Pro Bono for Lawyers

Illinois Attorney Contributions to Pro Bono Legal Services are declining

In 2022, the ARDC reports that, of the 95,711 lawyers registered for 2022, 29,594 or 30.9% reported that they had provided pro bono services during 2022. Those attorneys collectively logged 1,720,999 pro bono legal service hours or an average of 58 hours of pro bono time per lawyer engaged in pro bono service, above the aspirational goal of ABA Model Rule 6.1 of providing at least 50 hours of pro bono legal services per year. See ABA Model Rule 6.1, Comment [1].

Thank you to those who give their time and talent to help people who cannot afford lawyers. Those attorneys who provide pro bono currently make up less than 1/3 of all registered Illinois lawyers. In fact, there has been a 10% decline in the number of Illinois attorneys providing pro bono legal services since 2018.

Even fewer lawyers support pro bono and legal aid organization financially. In 2022, 16,858 lawyers reported a total of $18,105,801 in monetary contributions to pro bono organizations in 2022, an average of $1,074 per contributing lawyer. That is less than 18% of Illinois lawyers who give money to legal aid or pro bono organizations. Monetary contributions by Illinois lawyers to pro bono legal services have been decreased 19% since 2018.

Even if there is no crossover of lawyers providing time versus treasure contributions in 2022, that means less than half of all Illinois attorneys contribute to pro bono.

How can we engage the missing majority?

Find the Pro Bono Program that is Right for You

• Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Foundation - acts as a general practice law firm for the low-income Chicagoans with the help of volunteer attorneys.
• Land of Lincoln Legal Aid - a legal service provider focusing on civil legal services for low-income individuals and senior citizens. Serves 65 counties in central southern Illinois.
• Legal Aid Chicago- a legal service provider focusing on civil legal service for low-income individuals and senior citizens in Chicago and Suburban Cook County.
• Prairie State Legal Services - a legal service provider focusing on civil legal services for low-income individuals and senior citizens. Serves 38 counties in central and northern Illinois.
• Dispute Resolution Institute, Inc.provides free mediation services throughout the state with help of volunteer mediators.

• Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI) - a statewide public interest law organization with a mission to engage, inspire and empower those advancing equal access to justice. PILI has resources for Attorneys, Law Firms & Corporations, Law School Students, and Law School Graduates. PILI is also the state administrator for Illinois Free Legal Answers. Illinois Free Legal Answers is a secure website where low-income Illinoisans can ask a lawyer for help with a civil legal issue. Volunteer lawyers then log onto the site at their convenience and answer questions waiting in the queue. Law firms, corporations, law schools and bar associations across the state have organized Illinois Free Legal Answers clinics. 

• Or any of these organizations supported by the Illinois Bar Foundation.

Learn more about the Standing Committee on Delivery of Legal Services

• Committee homepage
• Long range plan