practice of pro bono is well established. This also correlates with the high number of hours by the fee earners which is well above the regional average.

The most selected areas of pro bono focus among Colombian firms were employment at 80 percent, followed by anti-corruption and good governance, data and digital rights, economic development, microfinance and social finance, education, training and employment, environment and climate change and older people’s rights all at 60 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Brigard & Urrutia 22.07 -
Dentons 4.21 14.3%
Gómez-Pinzón 41.75 100%
Lloreda Camacho 6 20%
Muñoz Tamayo & Asociados 35.29 21.4%
PHILIPPI PRIETOCARRIZOSA FERRERO DU & URÍA 17.65 22%
Posse Herrera Ruiz 23.45 48.8%

Mexico

Mexico is at the forefront of the pro bono movement in the region. The pro bono culture continues to blossom with the growth of pro bono practice inside large and small and medium-sized law firms as well as the work done by well-known clearinghouses such as Appleseed Mexico and other non-profits specialized in legal pro bono.

In 2018, a group of law firms, clearing houses and non-profits created the Pro Bono Standards to provide for guidelines of what should be considered as legal pro bono and how to structure its practice, as well as to establish a working group to promote pro bono work and address the most pressing concerns in Mexico. This has contributed to the strengthening of the pro bono ecosystem.

Pro bono in Mexico is carried out through local, regional, and global networks and is regarded as a tool to offer support to low-income individuals and families, indigenous communities, vulnerable groups, and non-profit organizations, to name just a few.

This year fifteen law firms participated in the 2022 Index, a welcome increase from the nine submissions in 2020. Fee earners recorded an average of 21 hours of pro bono, with 50 percent offering any pro bono services and 43 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono. On the other hand, 52 percent of partners recorded an average of 17.4 hours of pro bono, with 38 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono.

66 percent of the reporting firms had at least one element of pro bono infrastructure. The most selected areas of pro bono among Mexican firms were access to justice at 50 percent, aid and development, COVID-19, economic development, microfinance and social finance, environment and climate change at 40 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Creel, Garcia-Cuellar, Aiza y Enriquez SC 12.37 48.7%
DLA Piper 20.23 57.7%
Dentons - -
Fundación Enyx, A.C. 4 20%
GALICIA ABOGADOS, S.C. 12.79 54.7%
Hogan Lovells México 87.3 88.8%
Mayer Brown LLP 2.5 14.3%
Michelle 10.44 17.8%
Ritch, Mueller y Nicolau, S.C. 24.66 60.9%
SLLM Sánchez-Labrador y López Martínez, S.C. - -
Sanchez Devanny Eseverri, S.C. 4.3 12%
VILA - -
Von Wobeser y Sierra 17.73 31.8%
White & Case 31.04 80.7%

Peru

Pro bono in Peru is still emerging and growing. Since the Pro Bono Declaration for the Americas in 2008, the pro bono movement in the country has been expanding to a wider array of matters and acquiring a formal structure, leading to the creation of Alianza Pro Bono, a local network established by the largest law firms in the country, and now a leading voice championing pro bono in Peru.

Six Peruvian law firms participated in the 2022 Index, with 20 percent of fee earners providing an average of 6.9 hours and 12 percent providing ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners rendered an average of 10.3 hours of pro bono, with 25 percent of partners at responding firms reporting pro bono participation and 12 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono. All firms (100 percent) indicated the presence of at least one element of pro bono infrastructure.

The most selected area of pro bono focus among responding firms was employment at 83 percent, access to justice followed at 50 percent, then aid and development, economic development, microfinance and social finance and human rights, all at 33 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Dentons 3.98 16.7%
Estudio Osterling - -
GARCIA SAYAN ABOGADOS 8.91 25%
LEON E IPARRAGUIRRE ABOGADOS - -
Philippi Prietocarrizosa Ferrero DU & Uría 5.41 18.4%
Rodrigo, Elias y Medrano Abogados 7.35 6%

Asia & Pacific

The Index received submissions from 167 law firms in 22 countries across Asia and the Pacific region in comparison to 151 firms from 20 jurisdictions in 2020. The total number of pro bono hours by responding firms in this region were 94,447.

Fee earners recorded an average of 6.2 hours of pro bono, with 17 percent going over the ten-hour mark. 20 percent of partners recorded an average of 6.6 pro bono hours with 14 percent reporting ten or more hours. The pro bono landscape in the region continues to vary with some countries registering high rates of engagement.

With respect to pro bono infrastructure, 88 percent of responding firms reported the presence of an element of pro bono infrastructure, with 100 percent of the Large and Medium-sized Firms reporting some elements and Small Firms at 70 percent. 58 percent of the responding firms reported the presence of a formal pro bono policy, and 19 percent had a formal diversity commitment.

In order of ranking, pro bono services within the region were offered to registered charities and non-profits at 82 percent, individuals in need at 72 percent and social enterprises at 66.7 percent. Pro bono work was sourced mainly directly from individuals at 64 percent, followed by local law societies and bar associations at 52 percent and legal clinics at 45 percent.

The top five most selected focus areas for pro bono among firms in the region were access to justice at 57 percent, immigration, refugees and asylum at 46 percent, economic development, micro finance and social finance at 34 percent, employment at 33 percent and human rights at 31 percent.

We anticipate that the presence of robust pro bono infrastructure in the firms and sustained initiatives including the annual Asia Pro Bono Conference (APBC) and Asia Pacific Pro Bono Summit will promote pro bono practice in this region in the coming years.
Firm Name Country Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
A.S & Associates Bangladesh 4.8 40%
Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates Bangladesh 88.16 100%
Grays Chambers Bangladesh 16 25%
Husky and Partners Law Firm Cambodia 1 20%
SokSiphana&associates Cambodia - 100%
Accenture China - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP China 1.38 12.5%
Allen & Overy China 5.39 10.6%
Arnold & Porter China 13.53 16.7%
Ashurst LLP China 0.64 0%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP China 0 0%
Crowell & Moring LLP China 8.8 20%
DLA Piper China 5.16 12%
Dechert LLP China 33 100%
Dentons China 0.27 0.2%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer China 5.81 4.2%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP China 18.33 66.7%
K&L Gates LLP China 0.67 0%
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP China 0 0%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP China 8 15%
Linklaters LLP China - -
Mayer Brown LLP China 21.29 57.1%
Morrison Foerster China 13.15 30.8%
Orrick China 52.29 100%
Paul Hastings LLP China 30.71 71.4%
Reed Smith China 35.03 32.2%
Ropes & Gray China 30.27 100%
Shearman & Sterling LLP China 12.83 25%
Simmons & Simmons LLP China 1.01 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP China 14.47 24.4%
Steptoe China 10.29 57.1%
White & Case China 3.96 12.5%
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP China 49.6 75%
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Hong Kong 40.9 57.9%
Allen & Overy Hong Kong 7.34 15.6%
Ashurst LLP Hong Kong 3.05 10.1%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP Hong Kong 0.06 0%
DLA Piper Hong Kong 28.02 40.6%
Dechert LLP Hong Kong 91.57 100%
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP Hong Kong 1 5%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Hong Kong 24.52 35.9%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Hong Kong 40.62 64.3%
Goodwin Procter LLP Hong Kong 0.96 2.6%
K&L Gates LLP Hong Kong 3.03 10.4%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP Hong Kong 13.06 39.1%
Linklaters LLP Hong Kong - -
Mayer Brown LLP Hong Kong 21.91 42%
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Hong Kong 27.95 79.6%
Morrison Foerster Hong Kong 13.92 20%
Paul Hastings LLP Hong Kong 8.63 12.5%
Reed Smith Hong Kong 6.59 10.1%
Ropes & Gray Hong Kong 19.37 47.4%
Shearman & Sterling LLP Hong Kong 4.95 12.5%
Simmons & Simmons LLP Hong Kong 10.66 22.5%
Steptoe Hong Kong 36.2 40%
White & Case Hong Kong 19.41 67.6%
Winston & Strawn LLP Hong Kong - -
Accenture India - -
Altacit Global India 83.33 20.8%
Ashu Thakur & Associates India 11.25 25%
BTG Legal India 0 0%
Durgesh Gupta & Associate India 1 100%
J Sagar Associates India 3.8 3.1%
KIAA,LLP India 1.67 16.7%
RNA Technology & IP Attorneys India 1.6 8%
SAIKAT BARDHAN India - -
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co. India 0.47 1.1%
Adnan Kelana Haryanto & Hermanto Indonesia 11.11 22.2%
Allen & Overy Indonesia 14.1 53.9%
Ashurst LLP Indonesia 29.99 44.4%
Linklaters LLP Indonesia - -
White & Case Indonesia 28.1 80%
Accenture Japan - -
Allen & Overy Japan 16.33 16.7%
Ashurst LLP Japan 7.75 11.1%
DLA Piper Japan 27.27 42.4%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Japan 15.35 17.4%
K&L Gates LLP Japan 14.46 4.6%
Latham & Watkins Japan 53.7 100%
Linklaters LLP Japan - -
Mayer Brown LLP Japan 10.13 25%
Morrison Foerster Japan 36.03 41%
Orrick Japan 213.23 91.7%
Paul Hastings LLP Japan 84.4 80%
Ropes & Gray Japan 12.3 20%
SLLM Sánchez-Labrador y López Martínez, S.C. Japan - -
Shearman & Sterling LLP Japan 40.25 21.4%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Japan 0.42 0%
White & Case Japan 19.51 58.5%
Dentons Kazakhstan 27.79 50%
Reed Smith Kazakhstan 0 0%
Kinstellar Kazakhstan 0.38 0%
White & Case Kazakhstan 65.8 100%
Kalikova & Associates Kyrgyzstan - -
Accenture Malaysia - -
Christopher & Lee Ong Malaysia - 1.1%
MahWengKwai & Associates Malaysia 1.44 11.1%
Pradhan & Associates Pvt. Ltd. Nepal 3.33 16.7%
Prime Law Associates Nepal - -
DLA Piper New Zealand 26.26 51.1%
Dentons New Zealand 11.85 35.2%
Simpson Grierson New Zealand 16.39 39.8%
Minhas Law Associates Ltd. Pakistan 16.67 83.3%
Ashurst LLP Papua New Guinea 4.82 10%
Accenture Philippines - -
Puyat Jacinto & Santos Philippines 0.6 4%
SyCip Salazar Hernandez & Gatmaitan Philippines 1.7 3.5%
Tiongco Siao Bello and Associates Philippines 8.82 -
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP Russia 0 0%
DLA Piper Russia 19.65 4.1%
Dechert LLP Russia 104 100%
Dentons Russia 1 3.5%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Russia 17.26 19.2%
Latham & Watkins Russia 52.73 88.5%
Linklaters LLP Russia - -
Accenture Singapore - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP Singapore 36 57.1%
Allen & Overy Singapore 10.41 18.2%
Ashurst LLP Singapore 1.03 2.4%
DLA Piper Singapore 6.96 21.7%
Dechert LLP Singapore 62.2 100%
Dentons Singapore - -
Duane Morris LLP Singapore 10.56 22.2%
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP Singapore - 100%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Singapore 31.94 33.3%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP Singapore 58.53 63.2%
K&L Gates LLP Singapore 41.73 46.7%
Linklaters LLP Singapore - -
Mayer Brown LLP Singapore 8.95 19.1%
Morrison Foerster Singapore 16.3 39.1%
Nakoorsha Law Corporation Singapore 100 100%
Reed Smith Singapore 23.41 36.1%
Shearman & Sterling LLP Singapore 16.07 39.1%
Simmons & Simmons LLP Singapore 0.41 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Singapore 17.75 66.7%
White & Case Singapore 20.81 72.1%
Arnold & Porter South Korea 15.65 50%
Bae, Kim & Lee LLC South Korea 25.08 30.6%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP South Korea 1.7 10%
DLA Piper South Korea 1.4 0%
Jipyong LLC South Korea 30.7 66.1%
K&L Gates LLP South Korea 14.33 33.3%
Linklaters LLP South Korea - -
Paul Hastings LLP South Korea 49.4 100%
Ropes & Gray South Korea 10.25 75%
Shearman & Sterling LLP South Korea 0 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP South Korea 0 0%
White & Case South Korea 7.91 36.4%
Sudath Perera Associates Sri Lanka 3.87 9.7%
K&L Gates LLP Taiwan 3.17 16.7%
Allen & Overy Thailand 9.03 24.2%
Anglo-Thai Legal Thailand 5 73.3%
DLA Piper Thailand 9.79 0%
Kudun and Partners Thailand - -
Lanna Lawyers Thailand 62.5 100%
Linklaters LLP Thailand - -
Pisut & Partners Thailand 1.71 7.1%
Dentons Uzbekistan 16.98 41.7%
Silvia Uzbekistan - 0%
Allen & Overy Vietnam 1.73 4.6%
Duane Morris LLP Vietnam 6.14 21.4%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Vietnam 13.25 25%
Grünkorn & Partner Law Co., Ltd Vietnam 0 0%
Mayer Brown LLP Vietnam 65.5 75%

China

In China, the concept of pro bono is often connected to public interest services. The institutionalisation of pro bono in China is seen as an effort to develop professional responsibility amongst lawyers in China.

The All-China Lawyers Association (ACLA) plays a key role in developing pro bono services and instilling its values in Chinese legal professionals. The ACLA and local bar associations offer guidance and direction to legal professionals by making professional regulations and codes of conduct for lawyers.

Data from 29 responding law firms with offices in China shows that there was a good level of pro bono engagement despite China being one of the countries most affected by the pandemic and lockdowns. Fee earners reported an average of 13 hours of pro bono and 31 percent of them performed ten or more hours of pro bono. 43 percent of partners reported engaging in some type of pro bono work. The average pro bono hours by partners stood at 19 hours, with 37 percent of them performing ten or more hours of pro bono.

44 percent of firms in China stated that they required lawyers to perform a specified amount of pro bono each year, with 8 percent of them having a mandatory target. Moreover, 86 percent of the firms reported the presence of pro bono infrastructure.

Of participating firms, 32 percent shared that the impact of the pandemic resulted in a change in the firm’s pro bono priorities, with 28 percent of firms indicating that COVID-19 was one of their firm’s primary focus areas. The most selected areas of pro bono focus among responding firms were immigration, refugees and asylum at 80 percent, access to justice at 68 percent, LGBT+ rights at 48 percent and human rights at 44 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 1.38 12.5%
Allen & Overy 5.39 10.6%
Arnold & Porter 13.53 16.7%
Ashurst LLP 0.64 0%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 0 0%
Crowell & Moring LLP 8.8 20%
DLA Piper 5.16 12%
Dechert LLP 33 100%
Dentons 0.27 0.2%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 5.81 4.2%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 18.33 66.7%
K&L Gates LLP 0.67 0%
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP 0 0%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP 8 15%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 21.29 57.1%
Morrison Foerster 13.15 30.8%
Orrick 52.29 100%
Paul Hastings LLP 30.71 71.4%
Reed Smith 35.03 32.2%
Ropes & Gray 30.27 100%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 12.83 25%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 1.01 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 14.47 24.4%
Steptoe 10.29 57.1%
White & Case 3.96 12.5%
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP 49.6 75%

Hong Kong

While there are no mandated pro bono hour requirements in Hong Kong, the cost of legal counsel and limits of the government-funded legal aid system mean there is significant need for pro bono legal assistance.

Many law firms are working to strengthen their pro bono structures. Particularly during the COVID-19 lockdowns, many global firms, local firms, and barristers stepped up their pro bono services. Data from firms in Hong Kong shows that 25 percent have an aspirational pro bono target, with 16 percent of the firms reporting the presence of pro bono infrastructure. There are numerous pro bono partnership programmes run by NGOs such as the Justice Centre Hong Kong and PILnet that partner with law firms to assist with their casework in exchange for training in human rights law to volunteer lawyers from the firms.

Data from 25 firms in Hong Kong showed that fee earners performed an average of 18.1 hours of pro bono and the percentage of fee earners who performed ten or more hours stood at 46 percent. 31 percent of partners engaged in some kind of pro bono work and they, on average, performed 12.8 hours.

The most selected areas of pro bono focus among responding firms were access to justice and immigration, refugees and asylum at 100 percent, followed by human rights at 75 percent, COVID-19, disability rights and economic development, microfinance and social finance, each at 50 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 40.9 57.9%
Allen & Overy 7.34 15.6%
Ashurst LLP 3.05 10.1%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 0.06 0%
DLA Piper 28.02 40.6%
Dechert LLP 91.57 100%
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP 1 5%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 24.52 35.9%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 40.62 64.3%
Goodwin Procter LLP 0.96 2.6%
K&L Gates LLP 3.03 10.4%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP 13.06 39.1%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 21.91 42%
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 27.95 79.6%
Morrison Foerster 13.92 20%
Paul Hastings LLP 8.63 12.5%
Reed Smith 6.59 10.1%
Ropes & Gray 19.37 47.4%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 4.95 12.5%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 10.66 22.5%
Steptoe 36.2 40%
White & Case 19.41 67.6%
Winston & Strawn LLP - -

India

India has a decades-old practice of providing legal aid with the right to free legal aid is enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Yet private lawyers are not mandated to provide pro bono support or report pro bono work. Increasingly, law firms and corporate in-house teams are setting up pro bono infrastructure, but most do not set pro bono requirements for associates and scaling up remains an issue. There are NGOs that provide pro bono legal services such as the Lawyers Collective, the Human Rights Law Network, the Alternative Law Forum, and Majlis. In 2017, the Department of Justice launched a tele-law mobile application “Nyaya Bandhu” with the aim of establishing a framework for pro bono legal services in the country. As of July 2022, 4,454 advocates had signed up to volunteer their time and services to eligible marginalised beneficiaries.

Eleven firms in India submitted data for the 2022 Index, up from eight in 2020. The data indicates that 6 percent of fee earners rendered an average of 2.24 hours of pro bono, with 7 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners engaged in pro bono at a rate of 39.4 percent, averaging 3.4 hours of pro bono with 12 percent volunteering ten or more hours of pro bono. 81 percent of the firms indicated the presence of some elements of pro bono infrastructure.

The most selected areas of pro bono support among Indian firms were economic development, microfinance and social finance at 67 percent, followed by access to justice, aid and development and employment at 46 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Altacit Global 83.33 20.8%
Ashu Thakur & Associates 11.25 25%
BTG Legal 0 0%
Durgesh Gupta & Associate 1 100%
J Sagar Associates 3.8 3.1%
KIAA,LLP 1.67 16.7%
RNA Technology & IP Attorneys 1.6 8%
SAIKAT BARDHAN - -
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co. 0.47 1.1%

Japan

Japan has a strong system of legal aid but a relatively young pro bono culture, which is still growing. Japanese attorneys are not required by law to perform a certain number of hours of pro bono work, and there are other governmental or non-governmental organizations that provide access to justice for free or at a low cost, such as the Japan Legal Support Center (JLSC), Duty Attorney Systems, legal counselling centres established by local bar associations, and legal expenses insurance initiated by the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA).

Law firms increasingly contribute to pro bono schemes and make it a requirement for their lawyers as well.

We saw an increase in the number of submitting firms from 13 in 2020 to 17 in 2022. As in 2020, our contributors were all international firms with offices in Japan. Our data indicates average pro bono hours among the 40 percent of fee earners who rendered any pro bono was 27.5 hours. 30.4 percent of them preformed ten or more hours of pro bono. 33 percent of partners engaged in pro bono work, at an average rate of 17.7 hours, with 19 percent of them performing ten or more hours of pro bono.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Allen & Overy 16.33 16.7%
Ashurst LLP 7.75 11.1%
DLA Piper 27.27 42.4%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 15.35 17.4%
K&L Gates LLP 14.46 4.6%
Latham & Watkins 53.7 100%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 10.13 25%
Morrison Foerster 36.03 41%
Orrick 213.23 91.7%
Paul Hastings LLP 84.4 80%
Ropes & Gray 12.3 20%
SLLM Sánchez-Labrador y López Martínez, S.C. - -
Shearman & Sterling LLP 40.25 21.4%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 0.42 0%
White & Case 19.51 58.5%

Singapore

In Singapore, the government is prominent in the legal landscape. It plays a significant role in access to justice by funding legal aid and promoting and encouraging pro bono, together with organisations like the Law Society Pro Bono Services and the Community Justice Centre.

With the support of the Law Society Pro Bono Services, a registered charity, the Joint International Pro Bono Committee was set up, which is an initiative of a group of international and Singaporean law practices. The purpose of the committee is to match interested Singapore and international law practices with cross-border pro bono opportunities involving economic and social development in emerging markets.5 The Law Society also offers several schemes to help law firms optimise their pro bono services. All responding firms in Singapore indicated that they source pro bono work through local law societies or bar associations. Lawyers also have opportunities to get involved in pro bono by volunteering at legal clinics run by many NGOs such as AWARE, Singapore Association of Women Lawyers, Special Needs Trust Company and others.

22 firms from Singapore submitted data for the 2022 Index. Fee earners from these firms performed an average of 18.8 hours, with 45 percent performed ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners reported an average of 17 hours of pro bono and 43 percent of them engaged in some type of pro bono work.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 36 57.1%
Allen & Overy 10.41 18.2%
Ashurst LLP 1.03 2.4%
DLA Piper 6.96 21.7%
Dechert LLP 62.2 100%
Dentons - -
Duane Morris LLP 10.56 22.2%
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP - 100%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 31.94 33.3%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 58.53 63.2%
K&L Gates LLP 41.73 46.7%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 8.95 19.1%
Morrison Foerster 16.3 39.1%
Nakoorsha Law Corporation 100 100%
Reed Smith 23.41 36.1%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 16.07 39.1%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 0.41 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 17.75 66.7%
White & Case 20.81 72.1%

South Korea

Since 2000, lawyers in South Korea have been mandated to provide a minimum of 30 pro bono hours, with some exceptions for unusual circumstances. Many public interest lawyers' organisations are emerging that also provide pro bono services. Examples include Advocates for Public Interest Law, GongGam Human Rights Foundation, Korean Lawyers for Public Interest and Human Rights.

We received submissions from 12 firms, a 50 percent increase in participation from 2020 from South Korea. We see strong engagement in pro bono from fee earners at a rate of 70 percent, and an average of 26.2 hours of pro bono, with 43 percent rendering ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners are highly engaged in pro bono, at a rate of 77 percent, and reported an average of 33.9 hours of pro bono, with 55 percent of partners crossing the ten-hour mark.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Arnold & Porter 15.65 50%
Bae, Kim & Lee LLC 25.08 30.6%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 1.7 10%
DLA Piper 1.4 0%
Jipyong LLC 30.7 66.1%
K&L Gates LLP 14.33 33.3%
Linklaters LLP - -
Paul Hastings LLP 49.4 100%
Ropes & Gray 10.25 75%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 0 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 0 0%
White & Case 7.91 36.4%

Thailand

In Thailand, the legal pro bono culture is not formalised, and is driven mostly through referrals provided by non-profit organisations and a willingness of legal professionals to respond to the need. Pro bono legal services are provided by a mix of law firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Thai bar associations, and university legal clinics.

There are no specific laws to regulate pro bono in Thailand or to require lawyers to provide a minimum number of pro bono hours. A new generation of Thai lawyers is showing growing interest in pro bono, however, and there is an opportunity for law firms to develop more consistent pro bono practice to meet and maintain this interest.

Promisingly, nine firms participated in this Index, up from six firms in 2020. Our data shows that 25.9 percent of fee earners offered an average of 9.5 hours with 24 percent performing ten or more hours. The 24 percent of partners engaged in pro bono performing an average of 3.4 hours, with 12 percent of them doing ten or more hours. Three firms reported the presence of pro bono infrastructure, and the most selected area of pro bono focus among responding firms was COVID-19.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Allen & Overy 9.03 24.2%
Anglo-Thai Legal 5 73.3%
DLA Piper 9.79 0%
Kudun and Partners - -
Lanna Lawyers 62.5 100%
Linklaters LLP - -
Pisut & Partners 1.71 7.1%
SokSiphana&associates - 100%

Vietnam

Vietnam has institutionalised the practice of pro bono. Lawyers are mandated to provide a minimum of four hours of legal pro bono per year and the Ministry of Justice gives awards to lawyers for their pro bono legal services. Beyond the mandated hours, the number of pro bono hours dedicated largely depends on law firm culture. In addition, organisations such as Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEACLE) work with universities, law students, law faculties, and members of the legal community to raise awareness of pro bono initiatives.

For the 2022 Index, six firms submitted responses on pro bono practices in the country, including two domestic firms. Fee earners performed an average of 7 hours of pro bono and 14 percent of fee earners performed ten or more hours of pro bono. The country saw relatively strong partner engagement, with 56 percent of partners working in these firms participating in pro bono work, each contributing an average of 9 hours of pro bono.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Allen & Overy 1.73 4.6%
Duane Morris LLP 6.14 21.4%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 13.25 25%
Grünkorn & Partner Law Co., Ltd 0 0%
Mayer Brown LLP 65.5 75%
SokSiphana&associates - -

Australia

Australia has a well-developed pro bono culture, one that functions through the will of the legal fraternity, rather than through legal mandates. A structured approach to pro bono in Australia has developed over the past 15 years and is supported widely by government and non-government agencies. In 2007, the National Pro Bono Aspirational Target (better known as National Pro Bono Target) for lawyers, of 35 hours per lawyer was established.

Although pro bono legal services are still voluntary, the large network of Australian organizations that support the strategic delivery of pro bono legal services provides those in need with greater access to justice. In 2020 the Australian Pro Bono Centre, in consultation with the In-house Pro Bono Steering Committee, opened the National Pro Bono Target to in-house signatories. This allows in-house lawyers to commit to performing at least 20 hours of pro bono legal services per year.

Responding firms from Australia reported a total of 128,558 hours, delivered by Large Firms at 138,404.7 hours and 50 hours by Small Firms.

Among responding firms, fee earners recorded an average of 42 hours, at a rate of engagement of 66 percent, with 41 percent of those engaged in pro bono offering ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners engaged at a rate of 53 percent and provided an average of 15.2 hours of pro bono, with 21 percent of those engaged in pro bono going over ten hours. The average fee earner reported 25.2 hours of pro bono on average, with 41 percent performing ten or more hours.
Firm Name Country Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture Australia - -
Allen & Overy Australia 22.52 56.1%
Ashurst LLP Australia 43.91 45.7%
DLA Piper Australia 53.82 43.6%
Dentons Australia 9.3 15.4%
Johnson Winter & Slattery Australia 46.8 52.8%
K&L Gates LLP Australia 17.77 40.9%
King & Wood Mallesons Australia 56.71 37.9%
Lanna Lawyers Australia
White & Case Australia 39.32 71.2%

China

In China, the concept of pro bono is often connected to public interest services. The institutionalisation of pro bono in China is seen as an effort to develop professional responsibility amongst lawyers in China.

The All-China Lawyers Association (ACLA) plays a key role in developing pro bono services and instilling its values in Chinese legal professionals. The ACLA and local bar associations offer guidance and direction to legal professionals by making professional regulations and codes of conduct for lawyers.

Data from 29 responding law firms with offices in China shows that there was a good level of pro bono engagement despite China being one of the countries most affected by the pandemic and lockdowns. Fee earners reported an average of 13 hours of pro bono and 31 percent of them performed ten or more hours of pro bono. 43 percent of partners reported engaging in some type of pro bono work. The average pro bono hours by partners stood at 19 hours, with 37 percent of them performing ten or more hours of pro bono.

44 percent of firms in China stated that they required lawyers to perform a specified amount of pro bono each year, with 8 percent of them having a mandatory target. Moreover, 86 percent of the firms reported the presence of pro bono infrastructure.

Of participating firms, 32 percent shared that the impact of the pandemic resulted in a change in the firm’s pro bono priorities, with 28 percent of firms indicating that COVID-19 was one of their firm’s primary focus areas. The most selected areas of pro bono focus among responding firms were immigration, refugees and asylum at 80 percent, access to justice at 68 percent, LGBT+ rights at 48 percent and human rights at 44 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 1.38 12.5%
Allen & Overy 5.39 10.6%
Arnold & Porter 13.53 16.7%
Ashurst LLP 0.64 0%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 0 0%
Crowell & Moring LLP 8.8 20%
DLA Piper 5.16 12%
Dechert LLP 33 100%
Dentons 0.27 0.2%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 5.81 4.2%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 18.33 66.7%
K&L Gates LLP 0.67 0%
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP 0 0%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP 8 15%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 21.29 57.1%
Morrison Foerster 13.15 30.8%
Orrick 52.29 100%
Paul Hastings LLP 30.71 71.4%
Reed Smith 35.03 32.2%
Ropes & Gray 30.27 100%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 12.83 25%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 1.01 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 14.47 24.4%
Steptoe 10.29 57.1%
White & Case 3.96 12.5%
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP 49.6 75%

Hong Kong

While there are no mandated pro bono hour requirements in Hong Kong, the cost of legal counsel and limits of the government-funded legal aid system mean there is significant need for pro bono legal assistance.

Many law firms are working to strengthen their pro bono structures. Particularly during the COVID-19 lockdowns, many global firms, local firms, and barristers stepped up their pro bono services. Data from firms in Hong Kong shows that 25 percent have an aspirational pro bono target, with 16 percent of the firms reporting the presence of pro bono infrastructure. There are numerous pro bono partnership programmes run by NGOs such as the Justice Centre Hong Kong and PILnet that partner with law firms to assist with their casework in exchange for training in human rights law to volunteer lawyers from the firms.

Data from 25 firms in Hong Kong showed that fee earners performed an average of 18.1 hours of pro bono and the percentage of fee earners who performed ten or more hours stood at 46 percent. 31 percent of partners engaged in some kind of pro bono work and they, on average, performed 12.8 hours.

The most selected areas of pro bono focus among responding firms were access to justice and immigration, refugees and asylum at 100 percent, followed by human rights at 75 percent, COVID-19, disability rights and economic development, microfinance and social finance, each at 50 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 40.9 57.9%
Allen & Overy 7.34 15.6%
Ashurst LLP 3.05 10.1%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 0.06 0%
DLA Piper 28.02 40.6%
Dechert LLP 91.57 100%
Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP 1 5%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 24.52 35.9%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 40.62 64.3%
Goodwin Procter LLP 0.96 2.6%
K&L Gates LLP 3.03 10.4%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP 13.06 39.1%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 21.91 42%
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius 27.95 79.6%
Morrison Foerster 13.92 20%
Paul Hastings LLP 8.63 12.5%
Reed Smith 6.59 10.1%
Ropes & Gray 19.37 47.4%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 4.95 12.5%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 10.66 22.5%
Steptoe 36.2 40%
White & Case 19.41 67.6%
Winston & Strawn LLP - -

India

India has a decades-old practice of providing legal aid with the right to free legal aid is enshrined in the Indian Constitution. Yet private lawyers are not mandated to provide pro bono support or report pro bono work. Increasingly, law firms and corporate in-house teams are setting up pro bono infrastructure, but most do not set pro bono requirements for associates and scaling up remains an issue. There are NGOs that provide pro bono legal services such as the Lawyers Collective, the Human Rights Law Network, the Alternative Law Forum, and Majlis. In 2017, the Department of Justice launched a tele-law mobile application “Nyaya Bandhu” with the aim of establishing a framework for pro bono legal services in the country. As of July 2022, 4,454 advocates had signed up to volunteer their time and services to eligible marginalised beneficiaries.

Eleven firms in India submitted data for the 2022 Index, up from eight in 2020. The data indicates that 6 percent of fee earners rendered an average of 2.24 hours of pro bono, with 7 percent offering ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners engaged in pro bono at a rate of 39.4 percent, averaging 3.4 hours of pro bono with 12 percent volunteering ten or more hours of pro bono. 81 percent of the firms indicated the presence of some elements of pro bono infrastructure.

The most selected areas of pro bono support among Indian firms were economic development, microfinance and social finance at 67 percent, followed by access to justice, aid and development and employment at 46 percent.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Altacit Global 83.33 20.8%
Ashu Thakur & Associates 11.25 25%
BTG Legal 0 0%
Durgesh Gupta & Associate 1 100%
J Sagar Associates 3.8 3.1%
KIAA,LLP 1.67 16.7%
RNA Technology & IP Attorneys 1.6 8%
SAIKAT BARDHAN - -
Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co. 0.47 1.1%

Japan

Japan has a strong system of legal aid but a relatively young pro bono culture, which is still growing. Japanese attorneys are not required by law to perform a certain number of hours of pro bono work, and there are other governmental or non-governmental organizations that provide access to justice for free or at a low cost, such as the Japan Legal Support Center (JLSC), Duty Attorney Systems, legal counselling centres established by local bar associations, and legal expenses insurance initiated by the Japanese Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA).

Law firms increasingly contribute to pro bono schemes and make it a requirement for their lawyers as well.

We saw an increase in the number of submitting firms from 13 in 2020 to 17 in 2022. As in 2020, our contributors were all international firms with offices in Japan. Our data indicates average pro bono hours among the 40 percent of fee earners who rendered any pro bono was 27.5 hours. 30.4 percent of them preformed ten or more hours of pro bono. 33 percent of partners engaged in pro bono work, at an average rate of 17.7 hours, with 19 percent of them performing ten or more hours of pro bono.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Allen & Overy 16.33 16.7%
Ashurst LLP 7.75 11.1%
DLA Piper 27.27 42.4%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 15.35 17.4%
K&L Gates LLP 14.46 4.6%
Latham & Watkins 53.7 100%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 10.13 25%
Morrison Foerster 36.03 41%
Orrick 213.23 91.7%
Paul Hastings LLP 84.4 80%
Ropes & Gray 12.3 20%
SLLM Sánchez-Labrador y López Martínez, S.C. - -
Shearman & Sterling LLP 40.25 21.4%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 0.42 0%
White & Case 19.51 58.5%

Singapore

In Singapore, the government is prominent in the legal landscape. It plays a significant role in access to justice by funding legal aid and promoting and encouraging pro bono, together with organisations like the Law Society Pro Bono Services and the Community Justice Centre.

With the support of the Law Society Pro Bono Services, a registered charity, the Joint International Pro Bono Committee was set up, which is an initiative of a group of international and Singaporean law practices. The purpose of the committee is to match interested Singapore and international law practices with cross-border pro bono opportunities involving economic and social development in emerging markets.5 The Law Society also offers several schemes to help law firms optimise their pro bono services. All responding firms in Singapore indicated that they source pro bono work through local law societies or bar associations. Lawyers also have opportunities to get involved in pro bono by volunteering at legal clinics run by many NGOs such as AWARE, Singapore Association of Women Lawyers, Special Needs Trust Company and others.

22 firms from Singapore submitted data for the 2022 Index. Fee earners from these firms performed an average of 18.8 hours, with 45 percent performed ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners reported an average of 17 hours of pro bono and 43 percent of them engaged in some type of pro bono work.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP 36 57.1%
Allen & Overy 10.41 18.2%
Ashurst LLP 1.03 2.4%
DLA Piper 6.96 21.7%
Dechert LLP 62.2 100%
Dentons - -
Duane Morris LLP 10.56 22.2%
Eugene Thuraisingam LLP - 100%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 31.94 33.3%
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP 58.53 63.2%
K&L Gates LLP 41.73 46.7%
Linklaters LLP - -
Mayer Brown LLP 8.95 19.1%
Morrison Foerster 16.3 39.1%
Nakoorsha Law Corporation 100 100%
Reed Smith 23.41 36.1%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 16.07 39.1%
Simmons & Simmons LLP 0.41 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 17.75 66.7%
White & Case 20.81 72.1%

South Korea

Since 2000, lawyers in South Korea have been mandated to provide a minimum of 30 pro bono hours, with some exceptions for unusual circumstances. Many public interest lawyers' organisations are emerging that also provide pro bono services. Examples include Advocates for Public Interest Law, GongGam Human Rights Foundation, Korean Lawyers for Public Interest and Human Rights.

We received submissions from 12 firms, a 50 percent increase in participation from 2020 from South Korea. We see strong engagement in pro bono from fee earners at a rate of 70 percent, and an average of 26.2 hours of pro bono, with 43 percent rendering ten or more hours of pro bono. Partners are highly engaged in pro bono, at a rate of 77 percent, and reported an average of 33.9 hours of pro bono, with 55 percent of partners crossing the ten-hour mark.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Arnold & Porter 15.65 50%
Bae, Kim & Lee LLC 25.08 30.6%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP 1.7 10%
DLA Piper 1.4 0%
Jipyong LLC 30.7 66.1%
K&L Gates LLP 14.33 33.3%
Linklaters LLP - -
Paul Hastings LLP 49.4 100%
Ropes & Gray 10.25 75%
Shearman & Sterling LLP 0 0%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP 0 0%
White & Case 7.91 36.4%

Thailand

In Thailand, the legal pro bono culture is not formalised, and is driven mostly through referrals provided by non-profit organisations and a willingness of legal professionals to respond to the need. Pro bono legal services are provided by a mix of law firms, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Thai bar associations, and university legal clinics.

There are no specific laws to regulate pro bono in Thailand or to require lawyers to provide a minimum number of pro bono hours. A new generation of Thai lawyers is showing growing interest in pro bono, however, and there is an opportunity for law firms to develop more consistent pro bono practice to meet and maintain this interest.

Promisingly, nine firms participated in this Index, up from six firms in 2020. Our data shows that 25.9 percent of fee earners offered an average of 9.5 hours with 24 percent performing ten or more hours. The 24 percent of partners engaged in pro bono performing an average of 3.4 hours, with 12 percent of them doing ten or more hours. Three firms reported the presence of pro bono infrastructure, and the most selected area of pro bono focus among responding firms was COVID-19.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Allen & Overy 9.03 24.2%
Anglo-Thai Legal 5 73.3%
DLA Piper 9.79 0%
Kudun and Partners - -
Lanna Lawyers 62.5 100%
Linklaters LLP - -
Pisut & Partners 1.71 7.1%
SokSiphana&associates - 100%

Vietnam

Vietnam has institutionalised the practice of pro bono. Lawyers are mandated to provide a minimum of four hours of legal pro bono per year and the Ministry of Justice gives awards to lawyers for their pro bono legal services. Beyond the mandated hours, the number of pro bono hours dedicated largely depends on law firm culture. In addition, organisations such as Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia Community Legal Education Initiative (BABSEACLE) work with universities, law students, law faculties, and members of the legal community to raise awareness of pro bono initiatives.

For the 2022 Index, six firms submitted responses on pro bono practices in the country, including two domestic firms. Fee earners performed an average of 7 hours of pro bono and 14 percent of fee earners performed ten or more hours of pro bono. The country saw relatively strong partner engagement, with 56 percent of partners working in these firms participating in pro bono work, each contributing an average of 9 hours of pro bono.
Firm Name Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Allen & Overy 1.73 4.6%
Duane Morris LLP 6.14 21.4%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 13.25 25%
Grünkorn & Partner Law Co., Ltd 0 0%
Mayer Brown LLP 65.5 75%
SokSiphana&associates - -

England & Wales

The success of pro bono in England and Wales is due in part to the support of robust infrastructure. In the last 20 years, several NGOs have been established to provide specialised pro bono opportunities to lawyers in England and Wales, ranging from international organisations to human rights focused services, from those sourcing pro bono opportunities for barristers in England and Wales to citizen advice centres offering legal clinics, and services specialised in sourcing corporate and commercial pro bono support for NGOs and social enterprises.

Law firms have also been proactive. In 2014, the UK Collaborative Plan for Pro Bono was set up to develop the UK’s pro bono infrastructure and encourage more law firms to commit to a minimum of 25 pro bono hours per fee earner per year. The Collaborative Plan has been increasing both in terms of membership – at the time of writing, over 60 leading national and international law firms were members – and in the amount of pro bono work completed by its members, with over 50 percent of lawyers engaged in pro bono (according to 2019 figures) . The success of the UK Collaborative Plan in increasing pro bono provision also inspired, in 2019, the creation of the In-House Pro Bono Group, an association of in-house counsel that aims to foster a pro bono culture among in-house lawyers .

The strong presence of pro bono within the legal profession in England and Wales is evident in the annual UK Pro Bono Week. In 2021, the 20th edition of the celebration featured more than 50 events and, for the first time, representatives from across the UK organised sessions .

Following years when social impact organisations and society have suffered the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic turbulence, we expect need for pro bono in England and Wales to grow. Lawyers are preparing themselves to expand the amount of pro bono they deliver, and this is shown in at least three trends. First, local pro bono groups are being established across England and Wales to coordinate pro bono support outside of London and to be in closer contact with the beneficiaries, be they individuals or local NGOs. Second, there is a growing interest in pro bono among in-house legal teams, a development that has the potential to hugely increase the number of lawyers working pro bono to support and offer business expertise to UK-based NGOs and social enterprises. Finally, pro bono culture is becoming more institutionalised in law firm operations. In 2019, 88 percent of members of the UK Collaborative Plan counted pro bono work toward determining bonuses, and 30 out of 45 UK law firms that took part in the UK Collaborative Plan Report employed a (full- or part-time) pro bono professional. Moreover, an increasing number of leading law firms are hiring dedicated pro bono associates.

The responding firms from England & Wales contributed a total of 369,329 hours of pro bono. and this year 54 firms and in house teams in England & Wales responded to the pro bono Index survey, with 48.8 percent of fee earners engaging in pro bono at an average of 25.7 hours with 35 percent recording ten or more hours of pro bono. 43 percent of partners engaged in some kind of pro bono work and reported an average of 11.5 hours. 23 percent of the partners rendered ten or more hours of pro bono.

This year 54 firms and in house teams in England & Wales responded to the pro bono Index survey, with 48.8 percent of fee earners engaging in pro bono at an average of 25.7 hours with 35 percent recording ten or more hours of pro bono. 43 percent of partners engaged in some kind of pro bono work and reported an average of 11.5 hours. 23 percent of the partners rendered ten or more hours of pro bono.

The data shows that the pro bono infrastructure in this region is well established, with all the responding firms indicating that they have some elements of infrastructure in place. 94.1 percent have a formal pro bono policy and 88 percent have formal pro bono eligibility criteria, however only 12 percent had a formal diversity commitment in place. Firms with a pro bono policy in place reported an average of 41.2 hours of pro bono compared to 29 hours where there was none. Similarly, firms with formal eligibility criteria recorded an average of 42.9 hours, compared to 9.4 hours where there was none.

Legal clinics and individual clients were the leading source of pro bono clients, followed by clearing houses and partnerships with other law firms then law societies and other sources. In terms of most selected areas of pro bono focus, access to justice ranked highest (71 percent), then immigration, refugees and asylum (65 percent), followed jointly by LGBT+ rights (59 percent) and human rights (59 percent).
Firm Name Country Average Hours per Fee-Earner Fee Earners with 10+ Hours of Pro Bono
Accenture UK - England and Wales - -
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP UK - England and Wales 33.91 26.1%
Allen & Overy UK - England and Wales 19.73 34.2%
Anglo-Thai Legal UK - England and Wales 52 100%
Arnold & Porter UK - England and Wales 57.6 89.6%
Ashurst LLP UK - England and Wales 24.33 33.3%
Bates Wells UK - England and Wales 17.94 44.9%
Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP UK - England and Wales 7.2 6.6%
Charles Russell Speechlys UK - England and Wales 6.89 15.9%
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP UK - England and Wales 16.35 35.8%
Cooley LLP UK - England and Wales 36.03 48.1%
Crowell & Moring LLP UK - England and Wales 14.56 32.4%
DLA Piper UK - England and Wales 26.5 33.3%
Debevoise & Plimpton LLP UK - England and Wales 63.8 66.4%
Dechert LLP UK - England and Wales 93.97 102.6%
Dentons UK - England and Wales 17.41 48.2%
Duane Morris LLP UK - England and Wales 36.32 73.7%
Faegre Drinker UK - England and Wales 17.27 24.2%
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer UK - England and Wales 53.89 44.1%
GSK UK - England and Wales 12.91 -
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP UK - England and Wales 48.85 57.1%
Gide Loyrette Nouel UK - England and Wales 9.43 33.3%
Goodwin Procter LLP UK - England and Wales 10.02 27%
Hogan Lovells LLP UK - England and Wales 45.23 62.1%
Jenner & Block LLP UK - England and Wales 132.33 109.5%
K&L Gates LLP UK - England and Wales 22.8 44.8%
KINGSLEY NAPLEY UK - England and Wales 14.67 31.9%
Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP UK - England and Wales 17.49 34.3%
Kirkland & Ellis LLP UK - England and Wales 13.33 44.6%
Latham & Watkins UK - England and Wales 35.28 59%
Linklaters LLP UK - England and Wales - -
Mayer Brown LLP UK - England and Wales 22.26 42.2%
McGuireWoods LLP UK - England and Wales 5.5 16.7%
Milbank LLP UK - England and Wales 31.67 58.1%
Minhas Law Associates Ltd. UK - England and Wales 20 60%
Mishcon de Reya LLP UK - England and Wales 18.79 31.8%
Morrison Foerster UK - England and Wales 55.32 63.3%
Orrick UK - England and Wales 67.27 95.2%
Osborne Clarke UK - England and Wales 3.8 11.5%
Paul Hastings LLP UK - England and Wales 29.54 56.1%
Reed Smith UK - England and Wales 77.12 65.6%
Ropes & Gray UK - England and Wales 35.51 70.1%
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP UK - England and Wales 3.15 15%
Shearman & Sterling LLP UK - England and Wales 54.76 60.7%
Simmons & Simmons LLP UK - England and Wales 18.75 12.7%
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP UK - England and Wales 63.19 66.2%
Steptoe UK - England and Wales 16.68 14.7%
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP UK - England and Wales 8.53 20.8%
White & Case UK - England and Wales 16.84 40.7%
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP UK - England and Wales 11.44 33.3%
Winston & Strawn LLP UK - England and Wales - -
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP UK - England and Wales 0.69 1.6%