Pro Bono
Video Spotlight
For the public good
Pro bono service isn’t just something we do, it’s part of who we are. From early in the 20th century, our partners built, led and advocated for organizations, like The Legal Aid Society and Legal Services Corp., which form the cornerstone of pro bono legal advocacy today. We were an original signatory to the American Bar Association’s Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge, which requires firms to contribute, at a minimum, an amount of time equal to 3 percent of total billable hours to pro bono. And we’re proud to continuously exceed this goal.
We’re also one of the few firms to require all of our attorneys, in every practice area, to dedicate 25 hours minimum to pro bono work annually. In 2023, we topped 54,000 pro bono hours globally and handled 700 active cases. In the US, we averaged 59 hours per lawyer and 97% of our lawyers contributed to the pro bono program.
Milbank is ranked 17th in The American Lawyer 2023 Pro Bono Scorecard, which grades the top 200 US law firms. We also are ranked 10th for breadth of commitment, which is based on the percentage of lawyers with more than 20 hours of pro bono service.
Careers built on service
Pro bono is built into our lawyers’ careers from the beginning. Working side-by-side with partners, counsel and senior associates, our first-years immediately gain both experience and mentoring. All first-year litigators in New York participate in our program with the Office of the Appellate Defender to represent individuals in criminal appeals, developing essential advocacy skills.
As our lawyers’ careers progress, they may choose to focus on a particular cause or area on the law that inspires them—or take on a variety of matters to broaden their skill sets. Here’s just a sampling of pro bono work by our associates:
- Successfully arguing criminal appeals for wrongfully convicted individuals
- Advising non-profits on mergers and other corporate matters
- Helping low-income abused women with divorces and custody arrangements
- Assisting refugees and unaccompanied minor immigrants with asylum and legal status
- Securing financial restitution for Holocaust survivors
- Representing organizations in environmental and animal rights matters
- Advocating in a lengthy and complex death row appeal in Louisiana
Whether they’re litigators or on the corporate track, our lawyers find opportunities that interest them—and give these matters their all. We’re proud to work with a diverse array of organizations on pro bono. Some representative organizations include: 
A commitment to young people
Helping children has been one of the hallmarks of our pro bono program for years. Whether it’s helping young people obtain asylum, placing them in a stable home through adoption or advocating for the special education services they need, Milbank lawyers have always been ready to assist. Recently, we’ve pitched in on a major school desegregation case and launched a new initiative to advocate for teens unfairly sentenced to life in prison.
No matter what your interest or passion, our pro bono team can help connect you with cases that can make a difference—and change lives.
In the community
Around the world, you can find Milbank lawyers and staff connecting with, and contributing to, our communities. Each month, an enthusiastic group of Milbankers spends part of the day volunteering at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen near our Hudson Yards office in New York. At our annual “Milbank in the Park” event, our friends and families join us on a weekend outing to help clean a park in the Bronx.
We’re also proud to play a part in supporting big events like the American Heart Association’s annual Wall Street Run & Heart Walk and the Los Angeles Special Olympics, as well as local initiatives like helping a soup kitchen in Singapore and working with minority students in London. And there are always opportunities to get involved in important causes, from regular blood drives and toy and food donations, to fun fundraising opportunities for nonprofits doing meaningful work.
