Baker Donelson’s Revision of Pro Bono Policy Allows for Significant Increase in Free Legal Services

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The law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC has revised its pro bono policy in such a way that the number of hours its nearly 550 attorneys spend providing free legal services to people of limited means could significantly increase.

According to the article at the firm’s website, Baker Donelson’s new pro bono policy provides billable hour credit to all attorneys for up to 50 hours per year of pro bono work, up from the previous credit total of 20 hours per year.

According to Lisa Borden, Baker Donelson’s Pro Bono Shareholder and a member of the Firm’s Birmingham office, the change is designed to encourage the Firm’s attorneys to dedicate even more of their time to providing legal representation free of charge to those who otherwise could not afford the services of an attorney.

  

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“Attorneys are expected to spend a certain number of hours each year performing billable work for clients,” said Ms. Borden. “Our new policy allows attorneys to count up to 50 hours of pro bono work each year toward their annual billable hour goal. Our expectation is that this will make it much easier for our attorneys to commit to contributing more of their time to serving those in need. Of course, many of our attorneys already devote more than 50 hours per year to pro bono work, and in those cases the additional billable hour credit helps to reward their efforts.”

Over the years, the Firm’s attorneys have provided a variety of counsel to many groups of people, including immigrants, refugees, the elderly and the impoverished. Baker Donelson’s counsel extends to a wide range of matters, including advocating for the homeless and organizations that serve the homeless, and death penalty litigation.

For over 120 years, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC has built a reputation for achieving results for its clients on a wide range of legal matters. With over 550 attorneys representing more than 30 practice areas in 15 offices, the firm is the 73rd largest in the U.S.