Sidley's Commitment to Pro Bono Representation
Sidley lawyers recognize their profound responsibility to use their training, skills and experience to provide legal services to the poor and to charitable, religious, community, governmental and educational organizations that otherwise would be unable to afford legal representation. Sidley lawyers also have a responsibility to protect civil and human rights in this country and throughout the world.
Sidley’s pro bono policy strongly urges all lawyers to devote a significant amount of time to pro bono matters. Sidley subscribes to the ABA’s Pro Bono Challenge and has pledged to use its best efforts to contribute annually in pro bono work an amount of time equal to three percent of the firm’s total billable hours. In determining the compensation of lawyers and in evaluating associates’ performance, legal work undertaken for the firm’s pro bono clients is considered the same as comparable work for the firm’s paying clients—there are no limits on pro bono hours. In all, in 2007, over 1,000 Sidley lawyers devoted more than 110,000 hours to pro bono matters.
The firm recognizes pro bono contributions by individual lawyers in a number of ways. Our Chicago office presents its annual Thomas H. Morsch Pro Bono Awards for outstanding pro bono work and publishes a list of lawyers who have performed over 60 hours of pro bono work in a given year. The Washington, D.C. office presents the Vincent Prada Pro Bono Awards, honoring those lawyers and legal assistants who devote more than 60 hours to pro bono clients.
Sidley’s firmwide
Committee on Pro Bono and Public Interest Law coordinates the pro bono practice and makes recommendations to the firm’s governing committees regarding matters of firm pro bono policy. The Committee was instrumental in implementing three significant firmwide initiatives, the
Capital Litigation Project, the
Political Asylum and Immigrants’ Rights Project and the
Veterans Benefits Project. In addition to these firmwide projects, Sidley is known nationally for its pro bono work in the
Supreme Court and appellate courts throughout the county, and internationally for its work on behalf of the
world's poor and lesser-developed countries.
The spirit that drives Sidley lawyers to spend thousands of hours providing pro bono services extends beyond the courtroom. Sidley
contributes to the broader community in each of the cities in which it has offices in a variety of ways -- working in local schools and colleges, as well as helping homeless individuals and youth in local detention centers.
Please
click here to see a video honoring Sidley's involvement in and commitment to pro bono initiatives. This video was shown at the 2007 American Bar Association's Pro Bono Publico Awards reception.
Sidley’s Substantial and Diverse Pro Bono ProgramSidley’s commitment to pro bono service is reflected in the diversity and number of matters in which the firm has been involved. Our lawyers have handled a variety of cases thus far in 2008. Read about some of our
recent efforts here.
Sidley Pro Bono Fellowships An important component of Sidley’s pro bono work is its
fellowship program in the Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. offices. The program allows associates to work at nonprofit organizations in the community either before they begin working at the firm or, in the case of the New York office, after they have joined the firm. While the programs in Sidley’s various offices differ in some respects, the programs all share certain characteristics: Sidley provides a fellowship stipend or pays the salary of the fellows to allow them to work for a nonprofit organization for about 10 weeks.
Recent Recognition of Sidley’s Pro Bono Service Sidley has received many special awards and much recognition for its pro bono work. Read about some of these
recent honors.
Pro Bono ReportsSidley is proud of its significant tradition of Pro Bono service over the years. Please click on the links below to read our annual pro bono reports.