Pro Bono Service Soars at Blank Rome with New Policy
On September 1, 2014, Blank Rome implemented its most significant change to the Firm's Pro Bono Policy since first passing a formal policy in 2001: pro bono service at Blank Rome became mandatory. Attorneys and paralegals are now required to perform at least 25 hours of pro bono work per year, with a prorated requirement of 6 hours in 2014 due to the implementation of the Policy mid-year. In addition to the new mandatory pro bono requirement, the revised Pro Bono Policy also increased the amount of billable-hour credit for pro bono work from 65 hours to 100 hours, while still allowing associates to request additional billable-hour credit for more than 100 pro bono hours in extraordinary circumstances. The goal of this increased billable-hour credit is to encourage attorneys and paralegals to take on more substantial matters and pro bono commitments.
Importantly, the revised Pro Bono Policy makes clear that, although 25 hours is a minimum requirement, the Firm continues to encourage attorneys and paralegals to strive to provide at least 65 hours of pro bono service per year. This 65-hour goal, which was adopted in honor of the Firm's 65th Anniversary, is in line with the expectations of the American Bar Association, and encourages our attorneys to give back to the community through meaningful and significant pro bono contributions.
Now, after only several months with the new Pro Bono Policy in place, it is clear that the new Policy is making a dramatic impact on the Firm's pro bono program. In 2014, the Firm logged over 18,000 pro bono hours, representing a 41 percent increase from the pro bono hours recorded in 2013. The average number of pro bono hours per attorney soared from 26 hours in 2013 to 36 hours in 2014. Perhaps most tellingly, the percentage of attorneys participating in pro bono service rocketed to 99 percent—the highest percentage since Blank Rome instituted a formal pro bono program—from only 59 percent the previous year. We are proud of the Firm's pro bono accomplishments in 2014, and we expect that the program will continue to grow, thrive, and flourish in 2015.
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