Pro Bono Award
We are now accepting nominations for the 2023 Pro Bono Award!
2022 Pro Bono Award Recipients: Ballard Spahr LLP and Duane Morris LLP
Ballard Spahr LLP has been an innovator in pro bono representation in Philadelphia and beyond. The firm’s Racial Justice and Equality Initiative, launched in the summer of 2020, is the epitome of the firm’s institutional commitment to pro bono representation and the cause of ensuring equal access to justice for all. Through the initiative, attorneys work closely with public interest organizations to pursue pro bono matters that advance race equity, including by addressing economic, education, and voting rights matters.
Duane Morris LLP has been an outstanding pro bono partner to Philadelphia’s legal aid agencies for many years. During the past 15 years, Duane Morris has donated more than 390,000 pro bono hours. In the Philadelphia office, the participation rate in pro bono activities and the number of pro bono hours donated has doubled since 2015. Unlike other firms, Duane Morris does not have a pro bono requirement for its attorneys. Their robust pro bono participation is a testament to the firm’s culture and to leadership’s commitment to serving community through pro bono.
Ballard Spahr LLP and Duane Morris LLP will be honored at the at the 2022 Access to Justice Awards Benefit on Tuesday October 18th at the Fitler Club..
The Pro Bono Award of the Philadelphia Bar Foundation is given annually to a Philadelphia law firm or corporate legal department that performs outstanding volunteer efforts in providing legal services to those in need. The award recipient demonstrates commitment to the development of pro bono legal services in the region and contributes significantly to innovative approaches to the delivery of legal services.
This award brings important recognition to the amazing pro bono work being done in our community, work that is at the core of the legal profession. This important and prestigious honor is a proud part of the legal community’s commitment to promoting access to justice, as embodied by the mission of the Foundation and its work in support of legal assistance.