The legal marketplace has seen better days, but there’s a bright spot amid the gloom. The profession’s commitment to serving the poor and afflicted appears healthy despite the downturn.
Finding the numbers to prove it is a little tricky — the Pro Bono Institute at Georgetown University Law Center releases an annual report on large-firm pro bono, but the 2009 figures won’t be available until July. The trend as of the end of 2008 was positive, however: 134 large firms performed more than 4.8 million hours of free legal work, an increase of 13% compared to 2007. The number of individual attorneys involved increased, too: 19,111 partners and 33,920 associates — increases of 9% and 14%, respectively.
