Pro Bono And Low Bono In The Solo And Small Law Firm Context

Abstract Over the last 35 years, the organized bar increasingly has provided pro bono legal assistance to the more than 50 million people of limited means in the United States.1 Much attention has been devoted to the pro bono efforts of the largest law firms, which now contribute millions of hours of pro bono service annually to individuals and organizations that could not afford to hire lawyers (Raymond 2008). But the lawyers in the largest firms comprise only about 20 percent of the lawyers in private practice (American Bar Association (ABA) Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service 2009:2). Lawyers in solo and small (2-to 5-lawyer) firms, who comprise more than 60 percent of all private practitioners (Carson 2004:8–9), contribute more time and in greater numbers to the pro bono legal representation of persons of limited means than any other group of lawyers (Heinz et al. 2005:131; Ruggiere & Carpanzano 2008:10, 13).