Arnold & Porter LLP has one of the world's leading law firm pro bono programs. Doing pro bono work has been a core value of Arnold & Porter since the firm's founding in 1946. 

Our pro bono commitment is a key part of who we are as a firm and is an important part of why many of our attorneys have made their professional homes here. While many law firms have upgraded their pro bono programs in recent years, we have shown a sustained level of commitment that very few can match. For example, in 2007 we were one of only four law firms in the United States to average more than 100 pro bono hours per lawyer. We have consistently ranked in the top five pro bono firms in the annual pro bono survey of The American Lawyer, and the firm and its lawyers have won dozens of awards in recent years, including the American Bar Association's prestigious "Pro Bono Publico" award.

Our commitment to pro bono is as broad as it is deep. We have no single "signature" project—our program is as diverse as the interests of our lawyers and our obligation to work for justice. Of course, we have a heavy load of "impact" cases—such as our representation of mentally ill prisoners seeking appropriate treatment at the notorious "Angola Prison Farm" in Louisiana, and our precedent-setting lawsuit against a "mail order brides" agency that brought a young woman to the United States and matched her with a physically abusive man—a case that led to federal legislation bringing these agencies under government regulation. Our cases involve the death penalty, political asylum, election reform, and international human rights, among many other areas.

In addition to handling high-profile cases, we represent many disadvantaged individuals, such as families facing eviction, women who have been the victims of brutal domestic violence, and people who have been wrongfully denied government benefits. Our work covers the full range of our lawyers' skills, including transactional work and counseling for non-profits and non-governmental organizations.

Our firm policy encourages our lawyers to devote 15% of their time to pro bono work. Each year, we honor two firm lawyers who have distinguished themselves through their pro bono work by permitting each to select a pro bono legal service provider to which the firm makes a contribution of US$15,000 in that lawyer's honor. 

If you have any questions about the activities of the Pro Bono Committee, please feel free to contact Marsha Tucker. Learn more about the firm's Pro Bono work by downloading our Pro Bono Sampler.

Our pro bono immigration practice brochure is also available for download.