Ballard Spahr has a longstanding commitment to provide individuals and organizations in need with legal services they would otherwise lack. That commitment encompasses all of our offices, lawyers, legal assistants, and summer associates, throughout our firm.  We encourage each lawyer to devote time to pro bono matters, and treat their efforts as billable time.

As a signatory to the Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge established by the ABA and administered by the Pro Bono Institute, Ballard Spahr has annually made and met a commitment to donate 3% of our billable hours to pro bono services. That represents an average of more than 50 hours of pro bono work annually for each lawyer, equal to more than 30,000 hours firmwide.

Our organized, effective effort is led by an executive director and a pro bono coordinator, who work with the firm’s pro bono committee, bar associations, and pro bono referral agencies across the country to target our efforts where they are most needed. That ranges from advocating fundamental human rights in cases involving the death penalty, voting rights, asylum and immigration, and child advocacy, to providing tax, corporate, and employment assistance for many nonprofit organizations.

Because pro bono service is the right thing for a firm like ours to do, we encourage our attorneys and paralegals by offering full billable hour credit for all pro bono work, and by recognizing their pro bono achievements. In 2007, we established the Alan J. Davis Award, a $25,000 award to an individual or group at the firm providing exemplary legal representation in a matter involving the public good. The Davis award will be made annually with our other pro bono awards, including recognition of all lawyers and staff providing more than 50 hours of pro bono service.

We are also proud that others have recognized our efforts. We consistently rank in the top tier of the AmLaw Pro Bono Survey, and our list of recent awards and honors includes the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Citizens Bank Pro Bono Award in recognition of outstanding commitment to pro bono work. We believe our pro bono leadership fosters the common good where we live and practice, in the finest legal tradition.